Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Part 2: Interior & User Experience

There are some cars you climb into only to realize you'd better have a look at the owner's manual before driving off. Then there are those that make you feel instantly at home. Such is the case with Porsche's evergreen 911 Carrera.

The German manufacturer's philosophy of evolution over revolution is partially responsible for the familiarity. But its efforts to keep its latest 911 as true a driver's car as possible is the main reason you'll know you're in a Porsche from the moment you turn the key - as always, located outboard of the steering column. While there are several major improvements to the newest Carrera on the drivetrain front, the interior hasn't been ignored.

The biggest news inside the cabin of our manual-transmission-equipped 911 4S is the redesigned center console, which features a much cleaner look thanks mainly to the standard Porsche Communication Management system - or PCM - and the resulting reduced button count. PCM features a button and touch screen interface that is the central control for the navigation, communication and audio systems. Much more intuitive than before and with great looking graphics, the system mimics the car, offering you more control as well as more power.

Speaking of power, the optional 13-speaker Bose surround sound system is seriously impressive! It gives you an option if you happen to tire of the flat-six music coming from the exhaust. Of course, if you ever tire of that amazing soundtrack, you should be banned to a life full of wheezing four-cylinder econo-boxes!

As is the case with the exterior design, the interior draws inspiration from the pre-996-based 911s. The return to the classic layout adds to the familiarity you feel inside the cabin of the Carrera. The aluminum colored hooded dials specific to our S-model test car house all the vital instruments as they always have in Porsche cars. Thankfully, vehicle speed is redundantly and permanently displayed in the customizable digital display located below the tachometer, as the analog speedometer is nearly useless with its abbreviated 180 degree sweep area covering a vast speed range from 0 to 200 mph.

There isn't much else to fault inside the 911 though. Well, maybe the backseats, but no one takes those seriously anyway, using them as a parcel shelf instead of a place to sit life-sized people. The list of pluses is much more extensive and includes impeccable build quality, rich materials, tons of customizing options and of course, that trademark Porsche feel experienced most noticeably through the steering and the handling.

Porsche has a serious a la carte menu that includes indulgences like leather-covered switchgear and the like, but there are also more technical options. One of those is PASM Sport Chassis, which includes firmer spring rates and a lowered ride height among other detail changes. But with all S models already riding lower than the standard Carrera, and the ride quality on this 4S being so well composed while also giving you the option of stiffening it considerably by pressing one button, you'd have to think the optional Sport Chassis is for truly hard-core track junkies only. As it turns out, it's not available for the US market anyway, as the lower ride height makes the car non-compliant with bumper height regulations. And actually, I'm not sure anyone will miss it, as the S models are so well sorted.

Continuing its ever-steady evolution, the latest Porsche 911 Carrera builds on all that is good from its predecessors and improves on those things which didn’t seem to need improvement. In so doing it raises the bar that every other company building sportscars must aspire to reach, yet again.

Watch the video
Read Part 1: Design
Read Part 3: Performance

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S

Performance
- Acceleration: Hard to believe this car is powered by a normally aspirated six... SO QUICK! - huge grip from AWD means it's hard to launch hard without being abusive, though
- Handling: Precise and accurate once you get used to its peculiar feel - prefers a clean, proper approach versus any tomfoolery - practice your drifting elsewhere!
- Braking: The most stable braking platform in the car biz gets even better thanks to AWD - the optional ceramics are overkill, but no doubt even more amazing

Design
- Exterior: Hard to believe it still looks as good as it does - great 997 "version 2.0" facelift keeps the 911 fresh while somehow still classic - one of the great automotive shapes
- Interior: 997's return to the pre-996 layout was extremely welcomed and addressed the biggest flaw of the 996 - PCM cleans up the center stack and improves things further

Utility
- Comfort: Great in the front, especially for a performance car of this nature - nonexistent in the rear, but everyone knows that
- Space: Boot is deep, but not as handy as a proper trunk - rear parcel shelf (referred to as "rear seats" by Porsche) is quite useful

Safety
- Dynamics: One of the very best stability control systems is as foolproof as you can get - evasive maneuvers a bit tricky as the front-end needs weight transfer to be effective
- Technology: Again, PASM is awesome - add to that PTM and airbags and those brakes and... yeah, it's all here and then some

Value
- Price: Yikes! That is a BIG number... Even for a car like this
- Mileage: Direct injection means that one of the most environmentally friendly sportscars is now even more so - other manufacturers should take note

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: That profile and those hips will make your hairs stand up before you even start it up
- Fun to spank: Spank isn't the right word here. Fun to drive quickly? Absolutely. But it wants to be driven cleanly and quickly, not sideways

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Rear engine / All-wheel drive
Engine: 3.8 liter, Flat-6
Power (SAE): 385 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 310 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Curb Weight: 3263 lbs.
0-60 mph: 4.7 sec.
Top Speed: 185 mph
Mileage: 17 city / 25 highway
Base Price: $93,200
Competitors: Audi R8, BMW M6, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG