Now that the rear-wheel drive Porsche 911 has clapped its thunder, it’s time for the 991-generation all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S to roll forth in coupe and cabriolet forms. The meat of the transformation is the Porsche Traction Management system, and it’s as much as 143 pounds lighter than the previous 997 C4S, despite being about 1.7 inches wider in back with rear tires that are a third of an inch broader. Detail changes include the cross-light connecting the taillamps moving up a bit and going what appears to be all LED illumination.
The new model has also brought less obvious benefits like better gas mileage than its predecessor, even with more power and speed. The 400-horsepower C4S Coupe, the quickest of the bunch, can dash from zero to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds, max out a whisper beyond 185 mph and return almost 26 mpg combined if fitted with the optional seven-speed PDK dual clutch gearbox (the seven-speed manual comes standard).
Ushering in new tech that will become available for the entire 911 range, the C4S receives adaptive cruise control, a sliding glass sunroof and, on manual-equipped cars with the Sport Chrono pack, automatic double-declutching during downshifts in Sport Plus mode.
We’ll see them on the Porsche stand at next month’s Paris Motor Show and they’ll go on sale in Germany later this year, finally arriving in U.S. showrooms next February. Not including $950 for destination, it will take take $91,030 to get in the all-wheel-drive 911 C4 Coupe. The C4 Cabriolet breaks the six-figure barrier at $102,930, trumped by the C4S Coupe at $105,630 and the C4S Cabriolet another high-jump away at $117,530.
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