About a year back, I test drove the all-new Porsche 911 Carrera S. Now, I’ve had the privilege of driving quite a number of powerful cars over the course of last year, but the new 911 was such an awesome machine, I’d crowned it my personal COTY. Now, Porsche have debuted the all-wheel drive 911 Carrera models in Malaysia. Just simply going by how the C2S drove, we’re going to assume here that the C4S should be an equally cracking, if not better, drive.
Differentiating between the C2 and C4 models is easy – the C4 models have an altogether wider rear. The rear arches are more flared and extends an additional 22mm to the sides, with the rear wheels set 10mm further apart. There’s an extra taillight panel as well that runs between the spoiler edge, and looks fantastic when lit up. Also standard is the new ducktail spoiler that juts out sharply on the rear. We’ve not seen this as standard on US and EU markets, and is a welcome addition in our opinion, and really helps the C4S to stand out.
Porsche’s seamless Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) comes as standard with this car, whilst power is derived from the same 3.8-litre rear mounted boxer engine that makes 400hp and Porsche claims it sprints quicker from Zerotohundred (4.1 seconds), at a higher vmax (301km/h). These figures are 0.2 seconds and 2km/h quicker respectively over the C2S with the correct options.
Also updated is the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system, now based upon the 997 Turbo, which improves efficiency and fuel economy by reducing the transfer of torque to the front axle, depending on driving situations. This PTM system maintains the traditional 911’s rear wheel drivability, with better stability, traction, and agility; achieved by directing the optimal share of engine torque to the front wheels via multiplate clutch. With a maximum switch time of 100 milliseconds, PTM is quicker than the engine’s reaction to load change and faster than any driver can perceive.
Prices for the new Porsche 991 Carrera 4S starts from RM970,000 (OTR without insurance), which includes a 4-year factory warranty and a 4-year complimentary service maintenance package. The options list are, as you might expect, extensive, with many available customization options. We’ve asked to be put on the list to test the car, so watch out for our report when we get our hands on it.
During the launch, Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) also took the opportunity to announce their participation in the Porsche Carrera Cup 2013, Round 1, following upon positive response from last year. Tan Sri Azman Yahya who raced for Team SDAP this year is unable to compete, having had a knee injury, and will be replaced by Fairuz Fauzy instead. Although new to the race series, Fairuz has extensive race experience, having competed in A1 GP, GP2, and even Formula One.
Other highlights of the launch included a display of classic 911s, in conjunction with the “50 Years of the Porsche 911” celebration. This included a wide range of cars from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, which were on display at the entrance.
