Price Cobb mashed the throttle and the 3.6-litre engine came to life, growling deeply and unleashing 325bhp to the four wheels. We sprang from a standstill, and as the World Porsche Cup Champion rolled through the gears, the Porsche Carrera 4 spoke to him like an old friend:
FIRST GEAR - As the flat-six engine winds up, exhaust gases push through the pipes and finally out the tail, producing that unmistakable flat-six growl. Accelerating from a standstill, we are pressed into the seatback.
It's show time.
SECOND GEAR - Rolling past 5000rpm, I note how quickly the needle on the tach springs to life with the slightest press of the throttle. The first turn is ahead.
Talk to me, baby.
THIRD GEAR - Collecting speed and momentum, it seems this gear appears from nowhere and vaults us out of the apex.
You had me at hello.
FOURTH GEAR - Back in the day, this is where the fun ended. Now, it's where most competitors begin to be seen in the rear-view mirror.
Catch me if you can.
FIFTH GEAR - It's too late to roll it back down now. Note to self: remarkable downforce evident as retractable rear wing deploys automatically above 100mph.
If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right.
SIXTH GEAR is a blur - the last time scenery flew by this fast was towards the end of the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. Or was it the Nurburgring? No matter.
Membership has its privileges.
Such was the circumstance of this review - the highlight of the drive was touring for a day with legendary racer Price Cobb at the wheel of the new Porsche. Undoubtedly one of the world's best Porsche racecar drivers, Price Cobb knows how to drive it.
Porsche is one of the few automobiles to remain so true to its purpose and original intent. The 911 is by far one of the finest sports cars ever, appearing in many variants over the years. The fabled wide-body, four-wheel drive version Porsche 911 returns for the 2006 model year in the guise of the 911 Carrera 4 and the even more powerful 911 Carrera 4S.
Both feature flared wheel arches to accommodate a widened track, larger wheels and tyres and four-wheel drive powertrains that give the venerable Porsche 911 additional dimensions of dynamic stability, especially in inclement weather conditions and under maximum attack.
As a further development of this newest generation, the Carrera 4 and 4S are equipped with enhanced Porsche Stability Management (PSM) technology featuring two new braking system improvements that have been engineered to provide the shortest possible stopping distances, a dynamic category in which all Porsche vehicles are among the best in the world. This Porsche will out brake nearly anything else on the road.
The Carrera 4 and 4S are nearly two inches (1.73 inches or 44mm) wider than their two-wheel drive counterparts. This extra width is needed to cover the wheels that are part of the enhanced four-wheel drive system. On the Carrera 4, front wheels are eight inches wide by 18 inches in diameter and wear 235/40 Z-rated tyres, while the rear wheels are 11 inches wide, again 18 inches in diameter and shod with 295/35-aspect Z-rated tyres. Meanwhile, the Carrera 4S is equipped with 8 x 19-inch front wheels with 235/35 Z-rated tyres and the huge 11 x 19-inch rear wheels with 305/30 tyres.
With its 325 horsepower 3.6-litre horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, the Carrera 4 is capable of accelerating from a standing start to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds and reaches 100mph in 11.2 seconds. Top speed on the test track for this car is 174mph. When equipped with the optional Tiptronic S automatic transmission, the Carrera 4 Coupe accelerates to 60mph in 5.3 seconds and reaches 100mph in 12.2 seconds. Top speed is still an impressive 171mph.
With its even more powerful 355bhp, 3.8-litre "boxer" six, the Carrera 4S sprints to 60 mph in a mere 4.6 seconds and closes in on 100mph in just 10.8 seconds. Top speed is 179 mph. The Tiptronic S version accelerates to 60mph in 5.0 seconds and reaches 100mph in 11.7 seconds. Top speed is 174 mph.
Torque split to the front wheels automatically adjusts between 5 and 40 percent to maintain traction. By sending no more than 40 percent of power to the front wheels, the four-wheel drive Carrera models exhibit dynamic characteristics similar to the rear-drive versions, so they will not understeer or 'push' toward the outside over the front wheels in hard cornering.
Porsche Stability Management (PSM) is on all Carrera 4 and 4S coupes. PSM coordinates data from various sensors to detect any loss of grip and helps the driver maintain stability by applying braking to individual wheels and, if necessary, by reducing engine torque. Because of the greater potential for extreme dynamic capability of the more powerful Carrera 4S, it is equipped with an even larger master brake cylinder. Like the rear-wheel drive Carrera S model, the Carrera 4 has an enhanced master cylinder with a 1-inch (25.4mm) piston diameter while the Carrera 4S has a 1.06-inch (27mm) piston diameter. To further enhance braking power, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) are available as an option on both the Carrera 4 and 4S. Ceramic composite brakes were developed for high-level motorsports competition and were first used on a road car in the Porsche 911 Turbo.
Another difference between the two and four-wheel drive versions of the Porsche 911 Carrera is the larger fuel tank in the Carrera 4 and 4S. Because of changes in the internal design of the front section of the four-wheel drive cars, a different and larger fuel tank is used, providing approximately three quarts (3 litres) of additional capacity.
To deal with the Carrera 4S engine's 295lb.ft of torque, Porsche upgraded its
six-speed manual transmission, which is also used in the Carrera 4. Tiptronic S is Porsche's optional automatic transmission that makes manual gear selection available through rocker switches on the steering wheel.
The 2006 Porsche Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S coupes come with variable-ratio steering to help enhance agility on winding roads while helping maintain stability at higher speeds; such as those we encountered on this test with Price Cobb along the famed Mulholland Drive in the hills above Los Angeles.
The interiors of the Carrera 4 and 4S coupes provide an environment with luxury accoutrements for highway cruising and the daily drive to work, but also with the features that enthusiast drivers need for autocross and trackday activities. Certainly not a luxury touring coupe, the Carrera 4 and 4S still are more comfortable than you'd think in such a capable performance sports car.
Driver and passenger seats in the Carrera 4 and 4S Coupes feature a Porsche-patented system engineered to better absorb vibration on long trips. Of course, they also provide outstanding lateral support to keep the driver and passenger in place when experiencing high lateral acceleration through curves. We tested this feature often... The front seats also are designed to accommodate taller drivers and passengers. Pedals are positioned closer to the firewall to better accommodate drivers with long legs. The seats are mounted close to the floor pan to help keep the centre of gravity as low as possible. This positioning also created more headroom for taller occupants.
Price felt compelled to test the seating comfort in the back seat as well, and he rode back there with me driving for about a half hour. The rear seats are really for very small people, but they are present should you have an absolute necessity to use them. That being said, the Carrera is really a two-person car.
The five dials that make up the instrument panel are positioned to provide outstanding readability. The faces of the dials are black in the Carrera 4 Coupe, and have an aluminium-look finish in the Carrera 4S Coupe. In typical Porsche fashion, the tachometer is the largest and centre gauge and features a digital display beneath the rev counter so the driver can check speed and engine rpm in a single glance. The separate analogue speedometer includes overall and trip odometers and is located just to the left of the tachometer.
Automatic climate controls with air and pollen filtration is standard equipment. The control for the heat, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems are integrated into the centre console near the switches for seat and rear-window heaters. Airflow through the HVAC system is optimized with large ducts as well as side vents.
The Carrera 4 and 4S Coupes are available with a Bose Surround Sound System with 13 speakers and an integrated seven-channel digital amplifier, ensuring outstanding sound quality.
Stowage for gear in such a small car can be an issue, but the Carrera has plenty of room in several storage compartments and boxes. The locking glove box provides nearly 400 cubic inches (6.5 litres) of room and has an integrated rack to hold two CDs alongside a penholder. Cup holders are located just above the glove box and are hidden behind a neat folding cover. The centre console includes more than 90 cubic inches (1.5 litres) of storage capacity as well as a 12-volt outlet and a coin holder. Additional storage pockets are located in the interior door panels with covers that also serve as armrests. Another storage area is located behind the rear seats. The car's front-positioned trunk compartment offers 3.35 cubic feet (95 litres) of storage capacity. The interior load volume is 7.24 cubic feet (205 litres).
The exterior lighting system includes a guide-me-home feature that can be selected via the light switch. This feature turns the lights on when you leave the car. In addition to headlamps, fog lights, rear lights and license plate lights stay on for 30 seconds allowing the driver and occupants to see obstacles or puddles of water.
Included on the option lists for the Carrera 4 and 4S coupes are Porsche ParkAssist (which uses ultrasound to measure the distance to obstacles and provides an audible warning to the driver), a PCM telephone module, wood grain, aluminium or carbon interior trim, as well as a roof transport rack system. Porsche's Exclusive and Custom Tailoring programs allow buyers to further personalise their vehicles.
The coupes feature a standard anti-theft warning system that uses radar to maintain surveillance of the vehicle interior. Unlike some systems, this sensor is not affected by reflections from bright interior leather surfaces. Also standard is a programmable HomeLink system that can open a garage door or turn on the lights in your home.
Every Carrera 4 and 4S coupe is equipped with six airbags, including two front and two seat-mounted side-impact airbags. In addition, the Porsche Side Impact Protection (POSIP) system includes two head airbags that deploy upward from their housings in the door windowsills. These new airbags provide a flat cushion that inflates to nearly 500 cubic inches (8 litres) and are designed to help protect the heads of the driver and front-seat passenger from broken glass and objects that might enter through the window.
A new safety feature is the optional tyre-pressure monitoring system. Wheel sensors constantly monitor the air pressure in each tyre and alert the driver with two warnings. A 'gentle' warning in white text appears on the digital display within the tachometer if air pressure drops by more than 2.9 psi but less than 5.8 psi.
Porsche is proud of its new technologies and advances in lubricants, which extend service intervals and should contribute to a lower cost of ownership during the lifespan of the coupes. Oil changes are required only every 20,000 miles, air filters last until 40,000 miles and spark plugs should be changed at 60,000 miles.
As much of the motoring world's attention towards Porsche is focused on the Cayenne and now the new
Cayman S, it's the tried and true 911 coupe that continues to carry the torch for Porsche. It's the original DNA for any modern vehicle wearing the Porsche shield, and the yardstick against which any other performance coupe is measured.
Having driven all of the other Porsche models, and nearly all of its rivals, the 911 continues to stand above anything and it remains my favourite.
Porsche 911 range overview - May 2006
| Model | UK on-the-road | US MSRP | CAN MSRP |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe | £59,070 | $71,300 | $104,300 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Coupe | £65,860 | $77,100 | $112,800 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe | £65,860 | $81,400 | $119,000 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet | £72,840 | $81,400 | $119,000 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupe | £62,930 | $87,100 | $127,500 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet | £69,900 | $87,100 | $127,500 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet | £69,900 | $91,400 | $133,700 |
| - Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet | £76,880 | $97,100 | $142,200 |
| - Porsche Turbo | £97,840 | TBA | TBA |
Note: 1990 Le Mans winner Price Cobb has won the World Porsche Cup, and has won the North American Porsche Cup more than any other driver. Vince Bodiford and Price Cobb won the 1994 Overall Championship of the Cannonball One Lap of America driving a factory-fresh Porsche 911 Carrera.
