Porsche 911 Carrera 4 2013 Review - International

Not so much
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OVERVIEW

Making the front wheels pull as well as the rear wheels push might dilute the purity of 911 for some, but globally AWD accounts for 34 per cent of sales and in Australia around 25 per cent.

If you have been following the 991 story since the Carrera and Carrera S Coupe’s first appearance in late 2011, then much about the C4 range is familiar. That’s overwhelmingly good news if you enjoy your driving.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

There are four C4 models. The Carrera 4 Coupe and Cabrio, which are powered by a new 257kW/390Nm 3.4-litre direct injection boxer six-cylinder engine and the Carrera 4S Coupe and Cabrio, which are fitted with the more powerful 294kW/440Nm 3.8-litre DI boxer.

The C4 Coupe is the pricing baseline at $255,400. That’s $26,000 more than the C2 and $14,800 more than its 997 C4 generation predecessor.

Then comes the Carrera 4 Cabrio ($280,900 – plus $26,300 and $17,400), the Carrera 4S Coupe ($289,400 – plus $26,800 and $18,400) and the Carrera 4S Cabrio, which at $315,000 is $27,200 more than the C2 version and $21,600 more expensive than its predecessor.

Phew!

All four come standard with the new seven-speed manual gearbox, while the excellent PDK dual-clutch gearbox – which is optioned by 95 per cent of 911 buyers – is a $5950 option.

Porsche argues the big money is justified by the amount of technology invested in the car. That has plenty of merit as the 991 is only the third clean sheet design in the 911’s 49 year history.

But it’s certainly not going to be justified by the standard equipment level, which aligns with the C2s and is merely adequate; 20-inch alloy wheels, partial leather trim, dual-zone climate control, power reach and rake steering and seating, satellite-navigation and Bluetooth are among the highlights. The 4S adds a glass sunroof.

New options include adaptive cruise control and PAS (Porsche Active Safety), which will brake independently of the driver to prevent rear-ending another car. This feature is only available with PDK and is flowing into the C2 range and later into other Porsches such as the Cayenne.

As is the Porsche way there are many more options and they are expensive too. You could, in theory drive the cost of your C4 toward $400,000 if you wanted to.

MECHANICAL
>>Rear-mounted boxer engine, it could only be a 911...
If you don’t know the 991 911 is lighter than its predecessor yet significantly longer and wider, then you’ve not been reading much about cars in the last 12 months.

Along with that achievement has come the controversial shift from hydraulic to fuel-saving electro-mechanical rack and pinion steering, a move much decried by the 911 fan-base before 991’s launch and debated ever since. Underneath all that though, the fundamental concept of the 911 remains; a boxer engine sitting aft of the rear axle.

The core of the ‘4’ models is the Porsche Traction Management system, which is an active electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch that can theoretically shift drive from 100 per cent rear to 100 per cent front and any combination in between. But it is predominantly rear-wheel drive in its orientation, something confirmed by a new 10-bar gauge in the instrument cluster which gives real-time graphic feedback on which wheels are copping however much torque.

Another giveaway is that signature C4 rear-end, which grows the rear wheel arches 44mm, reflecting an increase in track width for the rear axle and tyre size by 10mm.

The C4s also have a light panel connecting their tail-lights, black side sills and lateral front air inlets.

The new C4 PTM is based on the system of the 997 911 Turbo, albeit with updated software coding that improves economy and is also meant to reduce the propensity for understeer/oversteer transitions on the limit. PTM also supports the fuel-saving coasting function of PDK-equipped 911s. Auto start/stop is another standard fuel-saving device.

The addition of PTM means a 50kg weight rise for C4 models compared to their C2 brethren. That’s a bit better than 997, in which the system added 55kg. Go back to 996 and it was more than 60kg. The kerb weight range is between 1445kg and 1515kg, which is reduced across the board from 997, reflecting the increased use of aluminium in construction and componentry. That’s typical Porsche evolutionary improvement and the same can be said of both performance and fuel economy too.

We won’t break all the figures down across 3.4, 3.8, manual, PDK and the optional Sport Chrono mode, but the claims are all improved compared to the 997 C4s.

A few highlights:

Fastest accelerating 0-100km/h? The 4S Coupe PDK Sport Chrono in 4.1 secs.

Slowest 0-100km/h? 4 Cabriolet manual at a ‘mere’ 5.1 secs (every other time is under 5.0 secs).

Most economical: 4 Coupe PDK at 8.6L/100km.

Least economical: 4S Cabriolet manual at 10L/100km.

Engine outputs are exactly the same as the 991 C2s, so no surprise the slightly heavier C4s are that touch slower and thirstier.

While we’re talking technology and their outcomes, we’d better touch on Porsche’s plethora of performance-related acronyms and what they mean to you. We’ll try to take it step by step.

Sport mode man (std): Sharpens throttle response; sound symposer and activates optional sports exhaust. Optional Porsche Dynamic Light System responds quicker.

Sport Mode PDK: As above, also adjusts shift points, auto start/stop and coasting deactivated.

Sport Chrono man (opt): Adds dynamic engine mounts; analogue clock and stopwatch on dash; engine blip when downchanging. PASM, PTV, PDCC (see below) switch to stiffer and sportier settings.

Sport Chrono PDK: Launch control activated; more aggressive gearing, PSM (stability control) higher threshold. As above, bar manual engine blip (obviously) and PTV Plus fitted rather than PTV (see below).

PASM: Porsche Active Suspension Management, lowers ride height 20mm, increases aerodynamic downforce and allows damper adjustment.

PTV: Porsche Torque Vectoring, brakes the inside rear wheel in bends to aid cornering. PTV is for manuals and comes with a mechanical locking diff.

PTV Plus: as above but for PDK and swaps mechanical diff for fully variable electronic diff lock

PDCC: Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, body roll is countered by variable stabilisers for flatter cornering.

PACKAGING

Better to think of them as additional luggage storage for trips away, adding significantly to the limited front and rear luggage holes.

There aren’t too many places to store life’s paraphernalia. The flip-out door pockets are a nice touch, but space is limited, The flip-out cupholders are crook and should have been discarded long ago. The lidded bin between the seats is small, the glovebox slightly more accommodating.

While the essence of 911 is retained in the cockpit design via the five-dial instrument cluster, the centre stack with its small media screen now melds into an angled centre console that divides the front-seat passengers into two cubicles. The number of buttons it displays is somewhat intimidating (especially once you start ticking options).

You sit even deeper in this 911 than previous iterations. The bonnet is gone from view, with only those signature rounded guards visible. It remains something of an exercise to clamber in and out of the cockpit.

Of course that whole exercise is made much easier in the Cabrio when you drop the top, a process that takes 13 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h. The fabric roof is identical to that employed by the C2, which means the panel bow top carries over, delivering a more coupe-like roof shape.

SAFETY

COMPETITORS
>> Let’s see now…
The Audi R8 is an obvious in-house rival. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage qualifies on price not driven wheels (rear only), ditto the V8 BMW 6 Series. Maybe the Jaguar XKR, although it would get smoked badly. How about the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio? The Nissan GT-R is way cheaper but at least it is AWD – and we know Porsche and Nissan are real pals after their Nurburgring lap time contretemps.

ON THE ROAD
>>As good as it gets
Before heading to Austria to drive the C4 I was concerned about my lack of seat time in the 991 C2. Making any valid observations about the similarities and differences between the two 911 variations would be impossible.

In the end it didn’t matter a jot because the 991 911 Carrera 4 and 4S are completely capable of standing up on their own four wheels as addictive, exhilarating and compelling additions to one of the automotive world’s greatest families.

They may or may not come to be regarded as classics, but that doesn’t matter when the car itself is so capable and confidence inspiring – just the effect Porsche looks for in the C4, which it argues provides that little bit of extra reassurance for drivers via PTM.

I came to that conclusion piloting a Carrera 4S Coupe (PDK Sport Chrono) – the model which will account for 50 per cent of all C4 sales in Australia – over a 1600m mountain pass in some of the foulest weather you could imagine.

The rain was coming down in sheets turning the road into glass; mud and crud added variation, as did the snow, which occasionally dropped from the laden pine trees crowding in on a sinuous piece of bitumen that carved its way through the whiteness.

The 911 didn’t betray me once in all that time. Even as my confidence grew and the Sport Plus button was pressed (setting all the performance bits to their most aggressive mode) it simply got stuck in.

The highlights?

Grip everywhere, in a big fast sweeper or a first gear hairpin, it was the proverbial glue. The front end was like a knife, the rear refused to be unseated by mid-corner bumps. No doubt the larger footprint has delivered the 911 more stability, yet it remains lithe and agile.

The brakes. Six pistons and 340mm discs up-front provide power, progression and feel time after time. Brakes aren’t often written about in road tests. They are just there. These are works of art.

Body control. Never did the car’s weight feel like it wasn’t keeping up with the transitions. Roll was negligible.

The steering. Yes, the electro-mechanical steering lacks the true intimacy of the hydraulic system it replaces. But it’s still very communicative and incredibly accurate and responsive. Left-right-left mid-speed transitions are a delight.

The drivetrain: An engine that howls at the moon and a gearbox that shifts with precision via paddles, or can handle the job itself with aplomb. It’s a joy to listen to the bark of the exhaust and flick through the gears, even when you don’t need to.

Two hours in that murk in that car was one of the most memorable driving experiences I’ve ever had.

Is it as good as a C2? Sorry can’t tell you. It’s bloody good though!

And based on shorter drives in less strenuous conditions, so are the others in the all-wheel drive range. Cabrios might be the ‘soft’ option, but there’s no doubt the C4S drop-top would put many coupes to the sword on a winding road. So too would the less powerful, marginally less impressive C4.

When cruising, the refinement of the ride – firm yet not crashing – and the quieter cabin become obvious.

These are great cars. For all the fundamental changes the new 4 remains a worthy member of the 911 family.

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