Latest news with #GTS
Top Gear
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving What is it like to drive? The chassis and suspension are identical to the standard Taycan and the estate is only 15kg heavier. And since we're talking about 2,310kg of mass, that weight difference is beyond negligible. So aside from the rear glass being further away in the rear view mirror, there's not much change for a driver to detect. Treat with extreme scepticism anyone who says the handling is more tail-happy because that 15kg extra mass is mostly over the rear axle. Advertisement - Page continues below Noted. Is this very much a sports estate then? It is. The Cross Turismo is a fairly racy crossover, and this is a fairly racy estate. However, the Cross Turismo is more languid, has detectable pitch and dive which we think actually suits the role of an estate car better. The Sport Turismo is slightly harder, sharper and more immediate. It has lovely steering and is immaculately behaved through corners, doing a very impressive job of disguising its mass and maintaining impressive body control over rough surfaces. Certainly crisper to drive than an Audi RS6. Does this only apply to the GTS? It applies to the GTS most of all, since this is – and probably always will be – the sportiest machine in the range. Not that other Sport Turismos drift that far from the template laid down by the GTS though. One thing about the GTS: it's the most rear-biased Taycan. Because of how the motors work, the GTS shuffles a greater proportion of torque to the rear axle than even the Turbo S. In fact as far as it can, it'll only send power to the rear axle, activating the front motor as it gets close to the fringes of grip. Advertisement - Page continues below Can you feel it? Not on the public road. But the Sport Turismo is a very well-balanced car. You'll get some understeer if you really hurl it along, but on the whole it grips tenaciously and behaves neutrally at the limit. You can up the ante with the Sport Turismo as well: £6,939 buys you the Dynamic Package that, alongside adjustable suspension, brings Porsche's phenomenal Active Ride technology which works to keep the body level no matter the forces working on it. It really impressed us in the Panamera, but the even lower centre of gravity here means it's not something we would consider a must fit. Same applies to the £7,230 PCCB ceramic brakes (which have gone almost £1,000 in the last four years). At least rear wheel steering is now standard, and helps give Taycans fitted with it crisper, more immediate turn-in. How's the powertrain? More polished than just about any other electric car out there, but where electric motors are concerned those margins are small. The background fake engine noise is actually pretty decent and the calibration of the throttle is brilliant – gives you faith in the car no matter what mode you're in or where you're driving. The GTS, as with all Taycans, is an effective deliverer of speed (0-62mph in 3.3secs, 100mph in 6.9secs – a whole second faster than the pre-facelift car). But that's with Launch Control's overboost function or keeping the push-to-pass button pressed. The rest of the time instead of 691bhp you have to make do with 597bhp. Don't stress. It's more than enough to put the hound in the boot on red alert. Highlights from the range the fastest 700kW Turbo S 105kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 2.4s CO2 0 BHP 938.7 MPG Price £163,200 the cheapest 320kW 105kWh 5dr RWD Auto [Revised] 0-62 4.8s CO2 0 BHP 429.1 MPG Price £89,200 the greenest 440kW 4S 105kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seat] [Revised] 0-62 3.7s CO2 0 BHP 590 MPG Price £97,570
Top Gear
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo Price & Specs
Advertisement Title 0-62 kWh BHP Range (Comb.) Price 440kW 4S 105kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seat] [Revised] 3.7s 105 kWh 590 £97,570 440kW 4S 105kWh 5dr Auto [Revised] 3.7s 105 kWh 590 £97,200 320kW 105kWh 5dr RWD Auto [5 Seat] [Revised] 4.8s 105 kWh 429.1 £89,570 320kW 105kWh 5dr RWD Auto [Revised] 4.8s 105 kWh 429.1 £89,200 515kW GTS 105kWh 5dr Auto 3.3s 105 kWh 690.6 £119,200 515kW GTS 105kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seat] 3.3s 105 kWh 690.6 £119,570 700kW Turbo S 105kWh 5dr Auto 2.4s 105 kWh 938.7 £163,200 649kW Turbo 105kWh 5dr Auto 2.7s 105 kWh 870.3 £136,200 700kW Turbo S 105kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seat] 2.4s 105 kWh 938.7 £163,570 649kW Turbo 105kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seat] 2.7s 105 kWh 870.3 £136,570 You might like
Top Gear
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo Review 2025
