2017 Porsche 911 Carrera 4: First turbos, now all-wheel drive

12 October, 2015

 

We’re not sure an electro-hydraulically controlled all-wheel drive system is something Porsche purists want to hear is being added to the 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 line-up, but once we saw the proposed engine specs and acceleration times, we were convinced.

Porsche has announced that there will be two engine options when the Carrera 4 hits the tarmac in 2017, and they’re both three-litre flat-sixes, but with the addition of two turbochargers. How does 276kW (370hp) sound? Well, that’s just the base model — the S model produces a stonking 313kW (420hp) at the flywheel. The torque band has widened, thanks to the twin turbochargers, with 449Nm available from 1700rpm, right through to 5000rpm on the base model, and 499Nm available across the same rev range with the S model. It’s safe to say driveability has significantly increased.

To get the power down to the ground you can choose from either a seven-speed manual gearbox — yes seven-speed — or a dual-clutch transmission. Acceleration times are just ludicrous; 3.9 seconds to 60mph for the base model, and 3.6 seconds for the S model — that’s nearing supercar territory.

Your coupe, convertible, or Targa model will come factory with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) suspension, and you’ll have the choice of adding the Sport Chrono package, which adds all sorts of fancy German wizardry. Four ‘modes’ make the Chrono package extra special; Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual modes alter the performance and handling of the Porsche — all at the touch of a button. If this wasn’t enough, Porsche has announced the addition of rear-axle steering, as seen in the current 911 Turbo models, and 911 GT3s.

The question is though, which model would you choose?

A second dose of Dash

When the car arrived in Wellington in December 2018 it was duly taken along for entry certification. Vehicle Inspection NZ (VINZ) found some wrongly wired lamps and switches — not too bad — but, much more significantly, some poor welding repairs. As the structural problems were probed more thoroughly, we realized the previous owner’s restoration would not do and we needed an upgrade. Dash had made it into the country but it would take some time and money before he would be free to explore any of New Zealand’s scenic highways.
We took the car to our new home in Johnsonville in the northern suburbs of Wellington and I pored over the car in detail to figure out what was next. There were lots of new parts on the car and a very perky reconditioned drivetrain but the chassis needed serious work.

Lunch with… Jim Palmer

In the 1960s, Hamilton’s Jim Palmer won the prestigious ‘Gold Star’ four times and was the first resident New Zealander home in the New Zealand Grand Prix on five consecutive occasions. He shared the podium with Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. The extent of his domination of the open-wheeler scene in New Zealand will probably never be matched or exceeded. Yet he’s always been modest about his achievements.