The new Porsche 911 Carrera 4 has been unveiled and according to the German car maker, it “unites the excellent performance and efficiency of the new generation of the 911 Carrera with the dynamic benefits of the latest version of the active all-wheel drive system PTM (Porsche Traction Management).”
Due to make its international debut in Paris next month and its local one early next year, the new Carrera 4 and 4S models will be available in coupe and cabriolet body shapes. Porsche claims that this model has all the traits of its standard Carerra sibling – lightweight body design, suspension, engines and gearboxes, but with the benefits of the PTM all-wheel-drive system, which lends these all-wheel drive Carreras a greater degree of grip and agility.
Visually, the Carrera 4 and 4S are similar to the rear-wheel drive models, with the exceptions of flared rear fenders that add an additional 22 mm of width on either side, rear tyres that are 10 mm wider than those on the rear-wheel drive models and a new LED-infused take on the traditional Carrera 4 red brakelight strip that joins the taillamps.
Under the bonnet of the Carrera 4 lies Porsche’s 3,4-litre flat-six engine pushing out 257 kW, while the 4S makes use of the 294 kW 3,8-litre flat six. Mated with a seven-speed manual transmission, the Carrera 4 coupe can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in a claimed time of 4,5 seconds. Spec the 4 with the dual-clutch PDK transmission and you can expect a 0-100 km/h time of 4,3 seconds while a similarly equipped 4S will crack the same sprint in just 3,9 seconds. The PDK-equipped Carrera 4 will hit a top speed of 284 km/h while the 4S with the same transmission will crack 297 km/h. Porsche claims that all four models boast better economy than before and are up to 65 kg lighter.
New features on the Carrera 4 and 4S models incude an all-wheel drive indicator that informs the driver how the PTM all-wheel drive is currently distributing engine power, Porsche Active Safe (a frontal collision detection system that primes the brakes in a potential accident sceario), a sliding glass sunroof and an extended Sport Chrono pack. Also, with the launch of this model Porsche is introducing the optional adaptive cruise control to the entire model range, which controls the distance between the car and traffic ahead depending on vehicle speed.
