Mercedes GT vs Porsche 911We tested the Mercedes GTS against its namesake, the 911 GTSMerc GT will play oversteer games if you askPorsche 991 GTS knows how to waggle its tail still911 chases GT... or does it?Porsche 911 GTS shot in the Austrian Alps for CAR by Tom SaltYep, there's still a flat six back there in the 991 GTSInside cabin of Mercedes-Benz GTCabin of Porsche 911 GTS: focused, but a bit fussy
► Twin test: Merc AMG GT vs Porsche 911
► World-first GT S vs GTS comparison
► Has the 911 finally met its match?
No matter how hard anybody tries to usurp the perennial 911, Porsche always seems to have an answer. On the day we at last drive Mercedes’ spanking new V8-engined GT coupe with its box-fresh GTS badge, Porsche brings along a new kind of 911 with exactly the same moniker: 911 GTS. Sorry Mercedes, but nobody ever said this was going to be easy.
The AMG GTS is one mega Merc, though – the baddest Benz there’s ever been. It’s even meaner than last year’s SLS Black and much more awesome than the crazily expensive yet underwhelming SLR co-developed with McLaren. The 508bhp AMG GTS, which easily beats the 628bhp SL65 AMG against the stopwatch, will be launched early next year together with a less expensive base version rated at 460bhp. The 911 has rarely faced a more serious threat.
The 424bhp flat-six-powered 911 GTS fuses elements of the GT3 batmobile with the DNA of the Carrera S – flared arches, numerous performance-oriented details, go-faster cabin treatment and all. It’s the closest in concept to this Mercedes – the GT3 being way too compromised and the Turbo packing 4wd and a huge pricetag. If the game is Grand Tourer meets sports car, this is the final.
Mercedes GT vs Porsche 911: our playground is the Alps
We’re in the Austrian Alps, where the AMG announces itself with a shout, both visually and acoustically. Its angry part-throttle exhaust rumble makes heads swivel, and the V8’s typical flat-out wah-wah reaches your ears long before the car comes into sight. It sounds equally throaty from inside the cockpit, which has largely been inherited from the outgoing SLS. The passenger cell is accordingly short and wide, rear three-quarter visibility is compromised, the upright position behind the wheel is defined by the towering instrument panel, the extra-wide transmission tunnel and the too-close-for-comfort rear firewall. This imposing driver environment is garnished with a spectacular battery of round air vents, a high-definition in-dash colour monitor, a pricey blend of optional soft leathers and matte carbonfibre inlays, and a centre stack loaded with buttons, knobs, switches and the stubby joystick gear selector. It’s a stage set for stardom, but it falls short in terms of legroom, airiness (even with the optional panoramic roof) and all-round visibility.
To a bystander, the 911 GTS is simply yet another 911. In reality, however, the latest widebody iteration wants to be the sportiest model this side of the super-potent halo specials. To stress the GT3 connection, it comes with bespoke black 20in wheels, blacked out bi-xenons, selected aero kit elements, low-drag mirrors, a made-to-measure rear apron, four black tailpipes and two lines of solid black badging on the bumper below the adjustable tail rudder. Inside, we find snug-fitting sports seats, an Alcantara-wrapped helm as well as special GTS cues like new instrument graphics and tasty charcoal aluminium trim. What you instantly notice in contrast to the AMG is the more spacious cabin, the token rear seats (a delete option), and the Porsche’s more compact dimensions.
On the lightly trafficked Munich-Lindau autobahn leading to the Austrian/Swiss border, the low-slung AMG GTS is the undisputed king of the fast lane, despite its 194mph limiter. You can feel the kick of the explosive twin-turbo V8, which packs the seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle transmission.
