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" I love rooting for the underdog, whether it&amp;#039;s in sports or the automotive world. So having the keys to a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet in my pocket made me feel a little uneasy, like I somehow was selling out to a car that so many people have already praised and cheered. The problem is, after one week with the GTS, I was totally smitten. The power from the 408-bhp 3.8-liter flat-6 is only part of the reason. We&amp;#039;ve all read about Porsche engineering, and how the company has finely tuned countless variations of its iconic 911 for more than 40 years of production. Sorry to be the spoiler here, but all that the hype and hyperbole is true. This is simply an awesome machine. Some quirks remain to appease the brand faithful. The ignition is still to the left of the steering column \u2013 and it will remain there for eons to come. And while I immediately located the buttons for Sport and Sport Plus mode, it took three times as long for me to find the door lock/unlock control (it&amp;#039;s tucked onto the upper edge of the center console).  A car has to be something special if I know it has launch control before I realize it has cup-holders. And the GTS is very, very special. My car was equipped with the 7-speed PDK transmission, along with the optional Sport Chrono package. While driving in New York City, I usually left the car in Sport mode \u2013 and thanks to unseasonably warm weather, the top was almost always lowered. Shifts are sharp, but never jarring. The power is exceptionally smooth; the engine&amp;#039;s redline is set at 7,300 rpm and there is a healthy 310 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm. In my notes, I wrote that the car&amp;#039;s acceleration was &amp;quot;elastic.&amp;quot; In less poetic moments, I&amp;#039;d say it was simply damned fast. Equipped with the same options as my test car, Porsche estimates the PDK-equipped GTS Cabrio sprints from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.  The power-operated top raises and lowers with the push of a button. It operates while on the move, at speeds up to approximately 40 mph. That proved handy during one unexpected rain shower. Diving into a rest area, the GTS was the star attraction as the top raised while we cruised past at a steady 35 mph. Once it was securely in place, a jab of the gas pedal shot the rear-wheel-drive GTS back onto the highway. There is even a decent amount of luggage space in the nose of the car, more than enough for a week&amp;#039;s worth of groceries. Yes, I went shopping in a GTS Cabrio. Rather than feeling as though I&amp;#039;d committed sports car blasphemy, it simply felt like I was putting a finely-crafted machine to every kind of use. The GTS doesn&amp;#039;t feel like some high-speed toy crafted simply to boost your ego (though it certainly doesn&amp;#039;t hurt it). Of course, with a top speed of 188 mph, you might want to make certain the milk and eggs are tucked away securely. Related posts:  Quick Drive: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Quick Drive: 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Wanna See Porsche&amp;#039;s Teaser Video for the new 911 Carrera GTS?  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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