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EXCLUSIVE: Porsche 991.2 Targa GTS spied at Nürburgring

Our spies at the Nürburgring have spotted Porsche’s latest test mule and, while it may not be quite as outlandish as the recently spied 991 GT2 RS prototype, the totally uncamouflaged Porsche 991.2 Targa GTS is no less interesting.

That’s right, it seems that Zuffenhausen is getting ready for the next generation GTS’s launch, less than 12 months after releasing the standard turbocharged 991.2 Carrera.

Like the base car, the exit vents on the rear bumper shows that the 991.2 Carrera GTS will also make the switch to the 3.0-litre 9A2 engine. While the official power output won’t be confirmed until the launch, expect the top of the range Carrera to pack at least an extra 30hp over the Carrera S.

Photo by CarPix AB
Photo by CarPix AB

It will be interesting to see what Porsche decides to do on the manual gearbox front too. The Gen1 991 GTS featured a slicker shifting seven-speed than the comparable base cars however, with the 991.2 range getting that same updated transmission, does Porsche have any other tricks up its sleeve for the 991.2 GTS?

Away from the mechanicals, the big talking point about this particular test mule is undoubtedly the satin black Targa roll hoop, a new addition for the 2017 Porsche 911 GTS.

GTS-badged 911 Carreras have traditionally featured a range of black trim however, last time around, the Targa GTS retained the standard brushed aluminium roll bar seen on the 991 Targa and 991 Targa S models.

Photo by CarPix AB
Photo by CarPix AB

For the facelifted open-top Neunelfer it looks like Porsche has taken the aesthetic even further, offering the first black Targa bar since the Porsche 964 Targa was launched in 1990.

The front bumper has been fairly heavily revised with two extra GT3-esque vents either side of the number plate bracket while the main vents now only feature a single turning vane compared to the standard Carrera’s automatically adjustable vanes.

As is another Carrera GTS tradition, the 2017 version will be offered with the option of the Turbo S’s centre-lock wheels which, this prototype shows, have been updated to match the 991.2 style. There also appears to be rear windscreen wiper option for the first time on the classically-inspired Targa body, something that may not be glamorous but is certain to prove useful.

For all the latest Porsche 911 spy shots and updates, make sure you bookmark Total911.com now.

Photo by CarPix AB
Photo by CarPix AB

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