Porsche claims the designers have 'sharpened the lines'. But they appear to have done so with blunt pencils. Not much has changed there. Still a good looking car – better than the Taycan saloon we reckon – so we'll forgive and move on. Reckon it's a shame the Sport Turismo doesn't get the full house Turbo GT motors? You're wrong in the head. 2.4-to-62mph is enough for anyone. Those are the most significant, yes. Look, the motors are more powerful but rather than list them all, let's focus on the mid-range GTS. Instead of 509bhp (589 with launch control) you now get 597bhp, rising to 691. So about a hundred more. Worth having. The Turbo S now peaks at 939bhp. Despite the bigger battery and more standard kit, weight is claimed to be down across the range, if only by 15kg. About 0.7 per cent. Be warned, the updates are geeky. Battery size has increased from 93kWh to 105. Together with some nifty software tweaks and upgrades this means it charges faster (up to 320kW rather than 270, so 10-80 per cent in 18 minutes) and goes further. Up to 35 per cent further in the case of the entry level Taycan Sport Turismo and its 404-mile range. Even the hairiest Turbo S claims 375 miles. Previously, peak power figures were only available with launch control. However now there's a 'push to pass' button in the centre of the rotary drive mode controller on the steering wheel, which gives you 10 seconds of maximum attack. Provided you've had the Sport Chrono kit fitted. Is the Cross Turismo still kicking around? It is, and you can read about it here. Clicking a link too much for you? Here's a precis: it's pretty much identical to the Sport Turismo but has a higher ride height and some extra body cladding to give it more of an off-road vibe. The Cross Turismo also has a couple of small adaptations to make it ride slightly more gently – new wheel mounts and softer anti-roll bars. Back to the Sport Turismo though – a rival to the Audi RS6 and BMW M5 Touring, then? Absolutely, provided you're happy to give up your V8 soundtrack as well as your hydrocarbons. The £119,200 GTS is the most driver focused Sport Turismo (20 per cent more roll stiffness than the Taycan Turbo S. That's a thing) and priced in line with both rivals. It's a sharper handling, better riding car than both as well, manages to feel small on the road when it absolutely isn't (measuring 4,963mm long by 1,966mm wide) and has a turn of pace neither can match. But as we all know, the engine and gearbox combo is a hard one to give up. Even if you could square that away, another problem is likely to rear its head – the Sport Turismo's lack of cabin space. Is it really that small inside? Unfortunately, yes it is. While it is very useful having an 81-litre frunk if you are doing a quick shop or just need somewhere to put your cables, the premise for the Sport Turismo is to double up as a family holdall. However, the boot only measures 405 litres, extending to 1,171 with the seats folded. This puts it in line with the VW Golf (381/1237 litres).If you are assuming all the space has been put into the rear seats, you're wrong. More on all this in the Interior tab. How about the rest of the driving environment? In terms of interior functionality and design, it's thoroughly thought through and every bit as impressive to use and live with as the regular Taycan. Great cabin design, top notch quality. It is low though and for that and a couple of other reasons we'd point you at a Cross Turismo if you have practicality in mind. The plastic cladding should shirk scuffs and it has a sense of ruggedness that's more likely to play better with family life. What does the Sport Turismo cost? £1,000 more than the equivalent four-door Taycan saloon, which makes it the better choice as far as we are concerned. There are five models in the range, with prices starting from £89,200 for the entry level 435bhp model, through to £163,200 for the flagship Turbo S. The sweet spot lies more down the range than up it. You've probably read the horror stories about depreciation already. We'll cover that in the Buying tab. How does it drive? As we said, the sweet spot is low down the range. The faster ones just bring bigger, shinier numbers. Chiefly the price. The GTS is quite compelling though. The adaptive three-chamber air springs and low centre of gravity combine to create a car with immense body control and family-friendly comfort levels. Although think control rather than cushioning as the general strategy. It's crisp, smooth and quiet, just with a fraction more emphasis on steering clarity and chassis response than other Taycans. But the margins of difference between the models are slight and seem only more so when the only way to tell the powertrains apart is from the level of shove in your back.
