Key facts:
Model tested: Porsche 911 GTS Coupe
On the road price: £78,371
Date tested: February 2011
Road tester: Andy Goodwin

No one could call the Porsche 911 slow, but even with an all-new model on the horizon, engineers in Weissach can't stop making the current model better and better.

This is the 911 GTS, available as a coupe or convertible and costing from £78,371, only £2,199 more than a standard 911 Carrera S.

For the extra money you get better performance, handling and a unique styling package which sets the GTS apart.

Its 3.8-litre flat-six engine produces 408bhp without being turbocharged, making it one of the most highly-tuned naturally aspirated engines money can buy. It's a 23bhp increase over the standard model, achieved by improving airflow into the motor, and power is sent to the rear wheels only.

The engine produces a deep bellow as you start it up, and howls at higher revs, but still settles to a mature hum when the car is left to cruise at a steady speed. A new sports exhaust with quad black-painted tailpipes forms a key part of the GTS upgrade package.

Acceleration is instant in the first four gears, with third and fourth being particularly suited to British A and B roads and making safe overtakes past slow traffic.

The dash from 0-62mph takes 4.2 seconds when fitted with Porsche's PDK semi-automatic gearbox and Sport Chrono Package Plus. This includes launch control - an electronic system designed to optimise the car for maximum acceleration from a standing start.

We drove both six-speed manual and seven-speed PDK-equipped cars and found the latter incredibly easy to drive and as happy in rush hour traffic as it is being driven on demanding fast roads.

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The PDK transmission undoubtedly has a performance edge over the traditional manual gearbox, making upshifts so quickly there's no perceptible pause in acceleration. But purists will enjoy the slick manual gearbox, and we found it ultimately more rewarding to use thanks to a greater sense of interaction with the car, even if acceleration isn't quite as rapid.

With performance now so strong, Porsche has increased the 911's handling abilities to match. The rear bodywork has been taken from the four-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4S, and stretches over a rear axle which has been increased in width by 44mm.

Handling is confidence-inspiring and the GTS flows wonderfully from one corner to the next. But it also feels like a car which demands respect, especially on winter roads, and needs learning by its driver - a fact which makes it all the more appealing to the enthusiast, as it's so multi-faceted.

That wider bodywork has a dramatic effect on styling too. Along with black alloy wheels with a polished lip and a front bumper similar to the item found on Porsche's RS models, the GTS has a real sense of purpose.

The interior follows in the same vein, being fitted with an Alcantara steering wheel and seats trimmed in the same lightweight material found in many a racing car.

So, the 911 GTS looks great, goes quicker, handles brilliantly and is more exclusive than the standard car, and for little more than £2,000 extra. Seems like a good deal to us.