Lightning-quick accelerations This is the part that's surprising about driving both of these Porsches. Great force can be applied during take-off, with remarkable results. You're literally glued to the seatback of your S while the car sprints to 100 kph in
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| Carrera S (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
5.45 seconds in sport mode. The 4S takes a half-second longer to reach the same speed, which is understandable since power has to be distributed to all four wheels. But without traction control, the 4S surges forward to 100 kph in just 5.2 seconds. I got this time without even spinning the tires.
This being said, highway passing is what got me excited the most. Anytime you're jammed in a herd of cars, you can count on the power of the Carrera engine to get yourself out in a hurry. Think about it: being able to accelerate from 80 to 120 kph in only 4
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| Carrera 4S (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
seconds. That's what I did by shifting from second to third gear with the S - with traction control off. When I tried the 4S, I applied the same technique, but in the third gear, I reached 120 kph in 4.18 seconds.
Unequalled braking Porsche engineers, like those of other great sports car manufacturers, like to install superior brakes on their machines. Both versions of the Carrera S took 31 meters or less to stop from 100 to 0 kph. The 4S was the better
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| Carrera 4S (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
of the two at 28.6 meters. This braking performance allows the driver to better control the 911's momentum.
IntimidatingIn terms of pure speed, these are true sports cars, but you must realize that everything happens in the blink of an eye. Speed can be exhilarating for a moment, but you have to keep your head cool and not let your feet dominate. If you want to have a real blast, go to a racing track. Remember that our highways are not like the German autobahns. Driving at 250 kph is risky not only for you but for others; it can become really dangerous on our roads.
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| Carrera S (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Since the average human brain has a reaction time of about one second, at that speed, the driver will cover a distance of 70 meters between the moment an obstacle appears and the moment he depresses the brake pedal. Thinking you're Michael Schumacher or Paul Tracy is irresponsible unless you're on a closed track. Actually, Porsche encourages owners to follow advanced driving lessons in order to get a better knowledge of their cars and to drive with more skills and savvy.