NZ Autocar
6 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Review
The 911 rallies yet again in its 992.2 generation, adding electrification to its bag of tricks. Is the Carrera GTS still a divine choice? The endless evolution of the 911 continues with the 992.2 series GTS, the first rear-engined hybrid road car from Porsche. It's best to think of it as electrified rather than a hybrid; that makes it sound like some economy special. This performance hybrid produces improved power and delivery, while ensuring it uses roughly the same amount of fossil fuel the old one burnt. What's all the fuss about? The Carrera GTS has both a new high voltage electrical system and a fresh 3.6 litre engine. The electric bits include a 400V architecture with a 1.9kWh (27kg) battery stored up front. That powers a 40kW/150Nm motor living within the beefed up eight-speed dual-clutch trans (stronger clutches and gear sets). This adds its torque from idle to help improve initial response. The battery also feeds the flat six's new electric turbo, which has a motor positioned between the compressor and turbine wheel to get it spooling quickly, reducing lag. Where the previous engine was a twin turbo, this one can make do with one larger unit without the associated lag of a big blower. Some other advantages of going hybrid include an electric air conditioning compressor (no belts means a more compact engine) and there's no need for a starter motor. The engine makes 357kW and 570Nm, while total output is 398kW and 610Nm. That's up 45kW and 40Nm, while the hybrid bits add around 50kg. Consumption for the old GTS was 11.3L/100km, now it's stated at 10.7. They didn't do much to the chassis, though RWS is now standard, teaming with adaptive dampers and Porsche's torque vectoring plus system. The look changes with the lower apron adopting those big flaps. They close off to improve aeros while opening when more cooling is needed for the radiators in behind. The headlights are new, incorporating all the lighting sources up front while the rear end has been remodeled. The rear lid vents feed the intercooler on top of the engine. There's a GTS-specific sports exhaust system as standard. Goes hard This is jet quick with the 0-100km/h taking a claimed 3.0sec, the 80-120 just 1.9sec. The launch is flawless, easily initiated too, something you'll have to demonstrate to your cronies when exiting the golf club. This hybrid six adds pace quickly as the torque spews forth. Porsche says it's already making 500Nm at 1500rpm and the full whack is on from 2000rpm. This feels more like a large capacity, naturally aspirated engine. The delivery is truly linear, with masses of torque on tap low down and into the midrange while a big serve of power awaits up high. While there's not that whip crack response of a honed, naturally-aspirated mill, the action is smart, and lag-free. With new solid roller cam followers (less friction and more robust when stretched) the 3.6 spins freely. It sounds great too, the GTS-specific sports exhaust extracting a melodious mechanical snarl that works to cancel out the road noise. If you are merely cruising in this, the tyres make quite the rumble on coarse chip. This new hybrid engine adds to the 911's great chassis. You need just a hint of steering to get it turning in sweetly, while it's stable in the sweepers yet quick to change direction as well. There's a sniff of understeer during tortuous cornering. By understeer we mean the front tyres merely shuffle a smidge off the perfect line. But then the G metre was registering 1.41. It's all well communicated and sorted with a whiff less gas. The rears manage the ample flow of torque but aren't immune to its effects. Too much gas can arouse the TC's attention out of tighter turns. But get it right and the power helps it round off the bend sweetly. We should have prodded the DSC into Sport mode to give the rear some leeway. However, that's probably better left for track antics. The transmission is reference grade. There are paddles but you won't be as good. And the brakes are a class act too, the pedal action and stopping power ace. The drive mode switch remains on the wheel (the best place for it in a sports car) while there is a switch on the dash to toggle between the Normal and Sport damper settings. Sport is a little bumpier for sure but also more precise and never overly harsh. If you want to activate the sports exhaust (yes please) or raise the rear wing (go on, you bogan) you'll do so via the touchscreen. Still the everyday sportscars At the other end of the tacho spectrum, the Carrera GTS is happy to lug around in tall gears with just 1000rpm on the dial. And it pulls without hesitation too, no untoward vibration or jerkiness like we noted the previous GTS doing. It's so unstressed at sedate cruising paces. It'll chug up a decent incline on the motorway at 1100rpm in eighth easily. The idle stop is seamless, the engine conking out before you come to a halt but there's no electric drive; it's not that type of hybrid. As to fuel use, it all depends on how you drive it. We saw 19.9L/100km doing our worst, the long term average was in the 15s, while sedate motorway/highway cruising can net high single figures. Inside, the few changes include the loss of the analogue tacho, the instruments now fully digital with various displays. Storage remains sparse, though there's a wireless charging tray in the centre console bin, and that's about all there is room for. They really need to reconfigure the centre console; the designers should move the gear selector to free up space. Ride quality is good for a big-wheeled sportster but the creaks and rattles from the cabin we could do without. This hybrid has the same boot capacity as the other models, which is not much, just enough really. The rear-wheel steering makes parking easier, there's a good surround-view camera, the active cruise works all okay and the safety alerts are minimal (once you remove the lane departure warning). A front end lifter is a cost option but probably a necessity to keep the front spoiler clean. One downer is the price. Porsche has never been a value brand but recent price rises have the brows rising. The 2022 GTS we drove had a base of $289,900 while this new one kicks off at $367,900. That said, it does have a higher standard specification. If you were to put a positive spin on it, it's slightly better value than the revised GT3, which is now $435k, and the GTS is quicker. Porsche 911 Carrera GTS $367,900 / 10.7L/100km / 244g/km 0-100 km/h 3.0s Ambient cabin noise 77.0dB@100km/h Engine 3591cc / Flat 6 / T / DI Max power 357kW@6500rpm Max torque 570Nm@2000-5500rpm Battery 1.9kWh Hybrid System Output 398kW / 610Nm Drivetrain 8-speed twin-clutch / RWD Front suspension Mac Strut / sway bar Rear suspension Multilink / sway bar Turning circle 10.9m (2.1 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs (408mm) Rear brakes Ventilated discs (380mm) Stability systems ABS, ESP, TV Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW Tyre size f-245/35R20 r-315/30R21 Wheelbase 2450mm L/W/H 4553 / 1852 / 1296mm Track f-1602mm r-1555mm Fuel capacity 63L Luggage capacity 135L Tow rating Not rated to tow Scheduled servicing 3yrs / unlimited km Warranty 3yrs / unlimited km ANCAP rating Not yet rated Weight (claimed) 1595kg
