One of my favorite newer Porsche models was the 997, this model went back to the classic round headlights and was a major leap forward over the 996, at least style-wise. The 997’s production is coming to an end; it will be replaced with the 991 next year. Porsche decided to milk this popular model one more time with the introduction of the 911 Carrera 4 GTS coupe and cabriolet. I think this is the last time we’ll see the 997 model but you never know, Porsche can surprise us with yet another model, there still are 7 months remaining in 2011.
So what do you get with the Carrera 4 GTS? Not too much, the Carrera 4 GTS is based on the 911 Carrera GTS, which is a rear-wheel-drive model and this new version gets the 4-wheel-dirve system, hence the “4” in the name.
The Porsche Carrera 4 GTS is powered by a 3.8 liter boxer 6-cylinder motor placed behind the rear wheels. The engine produces 408 horsepower at 7,300 rpm and 310 pound-feet of torque between 4,200 – 5,600 rpm. The coupe achieves the 0 to 62 mph time in 4.6 seconds while the cabriolet does it in 4.8 seconds, these times are identical to the 2-wheel-drive models. The addition of the optional 7-speed Porsche PDK transmission reduces these times by 0.2 seconds on both cars.
The “Carrera 4 GTS” badges have been slapped on the doors, trunk, engine cover, and the door sills. The car also gets a black chin spoiler, black side skirts, and 19” RSR Spyder rims. The interior gets the Alcantara treatment, which seems to be gaining popularity lately, with the seats, door panels, lower dash, hand brake, and gear lever being covered in that magical material.
Prices for the Carrera 4 GTS start at $110,200 for the coupe and $120,000 for the cabriolet in the United States, where the car will be available in the fall. Prices in Germany are significantly higher; the coupe will start at €111,956 (approximately $159,700) and cabriolet at €122,071 (approx. $174,150).
