Porsche 911 Carrera 4S road test: a 10 car

Every generation of the Porsche 911 deserves its place in automotive history, but with this eighth generation, “the timeless machine” claims its place among the greatest.

Starting with the interior, as you step into the cabin, the first thing it conveys is that you are in the right place. The adjustment of the driver’s seat to the desired position is absolute, and it harmonises with the steering wheel. A small-diameter wheel with a sensual feel and a thickness that invites affection and makes you hold on tight when your heart starts beating above the rate of calm.

But, returning to the interior of the Carrera 4S on this test drive, the space it offers is ideal for two adults. The driver’s position, for someone of my height (1.79 m, between a L and M shirt size), is sensational. There is room, freedom of movement, an optimal fit, correct height and forward visibility, the most compromised view being through the rear-view mirror, which the rear-view camera more than makes up for. Added to this is the blend of resignation and maximum excitement you feel when looking through the exterior side mirrors and seeing the rear wheel arches, bulges, mountains and muscles flanking a “curvy” rear end with very high levels of eroticism.

The new instrument panel features five dials: the central analogue one and four digital ones. Two of them, the furthest apart, are almost invisible because the steering wheel rim blocks them regardless of the driver’s position or the wheel’s position. As a result, information such as outside temperature, date, range, fuel level and coolant temperature is sacrificed. Only a slight sideways movement of the torso or head lets you glance at them. The cluster behind the wheel offers various displays, and the navigation one is excellent, avoiding the need to use the central screen on the dashboard.

A dashboard whose digital display also serves to adjust the car’s modes, like the manettino (sorry, what was I thinking… the dial), located between the right arm and the lower part of the steering wheel, which has a central button that delivers 20 seconds of overwhelming emotion thanks to the “boost” function the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S enjoys.

As I was saying, the dashboard and centre console are an example of how luxury and quality don’t need flashiness to be sublime. A panel of five switches lets you change the display and the big screen, the hazard lights, stability control and the PASM suspension system.

The passenger seat loses the thrill of handling the wheel of a car like this. Thanks to the full adjustment of the front seats, whose drawback is that, tilted forward, they are useless for giving access to the rear, you can enjoy moving and positioning your legs, including knees and feet, in total comfort.

Behind, the rear seats of this Porsche 911 are token. If you plan to take more than two adults on a “nine-eleven”, they are only acceptable for someone no taller than 1.50 m, or for fitting a child seat so the little ones at home can enjoy the pleasure of riding in a Porsche 911 4S.

Finally, behind the rear seatbacks there is a space for a small case or a reduced-volume backpack, while in the boot you can fit items such as a cabin suitcase or a sports bag, so it is possible to use it for trips with limited luggage.

But let’s get to the important part: what is it like to drive a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S?

Let’s start with the car’s configuration: with a 3-litre flat-six boxer engine and twin turbochargers, the power of this car reaches 450 CV, sent directly to all four wheels, with the work managed by an 8-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

This means that, when you turn the ignition key, one of the car’s most rudimentary and least glamorous elements, the party begins.

The beast wakes up, opens its eyes (the lights come on), blinks (calibrating the excellent lighting) and its heart starts beating (the engine fires, and its sound rises from low to high like a conductor asking his musicians to increase intensity and volume).

Then comes the moment to release the parking brake and the handbrake, select first gear with D, and roll off the first metres with a roar that only subsides once the engine has reached temperature.

Setting off in a “nine-eleven” is astonishing. Let me tell you, feeling you are in an icon, even though millions have been built over its more than five decades of life, does not diminish the emotion and exclusivity of the experience one bit.

Then you feel the engine behind you pushing, driving all four wheels, and you are the one telling it where to go with your hands on the wheel. The docile Porsche 911 Carrera 4S in Normal mode responds like a loyal friend.

It listens to you, you listen to it, you speak to it, it speaks to you, you caress it, it moves you and catapults you as soon as you touch the accelerator. A gentle press of the right pedal will show you at any moment that its power is there whenever you want it; you only have to tell it how fast you want to go, demonstrating this in Sport or Sport Plus mode. In those modes it is advisable not to neglect your neck’s fitness and to stay alert to any acceleration or easing of the right foot on the pedal, since the forward and backward jolts are similar to those of a car with starting problems. That head motion, unable to stay upright on the neck when you press the accelerator, is addictive.

The same goes for the sound: an exhaust that can be more or less thunderous thanks to the manual opening of the valves that unleash the thunder box. It’s curious, though, because with a Porsche 911 the thunderstorms arrive in covered places like bridges, tunnels, car parks…

And if a car accelerates, it must brake with the same efficiency or more. The brake system of the test car is simply perfect: capable of decelerating minimally to moderately reduce speed, or of stopping the car in an abrupt situation.

Accelerate, brake and slide

It is wonderful to link one bend after another, and another, and another… Because of the state of the tyres we could not indulge in flourishes, but the composure of this car is sensational, thanks to a suspension whose setup becomes more energetic in Sport or Sport Plus modes, or when the PASM configuration is activated with greater firmness. All four wheels can pass over any surface and the suspension responds as effectively and comfortably as possible. So much so that, having grown used to driving other cars on the roads where I drove this Carrera 4S, the Porsche 911 proved to me to be much more comfortable than some mainstream saloons and much more effective than sports cars whose more spirited setup they allow. Balance and efficiency in the same package.

The synchronisation between engine, brakes, suspension and steering shows that this car is a sports car to enjoy wherever it is driven, because it is comfortable for everyday use, yes, for daily driving, and exceptional for moments of relaxation, especially on roads where straights make up a minority of the route.

So what is the weak point of the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S? None. Not even for the 147,065 euros at which this variant starts. It is not a family car, nor is it a car for carrying more passengers than one wishes. It is for a single person who wants to enjoy a journey in an exceptional car, capable of showing itself as a thoroughbred (purists, me included) of power to unleash at any moment, and maximum docility (when the tyres are in perfect condition, it must be said).

A quality sports car, with restrained luxury but overwhelming emotions: emotions and feelings linked to happiness, joy, passion, disbelief, enjoyment, pleasure… of driving, of being, of living life in a Porsche-nine-eleven Carrera 4S.

A car I would want to live with every day of my life. Nothing more.

Technical specifications of this car

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