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
5 countries offering accessible work visas to Indians in 2025
In an increasingly interconnected global economy, Indian professionals are expanding their horizons by seeking employment opportunities abroad. This trend reflects a broader ambition to contribute to international workforces whilst advancing both career prospects and personal development. For those considering overseas employment, several nations have developed streamlined visa programmes specifically designed to attract skilled international talent. 1. Canada : Global Talent Stream Programme Canada's Global Talent Stream (GTS) stands out as one of the most efficient routes for skilled Indian professionals seeking overseas employment. Operating under Canada's Global Skills Strategy, this programme offers remarkably swift processing times, with work permits typically approved within just two weeks. The GTS operates through two distinct categories: Category A : Designed for high-growth companies recruiting highly specialised talent through designated referral partners Category B : Targets in-demand occupations including IT managers, engineers, data scientists, and digital media specialists Successful applicants can expect competitive remuneration, with many employers required to offer prevailing wages typically exceeding CAD 80,000 annually. Additionally, employers must demonstrate commitment to the Canadian workforce through job creation initiatives or training programmes for local employees. 2. Australia: Multiple Skilled Migration Pathways Australia presents compelling opportunities for Indian professionals, with employment projected to grow by 6.6% over the next few years, according to Australian government data. The country offers several visa categories tailored to different professional circumstances. Primary visa options include: Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa : For skilled workers with employer sponsorship Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa : Permanent residency pathway through employer nomination Skilled Independent Visa : Points-based permanent visa for professionals in high-demand occupations Working Holiday Visa : Available for Indians aged 18–30 seeking short-term employment opportunities only if a reciprocal agreement exists, as of June 2025, Indians do not have access to the Working Holiday Visa program unless a new agreement is announced. Applicants must meet specific requirements including skills assessments, English proficiency testing (typically IELTS), medical examinations, and minimum points thresholds (usually 65 points). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Application fees range from approximately ₹36,000 to ₹2,25,000, depending on visa category. 3. Germany: EU Blue Card Scheme Germany's EU Blue Card represents a prestigious residence permit for highly qualified academics and professionals. This programme specifically targets skilled individuals seeking employment within the German market. Key requirements include: German or equivalent foreign academic qualification Job offer matching professional qualifications Minimum gross annual salary of €48,300 (2025 standard) Reduced threshold of €43,760 for shortage occupations (IT, engineering, medical, education sectors) Recent graduates (within three years) benefit from the lower salary threshold, whilst IT professionals may qualify based on relevant experience even without formal qualifications. The Blue Card, valid for up to four years, offers a pathway to permanent residency after 21–27 months, depending on German language proficiency. 4. New Zealand: Accredited Employer Work Visa New Zealand's Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) provides an attractive option for Indians with confirmed employment offers from accredited New Zealand employers. This visa permits residence and employment for up to five years, with potential pathways to permanent residency. Benefits include: Opportunity to study for up to three months annually Family reunification provisions Swift processing times (typically within five weeks) Market-rate wage guarantees Applicants require relevant work experience or New Zealand qualifications, must meet English language requirements where applicable, and must secure genuine employment offers. 5. United Arab Emirates: Employment Visa Options The UAE continues to attract Indian professionals with its tax-free salary structure and dynamic business environment. The country offers several employment visa categories. Available options: Standard Work Visa : Two-year duration with employer sponsorship Green Visa : Five-year flexible option for skilled professionals and freelancers Golden Visa : Ten-year prestigious visa for investors and exceptional talents The UAE's modernised visa system now integrates residency with the Emirates ID, eliminating traditional passport stamping requirements. Combined with competitive labour regulations and mandatory health insurance provisions, the UAE remains a premier destination for skilled Indian workers. Strategic considerations for applicants When evaluating these opportunities, professionals should consider factors including processing times, long-term residency prospects, family provisions, and career advancement potential. Each destination offers unique advantages, from Canada's rapid processing to Australia's diverse visa pathways and Germany's European Union access. The global demand for skilled professionals continues to create opportunities for Indian workers seeking international experience. These five countries represent some of the most accessible and rewarding destinations for those ready to advance their careers on the global stage in 2025. Always confirm the latest visa rules and eligibility criteria with official government sources before applying. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
