Yes, these are actually spy shots. It seems that the crew at Porsche->ke1 is getting really smart about disguising its test mules. Thankfully, our shooters are just too eagle-eyed to be caught off guard.

What we appear to be looking at is the upcoming 911 GTS Coupe.

If you remember a few months ago, we actually had spy shots of a convertible doing winter testing that featured a lot of the same identifying features of this two-door. Now from the front, the car appears to be any normal 991-generation->ke1920 Carrera (or nearly any Porsche for that matter), but jump to the rear and things quickly get different.

First, take a good look at that exhaust. There is no Porsche 911->ke282 model on sale today with this large, center-mounted, dual-exit design. It actually looks more like the exhaust for the Golf R than a 911. This also leads us to believe that you should look for a more powerful version of the car's flat-six engine to be hiding inside.

The second giveaway is more subtle, but a close eye will notice that the rear appears to be covered in some sort of weird tape or plastic. There is deformation around the taillamps and the center of the bumper. This is a good indicator of the GTS status, as the last GTS was released as part of the mid-cycle refresh. That tape could be hiding a slightly revised bumper and lighting assembly that will debut on the refreshed car.

Slightly better looking, and slightly faster. It sounds like a win to me.

Click past the jump to read more about Porsche 911 GTS Coupe.

Why It Matters

The GTS has become the sort of Goldilocks Porsche. You can get a more powerful engine as well as the widened track and body that comes with an AWD 911, but you can get it in RWD. That means improved grip and handling without the added weight of all-wheel drive.

It may not look like much on the surface, but this new Porsche will undoubtedly be the best 911 yet.

Spy Shots

The new Carrera GTS should debut sometime next-year with a slight revised exterior and more powerful engine. Expect output of the 3.8-liter flat-six engine to be in the neighborhood of 415 horsepower.

The car will feature the wider body and rear track width of the AWD Carrera 4 and 4S, but will be sold in a 2WD configuration.

Porsche Carrera GTS - Rendering