Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Review
How does 0-60 in 4.3 seconds grab you? Hard right? Yep…but in the rain? Now that’s just weird and cool at the same time. Having driven a number of high performance cars, I can say the 911 4s is one of the most capable cars I’ve driven when the pavement is wet, not to mention in all other conditions.
There’s just something visceral about the kind of grip this car has with all wheel drive. I liken it to a scared cat tearing away at full power, with claws beared into a carpet.
A recent trip to visit some friends in West Vancouver afforded me the opportunity to briefly enjoy their incredible new addition to the garage. I’m 6′1″ and found the interior to be a little on the tight side. However, it wasn’t uncomfortable and the seats have many options to suit any oddities you need to manage in your driving posture. One needs to keep in mind this IS a sportscar and those Germans aren’t as tall as us Dutch are. 
Porsche engines have always sounded broken to me when they first start up…until you stand on the accelerator.
The pavement was wet in West Vancouver (big surprise there - Vancouverites never tan, they just rust!) when I drove this car. A solid push on the accelerator in second gear woke up that 3.8 litre, 355 horsepower engine with sounds that were simply awesome and need to be heard to be fully appreciated. It’s a monster of an engine. But a very sophisticated monster. No wheel spin and total confidence for the driver. According to the Porsche website, 40% of the power developed by those 6 cylinders goes to the rear tires.
It wasn’t long before I was whirling that incredible motor up to its 7,000 rpm redline and had to cool off on the right foot.
In this car you are low and near to the road.
Not being even close to familiar with the handling characteristics of this car, I wasn’t about the launch it off Marine Drive into English Bay by over driving my abilities. Impromptu ballistics experiments in expensive cars always make the press and I wasn’t about to add that to my resume in someone else’s eighty thousand dollar sports car.
The rest of the drive was all about enjoying the fit, finish and nearly overwhelming options of Nav, sound system and driver options. This car had every option available including 19″ wheels and the chrono sport pack. One peculiarity that I find with most Porsches, this one being no exception, is that the buttons and levers to control anything seem much smaller and closer together than other performance cars. My fingers are not big, but I can see people with large digits having to be very accurate when operating anything electronic in this car.
The view forward is awesome (rearward is less so). The hood slopes down and away opening up the view of the road very well for the driver and passenger. There’s something smart about having the engine behind you. I found the driveline very easy to work with and incredibly cooperative in traffic. A driveline that is hard to believe is part of an exotic sports car.
The Tiptronic shifting system somehow makes you part of the car. Quite visceral. Kudos to Porsche for that technology. You could very easily live with this car as a daily driver.
Steering was firm, but not overdone.
Some will say that 4s is not a true 911 because of the extra weight and all wheel drive. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way if I was to buy a Porsche. This is because I think the car is just safer with all wheels pulling, rather than risking a spin out with just the rears powered up.
All weather stability and that slightly wider, beefier stance (see my pics below) are also worth the trade off for me to not feel like a Porsche “purist”.
But the real reason you own this car for the feeling it gives you when you put your foot down. After doing so, just once, I asked Traci how it felt, to which she replied, “…it makes my heart race”.
And I said, “that’s the whole idea”.
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About the Author: I value good design, growth, effectiveness, simplicity, profitability, lots of sleep, tons of laughter and above all, freedom. If it makes money - it's a business. If it doesn't make money - it's a hobby. Period.
Ryan Bogaardt | May 27, 2008 | Reply
Now that’s a car. Great review!