Porsche Carrera 4 is German for awesome, a little known fact.
The iconic sports car is back and has some new tricks to show you. The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (and Carrera 4S) has a new engine, all-wheel drive system, and transmission, while there are subtle changes to the interior and exterior.
The 3.6-liter engine of the Carrera 4 has been bumped to 345 horsepower, which is a gain of 20 horsepower over the 2008 Porsche Carrera. The Carrera 4S has a 385 horsepower 3.8-liter engine, an increase of 30 horsepower.
The all-wheel drive system features the electronically-controlled Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system, originally developed for the Carrera 911 Turbo. A mechanical locking rear differential is now standard as well.
The standard transmission for all versions of the new 911 Carrera is a six-speed manual. Porsche has a trick up their sleeve, however, with the available Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, or double-clutch transmission, which replaces the Triptronic S automatic transmission, making it faster between the seven gears and improving gas mileage.
Exterior changes include BI-XENON™ headlights, while LEDs have been incorporated into the daytime driving lights and rear-light clusters. The headlights move in the direction the vehicle is turning for greater visibility, but if you're at a stoplight, this feature provides a great chance to freak out the vehicle across from you.
The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S models will be available in the U.S. this fall. Pricing will start at $81,700. See NADAguides.com for more information.