New Porsche is a real hair-raiser

THE engine flares in a sharp blast of exhaust acoustics which communicates the low-inertia of Porsche’s 3.8-litre boxer engine as I attempt to match road speed with revs on my way down the seven-speed manual gearbox.

A short-throw action and wide ratios mean that gears can be missed out at will as the pricey carbon ceramic composite brakes (£5,787) scrub off speed with unfading enthusiasm, hauling the car to a stop with me hanging on the seatbelt like a sky diver on his parachute straps.

A momentary pause at a T-junction gives me clear sight in each direction and I ease the right pedal through its lengthy, floor hinged arc.

Turning right, the rear end breaks traction momentarily but the car straightens up and launches down the road in unflustered fashion after a precise amount of grunt is channelled to the front tyres.

Many have compared the Porsche 991 Carrera 4S to Nissan’s GT-R due to the level of technology and it’s easy to see where they’re coming from but, just as the Japanese car’s requirement for commitment at high speed make a hardcore driving challenge, so the engineers in Stuttgart have engineered the C4S to feel very much like a Porsche.

Dynamic Engine Mounts loosen the boxer engine’s connection with the chassis to reduce engine vibrations at a cruise but stiffen up when the pace rises, assisting hydraulic suspension which reduces roll through corners in a transformation of the 991’s character whenever the need arises.

Meanwhile, power is ushered between left and right wheels by a torque vectoring system and for and aft by Porsche Traction Management four-wheel-drive which can calculate the need for power at the front tyres every 100 milliseconds.

But, despite all this, the four-wheel-drive icon from Stuttgart surprises with a natural, almost rear-wheel-drive flow through corners, even under the duress of the 430bhp delivered by my C4S test car (basic price £83,448), which came equipped with the £9,338 Powerkit, adding 30bhp to the standard car’s 400bhp with the introduction of a modified cam shaft, cylinder heads, sports exhaust system and a tweaked ECU.

All that effort shaves just 0.1 seconds off the 4.3 second sprint to 62mph.

Although cynical about the sheer cost of Porsche’s Powerkit, I can’t deny that the 3.8-litre boxer engine felt revved even more freely at its top end than ever before and sounded race track ready at full chat.

And an underlying chassis balance shines through.

Feed in the power mid-corner and the rear will scrub gently wide, tightening the car’s line, pointing its nose down the next straight and instilling a feeling that power can be smeared onto the road via those 305mm-wide rear Pirellis with a dose of precision.

Only the reward of greater all-out traction communicated that this was four-wheel-drive during my week-long test under sunny skies.

The last time I tested a 991 it was the rear-wheel-drive Carrera and snowed...a lot.

All this talk of high performance technology fails to communicate the changes that were ushered in with the creation of the 991 Carrera.

A wider front track from the 997-generation’s GT-spec cars has settled a front end that used to rove around, sniffing out cambers and translating details of the surface to the driver’s fingertips, but sometimes disguising its impressive grip.

The 991 feels more resolute and reliable, even if a layer of feel through the electric power steering has been lost.

A 100mm longer wheelbase, meanwhile, has improved high speed stability and bump absorption.

When you aren’t pushing the 991 to exploit all its power and poise it can fulfill the role of rumbling cruiser with decent comfort and refinement.

And while practicality may not be the primary concern of most C4S owners, 340 litres of luggage space, rear seats that are just about usable for small adults or a baby seat and 29.7mpg claimed fuel consumption — I managed 32mpg on a motorway run — are an added boon.

My road test was split into two parts when a rear puncture saw my original test car towed to the Porsche Centre in Sheffield.

With no replacement tyre in stock a C4S equipped with Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic gearbox was sent my way.

Striking a phenomenal balance between slow speed shuffling and hard-wired mechanical connection in manual mode it will be the favoured option for most C4S owners, despite a near £2,400 premium.

It also introduces the option of launch control, cutting the sprint to 62mph by 0.2 seconds, raises fuel economy to 32.5mpg and lowers CO2 emissions from 224g/km to 205g/km.

Although I appreciated the extra layer of involvement offered by the manual car, the excellence of the PDK makes it the pick in what has become Porsche’s technological tour de force.

The greatest strength of the super coupe from Stuttgart, however, is that it still feels as naturally rewarding to drive as ever, despite the host of technology that allows it to fulfill its remit as devastatingly quick all-weather sports car or a classy coupe.

When the hairs on the back of your neck rise along with the rev needle, none of that technology matters a jot.

 

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