2006 Porsche 911 Review

Specifications

Four Wide-Body AWD 911s Ideal for Slippery Winter Conditions

There are many benefits to driving a car with four powered wheels, with traction in wet or snowy conditions being the most obvious.

Porsche initially offered all-wheel drive on its mid-80s 959 supercar, and then followed up with a four-wheel motivated 964 C4 in 1989. C4 and C4S models were offered in 993 and 996 body styles, plus came standard with the Cayenne SUV, of course, and with  the new 2006 Carrera 4 Coupe and Cabriolet models arriving at dealerships this weekend, more than 20 years of all-wheel drive Porsches make quite a legacy.

The timing for Porsche to launch its all-new Carrera 4 Coupe and Cabriolet models is apropos, being that the first snowfalls of the year are already blanketing colder regions around Canada, while most of the country apprehensively awaits the initial cold winds, frozen rain and then eventually, white powdery stuff.

Porsche completely revised its rear-wheel drive 911 range last year, and with that came updated styling cues, a totally reworked and much improved interior, plus notable performance enhancements.

Now, all-wheel drive 911 models have received the makeover, and this weekend those who want all the traction all the time can go to their local Porsche dealership and experience the improvements firsthand.

Which cars are we talking about? The hard-top 911 Carrera 4 and 4S Coupe, plus the open-top 911 Carrera 4 and 4S Cabriolets, in total four models.

The new Carreras deliver a great deal more performance than their all-wheel drive predecessors, from larger, more finely tuned engines, to more resistant brakes and more dynamic handling characteristics.

Available for the first time with two engines, the standard unit being Porsches recently upgraded 325-horsepower 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer that powers the regular rear-wheel drive 2005 911 Carrera, zipping the sprightly coupe to 60 mph in only 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 174 mph. The enhanced engine is not just incrimentally quicker, but smoother too.

The same goes for the six-speed manual gearbox, a big improvement over the outgoing transmission. The five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission also remains among the best in its class, this side of a sequential manual such as BMWs SMG, Ferraris F1, Maseratis Cambiacorsa, and highest rated of them all, Volkswagen-Audis DSG.

The second engine to be fitted to Carrera 4S (C4S) and C4S Cabriloet models, boasts 355-horsepower via a 3.8-liter flat-six, enough to push either car to 60 mph in a mere 4.6 seconds and keep the momentum going to a terminal velocity of 179 mph - slightly less in the convertible. The upgraded engine displays a stunning improvement over the base engine, feeling more like a Turbo than a naturally aspirated horizontally opposed six, albeit with more immediate throttle response.

The most noticeable exterior modifications of both all-wheel drive models are their 44 mm (1 ¾ inch) wider flanks, expanded to accommodate the Carrera 4s larger 295/35ZR 18 tires, and the Carrera 4S 305/30 ZR 19 larger rear tires.

The automaker also included its enhanced Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system, optimized for shorter stopping distances and greater control in slippery conditions. PSM, as fitted to the Carrera 4S and 4S Cab, features two additional functions to improve braking performance, the first being preemptive braking design that pre-fills the hydraulic pump in order to reduce the air gap between the pads and the disk and therefore shorten stopping distances before full braking power is applied. This process is especially effective if “the driver depresses the brake pedal quickly but not forcefully,” says Porsche.

The all-wheel drive system is more or less carryover from the 996 C4S, comprised of a multi-disk viscous coupling that transfers between five and forty percent of output to the front wheels when a reduction of traction occurs. Porsche will also make all-wheel drive models available with its new Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system for the first time. Standard on the Carrera 4S, PASM lets the driver choose between a comfort-oriented ride and a high-performance track-tuned setup, optimizing the cars ride/handling equation to make the most of road conditions, and more importantly, a drivers mood swings.

When on the track the Carreras optional Sport Chrono Plus package is a technophiles dream. Capable of counting laps, keeping track of a drivers best time and displaying all laps on a digital graph, the Sport Chrono Plus package also modifies the cars engine management characteristics plus the behavior of PSM and PASM systems. With the flick of a column-mounted lever, the driver is able to set a lap interval, and keep track of lap times by tapping the lever each time the car passes by the predesignated position. The graphics are great, showing each lap on a bar graph. While this tool isnt for everyone, those who might find themselves at the local race track for a little weekend fun every now and then, will want to make the investment.

The new 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S coupes are now available across Canada, as are the two convertible models, at a price of $77,100 for the Carrera 4 Coupe, $87,100 for the Carrera 4S Coupe, $87,100 for the Carrera 4 Cabrilolet, and $97,100 for the Carrera 4S Cabrilolet.

Yes, thats a lot of money. But now that the interior has been improved to premium car levels, any new 911 is as luxuriously appointed as it is enjoyable to drive. With all-wheel drive on board, the car will make heros out of novice drivers, unlike older 911s which were a bit of a handful in the wet especially, and now looks as attractive as any 911 ever has -  73 exluded.