Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4

The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet shares the same internal 997 model designation as its Coupe siblings. It also shares the same essential all-wheel-drive architecture, interior appointments, suspensions and drivetrains. It is an open-top sports cars that deliver the same exhilarating acceleration and dynamic response as the coupes, regardless of weather or road conditions. The Carrera 4 Cabriolet boast a unique body over their all-wheel-drive powertrains with a wide-body design.

Most importantly, the refreshed Carrera 4 and 4S lose the old multi-plate, viscous all-wheel-drive system in favor of the electronically controlled system from the 911 Turbo. The old system could send between 5 and 40 percent of engine torque to the front wheels once it had detected wheelspin. The new electronic system can anticipate traction losses and shift up to 100 percent of engine torque fore or aft. Porsche says the new AWD system reacts faster to traction changes, and doesn’t make the Carrera 4 significantly heavier.

The Carrera 4 Cabriolet was released with the rest of the 4 and 4S models as 2006 model year cars. With a sure-footed, four-wheel drive powertrain as well as that "wide-body" stance, and with tops that open or close at the touch of a button, the Carrera 4 Cabriolet really started to make the case it could do it all. The wide look gave the 4 a widened track, larger wheels and tires and four-wheel-drive powertrain that gives more dynamic stability, especially in inclement weather conditions. Developed at the same time as the coupe.

The 997 Carrera 4 was the all-wheel-drive version of the standard 997 Carrera and it arrived as a 2006 model year car (along with the 4S models). The 997.1 Carrera 4 had a3.6 L Watercooled Flat 6 (M96/05) engine that was good for 321 bhp @ 6800 rpm and 273 ft lbs @ 4250 rpm. It had a sub 5 second 0 - 60 mph hour time and a top speed of 174 mph. The transmission (six-speed manual or five-speed Tiptronic) feeds a forward propshaft that mates to a viscous coupling unit with a front differential.