Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THE new hot Porsche Panamera GTS was unveiled at a glitzy ceremony at Moda Mall this week.
The launch by Behbehani Brothers, the German marque’s distributor in the kingdom, was attended by company officials, the media and onlookers shopping in the ‘porsch-est’ stores on the island.
The Panamera GTS delivers race track performance – with a striking engine sound that turns heads – yet also offers the space and comfort of a four-seater Gran Turismo, the company says.
George Wills, managing director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, added: “The key to the excitement of driving this new Panamera is in the name. GTS - Gran Turismo Sport - is a promise that you are driving something extra special, and a link to our extraordinary historical performance – the first Porsche vehicle to carry the GTS moniker was the legendary 904 Carrera GTS, back in 1963.”
The body has been lowered by 10 millimetres and the tuned chassis with air suspension and Porsche Active Stability Management make this model at home on a race track.
It sprints from 0-100 kmph in under 4.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 288 kmph.
The interior boasts sports seats, a SportDesign steering wheel with shift paddles, a GTS leather interior and Alcantara surfaces.
Morgan Sunderland, brand manager of Porsche Centre Bahrain, said: “The latest derivate in the Panamera line-up is a striking combination of practicality and sportiness. It is more responsive, emotive and sporty, aesthetically and technically.”
Under the bonnet of this gleaming mean machine is a 4.8-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, which delivers a blistering 430 hp at 6,700 rpm.
The GTS features the much-publicised Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe gearbox – or PDK for short. This unique double-clutch gearbox transmits the engine output to the active all-wheel drive – thanks to the Sport Chrono package featured as standard – without interrupting the power flow.
The Porsche Panamera GTS starts from BD53,100. For more information, contact the Porsche Centre Bahrain on 17459911.
