Motors North

Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera 4S

IMPORTING new torque transfer technology from the current 473bhp Porsche 911 3.6 Turbo and dropping it into the less powerful 911 3.8 Carrera 4S has added driveline refinement.

No more has the four-wheel-drive version of my all-time favourite performance mount been left with a residue of front-drive traction when it’s not required.

The new electro-magnetic coupling technology diverts all power and torque to the rear wheels when that’s where traction needs to go. The previous (pre-2008) Carrera 4S was always left with around 6 per cent torque running through the front axle, thanks to the older viscous couple refusing to give up all of its authority.

The result? A cleaner feel to the 385bhp 4S in tight turns when rear drive predominates – and that’s most of the time.

You’ll pay more than £4000 for the 4WD 4S compared to its similarly-powered flat-six 3.8 2S – but that’s a choice only the individual can make. Me? I’d be happy with the 2S for 99 per cent of the time, but the extra traction security of the more expensive 4S might just be what saves you in an extreme situation and makes that extra investment worth every penny.

Certainly I felt no handling or driver feedback penalty from the new system. The Carrera 911 4S felt lighter at the wheel than my last excursion some years ago in the older model. In fact, a real delight.

Compared with the £70,190 rear-drive Carrera 2S my £74,534 4WD Carrera 4S delivers higher traction, but is basically the same Type 997 car. The 4S is 44mm wider across the rear wheel arches, has a red reflector panel across its rear, aluminium effect surrounds on the front air intakes and, because of the space absorbed by the 4WD system in the front of the car, a smaller luggage bin under the bonnet. Apart from that there is little to tell whether it’s rear or four-wheel-driven.

The latest car delivers more power from a smaller capacity six-cylinder boxer unit in the tail – 385bhp from 3800cc compared to 355bhp from 3924cc.

But in practice, there’s little that’s different in feel and performance. The superb precision of the six-speed manual gearbox fitted to my test car took slices of power just when they were needed and helped the car deliver that wonderful deep Porsche exhaust "growl" when the revs were lifted beyond 4000rpm on a wide throttle.

I felt the new 4S was less involving to drive than its predecessor. Perhaps a little milder in its responses, a bit too refined for a Porsche, but thoughtfully refined and honed for today’s more mature market. But it’s still a delight.

There is something very special about a 911. The driving position of the latest car is superb. Visibility to the rear is not great and the windscreen still has a low brow despite designers’ attempts to deliver more glazing. The driver’s environment is near perfection – the dash classically Porsche with instrumentation dominated by a large central rev counter.

All other dials are pin sharp whether it’s day or night and switches are easy to find and use. The fit and finish of my test vehicle’s Ocean Blue leather interior was exemplary. No better than an Audi R8 of course, but excellent none the less.

I like the 911’s little quality design touches – like the inch deep aluminium finish strip in front of the passenger that flips down at the lightest touch to expose two soft-deploying drinks holders. The precision of that mundane feature is a clue to the rest of the car’s breathtaking build quality.

To most, the 911 4S is all about performance – 185mpg top speed, rest to 62mph in 4.7 seconds and limpet-like 4WD traction. But there’s more – subtle and satisfying.

I drove to Scourie along Loch Shin and have rarely enjoyed such a delightful drive. Speeds were not necessarily all that high – there was no need or opportunity. But the feel and sound of the 1.5 tonne 911 and its glorious 3.8 flat-six were all the delight a committed driver needed.

It’s a great touring car – despite the lack of luggage space because of the intrusion of 4WD mechanicals in the front. You just need to "dress down" and make do with the tiny 105 litre under-bonnet compartment that is big enough for little more than a soft weekend bag.

But it’s easy to travel light, or fold down the child-size rear seats and turn the space into extra luggage capacity.

As I growled up the B838 to Scourie I experimented with the adaptive suspension – Normal or Sport at the touch of a dashboard button. Frankly, leave it in Normal.

Slipping into Sport nearly loosened every filling in my head. It was harsh and unsuitable for Highland Council’s specialty undulating and ridged surfaces. Sport is fine on autobahns, smooth motorways or the odd track experience, but Normal was perfect for north west Highland progress – the 4S remained taut and glued to the road yet managed to deliver a surprisingly refined ride quality – and that’s with low-profile 19-inch Michelin Pilot 235/35 ZRs on the front and "elastic band" 305/30 ZRs on the back.

The 911 is a joy. The new four-wheel-drive delivers a rear-end bias that gives the car life on demanding secondary roads. But I can’t help but feel it would be just as good with traditional rear-wheel-drive. With the main weight of the engine and transmission over the back axle there’s never going to be a lack of traction just because the front wheels are being left to get on with steering the beast.

The 911 Carrera 4S is a stunningly fine car – but do you really need four-wheel-drive? I think not.

If it was my money it would certainly be a Porsche 911 – but a 2S and, because I’d like to enjoy this iconic masterpiece on our Highland roads rather than a track or autobahn, I’d even forego the excellent new double clutch PDK Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe transmission and its £2288 option price. Instead I’d stick with the slick six-speed manual and the optional £372 short shift sports gearlever fitted to the test car.

The sensuous 911 profile may have been around for more than 60 years – but it still occupies the high ground as a desirable supercar coupe.

When Porsche turned away from military tank design after World War 11 and moved its considerable talent into the production of sports cars based largely on Volkswagen parts, it launched an automotive icon on a world hungry for something special.

Now, 61 years after the unveiling of the first "teardrop" 356/2 Coupe in 1948, that appetite has not waned and the 911 is still special.

The 911’s profile has been with us since the first two-litre 911 Coupe of 1964 and while other manufacturers have redrawn their designs, the sensuous 911 of today is every bit as recognisable as the first 911 that went on sale 45 years ago.

It’s everything a supercar should be – usable, impeccably built and a delight to drive. And if you’re not convinced – you just have to experience the deep growl of the 3.8 boxer as it clears its throat at 4000rpm. Superb!

Rating: 9/10

FINAL THOUGHT: Only Audi’s R8 comes close to the Porsche 911 in ability and Teutonic appeal – but the Stuttgart charger still has the edge in my book. The new Carrera 4S four-wheel-drive is a major advance on the system it had previously and virtually eliminates front wheel tug on tight bends with power. The latest 911 may be less involving than the rawer models that preceded it, but that simply adds refinement to a magnificent classic that has become a high-performance motoring icon.

Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera 4S

Price: £74,534 (£83,376 as tested)
Capacity: 3800cc
Power: 385bhp
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
Maximum speed: 185mph
Economy: Combined 26.9mpg; Urban 18mpg
CO2 emissions: 247g/km
ESP: Standard PSM
Insurance: Group 20

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Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera 4S