As Good As It Gets
by David Morgan (08 Dec 05)

Occasionally, just occasionally, a car comes along which is as near perfection as it is humanly possible to get. I expected a lot from the latest Porsche 911 and was not disappointed. In Carrera 4S guise the Type 997 is a mighty car, a coupé supreme which is equally at home blistering along an autobahn or tackling a torturous B-road where grip, poise, handling and power meld into an orchestra of driving delight.

For £69,900 you'd expect to get an impressive package. You do. The latest Carrera 4S has the grip of a manic kart, the poise of a single seater and supercar top speed. The rear-mounted 3.8-litre flat-six is a heavyweight boxer. It revs to 7300rpm and drives the 2+2 to 179mph - but that statistic simply gives a taste of the 911's breathtaking ability.

With 355bhp punched out at 6000rpm and massive torque of 295lb/ft peaking at 4600rpm, I saw rest to 62mph arrive at a near warp-speed 4.8 seconds and 100mph on the clock 6.4 seconds later. This is a car which can cover the standing kilometre in just 23.5 seconds and do it all without the slightest indication of drama or tyre slip.

Porsche has perfected its four-wheel-drive system. There's always a minimum 5% of power being fed to the front wheels, but when performance rises and surface friction falls up to 40% can be diverted up front. It's a seamless transfer and throughout my 500-mile test there was never any feeling of front wheel tug or undue weight in the steering.

The 4S is a joy for the performance driver. Powerful, confidence-inspiring and built like a battleship with the quality of a Swiss watch. There's little to fault on the road. From its updated instrumentation, new cabin trim, external styling changes and selectable suspension setting to its driver feedback, huge brakes and mile-swallowing ability the 1.47-tonne 4S is a superb rendition of the much-loved 911.

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