Motoring: Porsche unleashes 408-hp all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 GTS for $125,700

Building on the well-received Carrera GTS, with its extra power, visual panache and extensive extras for an attractive price, Porsche AG today announced the Carrera 4 GTS. A 408-hp coupe or cabriolet with intelligent all-wheel-drive designed for all seasons and all road conditions, the Carrera 4 GTS wraps an aggressive wide body around a long list of performance, comfort and cosmetic enhancements.

A rear-mounted 3.8-litre flat-six delivers 408 hp - an upgrade of 23 hp over the 911 Carrera 4S on which it is based - thanks to a number of internal changes, including a wholesale revamping of the intake duct. The special aspiration system not only improves peak power output, but flexibility as well, thanks to a more generous torque curve. The extra power is enhanced by a sports exhaust system that delivers its unmistakable acoustic signature through four black tailpipes finished with polished, nano-coated inner shells.

The extra power results in improved acceleration. A Carrera 4 GTS coupe equipped with the optional seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) and Sport Chrono Package with launch control makes the sprint to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds. Yet the additional sportiness comes without an increase in consumption: following the Porsche Intelligent Performance development philosophy, the new model consumes no more fuel than the Carrera 4S in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).

 

The Carrera 4 GTS features an electronically-controlled Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive system that delivers impressive traction, stability and agility in any driving situation. The electromagnetically-controlled multi-plate clutch ensures optimum distribution of power between the front and rear axles. A standard mechanical limited-slip differential further improves traction and driving stability around turns and on varying road surfaces.

Like every all-wheel-drive 911 model, the Carrera 4 GTS features a body with 44-mm wider wheel arches at the rear. It is also distinguishable by its SportDesign front apron, black side skirts from the 911 GT2, red reflective strip between the rear lights and a black panel between the rear tailipipes. Centre-locking 19-inch RS Spyder design wheels, painted in high-gloss black with polished lips, are a final visual flourish.

Inside, black is the dominant colour, with the standard interior featuring Alcantara on the centre sections of the standard sport seats with their larger side bolsters. Black Alcantara is also used wherever the driver comes into direct contact with the vehicle - like on the rim of the three-spoke SportDesign steering wheel, on the gear and handbrake levers and even the door handles and storage box lids.

The extra all-weather performance, visual muscle and standard equipment of the Carrera 4 GTS comes at an attractive price. On sale this fall, the Carrera 4 GTS coupe will be available in Canada at a base price of $125,700, while the Carrera 4 GTS cabriolet will be priced at $137,000.