Porsche 911 Carrera at the motor show

Fans of all things fast will crowd the Carrera 4, a wider, wilder version of the regular Porsche 911. The local debut comes just two weeks after the car made its global bow at the Paris Motor Show. Porsche spokesman Paul Ellis says the Carrera 4’s arrival so soon after its debut is a coup.

“The all-wheel drive Carrera 4 takes the already high credentials of the new 911 to even higher levels in terms of handling and performance,” he says. “Plus the wider body at the rear gives it a road presence few sports cars can match,’’ he noted. This is the car enthusiast’s dreams, at least until track-focused GT models are launched. 

The cars – coupe and cabriolet models will be available – are up to 65kg lighter than the outgoing model. They also generate more power and better fuel economy than their predecessors, with a 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds for the 294kW, 3.8-litre flat six boxer engine in the coupe, with the cabrio version just 0.2 of a second behind it.

Both run to a top speed of more than 295km/h yet officially use around 9.1 litres of premium fuel over 100km. A seven-speed manual is standard across the Carrera 4 range, though the seven-speed, dual-clutch auto is a smart box to tick. Adaptive cruise control is another option worth investing in for PDK model buyers.

The Carrera 4 range accounted for one in three 911 sales in the previous model and that should lift again as more buyers appreciate the extra safety and driving dynamics all-paw grip provides. The Porsche stand will also display the latest Boxter range, starting from $107,000. The new Boxsters will sit alongside the family-focused Panamera and Cayenne models.

The Panamera and SUV-styled Cayenne combine the space needed for a family with the pace expected of a Porsche. The duo have proven that sports car buyers want performance and practicality, a trait offered across the Porsche line-up.