Driving Dynamics Times Four
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Porsche 911 Carrera 4/Carrera 4SIntroducing the 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S all-wheel-drive coupés, Porsche is further expanding the 911 model family.
All-Wheel Drive for Extra Driving Dynamics What you can only see from outside the driver really feels inside: Benefiting from four-wheel drive permanently conveying anything between 5 and 40 per cent of the engine's drive power to the front wheels, the two coupés offer supreme balance and roadholding in bends all the way to the utmost limit, absolutely stable directional stability up to their top speed, and an even higher standard of all-round traction also on slippery road surfaces. The central distribution of power in the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S is provided by the viscous multiple-plate coupling. The front axle final drive, in turn, is fundamentally the same as on the former four-wheel-drive models, now however coming with a modified transmission ratio due to the larger tyres differing in size. Porsche Stability Management with Even Faster Brakes The two four-wheel-drive models proudly boast modified Porsche Stability Management (PSM) now comprising additional functions: The first improvement is prefilling of the brake system prior to application of the brakes all-out, which eliminates the usual air gap between the brake pads and the brake disc, and makes stopping distances even shorter. The second new function of PSM also intervenes in a critical situation: If the driver presses down the brake pedal quickly, but not hard enough, the hydraulic pump will build up the extra pressure required in order to activate the ABS control mode on all four wheels and thus ensure opti-mum brake power. This additional pressure on the brakes is however decreased immediately if the driver does not increase pedal pressure himself or if he takes back the brake pedal. So even with a sporting style of motoring, the system offers that option to precisely "dose" the brakes so typical of Porsche. In their basic features, the brake systems on the 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Carrera 4S naturally maintain that supreme standard of the Porsche 911: The monobloc fixed-calliper brakes are made of aluminium and come in each case with four pistons as well as cross-drilled, innervented discs. As an option both the 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S are available with the latest generation of PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes. These ceramic brake discs weigh approximately 50 per cent less than brake discs of the same size made of metal, offering a rapid, superior and consistent response and keeping brake wear to a minimum. Simply Outstanding: Aerodynamics and Suspension
Sports Chrono Package for the Sports Driver Porsche offers the optional Sports Chrono Package Plus for the particularly sports-minded driver on both four-wheel-drive models, giving various functions of the car a particularly dynamic setting. The program is activated by the sports button in the centre console, modifying the behaviour and characteristics of engine management, PSM Porsche Stability Management, and - if fitted - PASM Porsche Active Suspension Management. Less Fuel Consumption, Greater Safety: Tyre Pressure Control as an Option As an option Porsche's four-wheel-drive sports cars are available with TPC tyre pressure control. Apart from offering greater safety against possible tyre damage, TPC serves above all to avoid inconsistent or excessive tyre wear as well as excessive fuel consumption thanks to the simple verification of tyre pressure. An important safety factor is the warning function informing the driver of any excessive loss of pressure in the tyres: Whenever the pressure measured in one or several tyres drops 0.3 bar below the prescribed level the driver receives a signal before and after each trip. As of 0.5 bar a red warning signal comes on in the display while driving and the driver is warned additionally by a gong. Wide Range of Passive Safety Features It almost goes without saying that the driver and his passengers in the four-wheel-drive cou-pés benefit from Porsche's wide range of passive safety elements featured as standard, as on all other models in the current 911 series. The car's safety features include three-point inertiareel safety belts on all seats, complete with belt latch tensioners and belt force limiters at the front. The total range of six airbags is made up of two two-stage full-size frontal airbags as well as Porsche's progressive POSIP Side Impact Protection System comprising a thorax airbag on the outer side of the seat backrest as well as a head airbag in the door, a feature introduced by Porsche as the first manufacturer in the world. Stylish and Sophisticated Interior with an Even Wider Range of Features The interior follows the superior style and design already featured on the 911 Carrera Coupé and Cabriolet, a very attractive combination of two colours now available over and above the "basic" level of equipment in the two models: The bi-colour scheme is available in the three leather combinations Black/Terracotta, in discreet Black/Stone Grey, and in high-contrast Black/Sand Beige. PCM Porsche Communication Management comes as a standard feature and is now able to play CDs with MP3-compressed music titles. As an option PCM may be supplemented by further modules such as a navigation system complete with a DVD player. Yet a further - new - option is the electronic trip recorder able to record up to 1,500 different trips and meeting all the requirements made by the authorities - for example in Germany - of an automatic trip recorder system.
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These outstanding models in the range
are indeed clearly recognisable at very first sight: The extra-fat rear wheels
measuring 295/35 ZR 18 on the Carrera 4 and an even more impressive 305/30
ZR 19 on the Carrera 4S are encased by wheel arches extended far out to each
side, widening the rear end of the car by no less than 44 millimetres or
1.73" overall. The Carrera 4 models are powered by engines already well-known
in the market: The 3.6-litre six-cylinder in the 911 Carrera 4 develops maximum
output of 239 kW (325 bhp), the 3.8-litre in the 911 Carrera 4S delivers
an even more significant 261 kW (355 bhp). This kind of power accelerates
the 911 Carrera 4 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, giving the car a top speed
of 280 km/h or 174 mph. Accelerating from 0 - 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds
and reaching a top speed of 288 km/h or 179 mph, the 911 Carrera 4S is an
even more outstanding performer.
Despite the two wheel arches bulging
out as genuine signs of power over the rear axle, the aerodynamic qualities
of the new models in the 911 range remain truly outstanding: The drag coefficient
of the 911 Carrera 4 is Cd = 0.30, with the Carrera 4S boasting an even more
impressive Cd = 0.29. This difference results from the ground clearance of
the S-model lowered by 10 millimetres or almost 0.4 inches and therefore
offering even better allround aerodynamics thanks to the standard use in
this case of PASM Porsche Active Suspension Management. This suspension available
as an option on the 911 Carrera 4 comes with a more comfortable damper setting
in the normal mode, but switches immediately to a particularly firm and taut
setup as soon as the driver presses the sports button. In both modes, however,
the setup adjusts permanently to the driver's style of motoring and road
conditions, thus switching to the most appropriate control map between the
two basic modes within fractions of a second, depending on the standard of
dynamic performance the driver wishes to enjoy at any given point in time.
The 911 Carrera 4 comes in standard trim with conventional suspension, but
both models are available with a sports suspension lowering the entire car
by 20 millimetres or 0.79" and featuring a mechanical transverse lock on
the rear axle.