Some Facts:

• Porsche will show the latest variation of its 911 at the upcoming Paris auto show.
• Positioned just above the current Carrera S, the new 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS offers a slight bump in horsepower.
• Porsche 911 Carrera GTS goes on sale in the U.S. in early 2011.

With a little more than a year before the arrival of a brand-new model, Porsche has revealed yet another version of the existing 911, the Carrera GTS, in both coupe and cabriolet body styles.

Set to underpin the German sports-car maker's stand at the Paris motor show, the newest addition to the 911 lineup receives a revised version of the 3.8-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder boxer engine found in the Carrera S. It boasts a sports exhaust system and a long list of standard features--all aimed at ramping up the appeal of today's 911 in the face of stiff supercar competition from the Audi R8 and the Aston Martin Vantage.

Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels (and as it should be), with a manual six-speed transmission coming standard and a seven-speed PDK as an option. Select the Sport Chrono package along with the dual-clutch 'box, and Porsche claims you'll be cracking off four-second 0-60 runs all day long.

Aside from the widened haunches, the GTS is set apart by its 19-inch center-hub RS Spyder wheels, SportDesign front and rear fascias, black Alcantara trim and assorted body and interior bits.

The biggest visual change to the GTS is that the rear is 44mm wider than the Carrera S to accommodate a wider track. Porsche claims this “further enhances the chassis dynamics”. A new sports exhaust system is also added, with two dual tailpipes painted black on the outside. Porsche says this exhaust set-up produces “a unique sound”.

The GTS rides on 19in RS Spyder high-gloss black alloy wheels with 235/35 ZR19 tyres at the front and 305/35 ZR19 at the rear. Other styling changes include a SportDesign front bumper with a black spoiler edge and black side skirts. The rear bumper is painted black between the tailpipes and Carrera GTS logos are added to the doors and engine cover.

The black-finished cabin features Alcantara on the centre sections of the front sports seats, SportDesign steering wheel, gearlever and handbrake.

Prices for the Carrera GTS start at £76,758 for the coupé and £83,493 for the cabriolet.