Here we go then - the 991 range begins its inexorable expansion with the arrival of Carrera 4 and 4 S
It seems like only last week (er,
it was) we raised the idea that Porsches were getting a bit too grip fixated for their own good and then we get the announcement of ... even grippier ones!
Wake us up for the GT3 please...
Yes, if all the technological might of PASM, PTV Plus, PDCC, PSM and steamroller width tyres really can't keep you on the road the four-wheel drive 991 is here, official info on the Carrera 4, 4 S and associated
cabrio versions now released.
So if you were uncertain about how to spec your new 911 and which options to choose (it's easy - Carrera 2, manual, 19-inch wheels, sports exhaust) prepare for further confusion.
Badging aside the new 4 and 4 S models are also our first glimpse of a widebody 991, the rear arches 22mm wider than the two-wheel drive versions we've had thus far. And if you don't notice that you're sure to spot the reflector bar that links the rear light clusters.
Four-wheel drive 911s broader in the beam
Spec/Tech-wise it's all
fundamentally the same as two-wheel drive Carreras, meaning a 3.4-litre, 350hp flat-six as standard and 400hp 3.8 for the S, seven-speed manual as standard with PDK as an option. 0-62 for the Carrera 4 is from 4.5 seconds and 4.1 seconds for the S, their respective Cabriolet versions two tenths slower in each case. Carrera 2s are about a tenth quicker generally speaking, though it varies exactly according PDK and whether or not you have Sports Chrono. Four-wheel drive on 997s added around 50kg to the overall weight, Porsche claiming a 65kg weight saving like for like for 991 4 and 4 S over their 997 equivalents.
The new four-wheel drive models do roll in a few new features too, not least a glass sunroof for coupes, a display showing you what PTM (Porsche Traction Management) is doing with the drive torque and 'extended' Sports Chrono with auto double-declutching on downshifts when you're in Sports Plus mode. There's also an option of Adaptive Cruise Control, now available across the 991 range, which, with PDK, features yet another acronym: PAS. This one apparently prevents front-end crashes, the implication being if you can defeat the electronic cordon Porsche has thrown around this car you really are an idiot.
You'll be well into six figures by now
Do you really need four driven wheels on your 911 though? Just over a third of 997.2 buyers said they did, pricing yet to be confirmed in the UK but, for context, a Carrera 2 starts at 88,037 euros in Germany while a Carrera 4 will cost 97,557 euros. Extrapolate that to the UK and it's clear a few ticks on the options sheet will mean even a Carrera 4 coupe is going to clear the six-figure hurdle without any difficulty at all.
