Porsche 911 Carrera 4S: Still a Good Driver’s Car?

A lot of Porsche enthusiasts are not pleased with the company’s decision to switch to a turbocharged engine with the 2017 lineup of Porsche 911. The company has stuck to the naturally aspirated flat-six engine for years and we can’t help but miss that characterful sounding notes coming from the back of the car. Still the new Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is here. Is it still a good driver’s car?

Classic Porsche Handling
If you want the quick answer to that question, it is simply a big YES. The new 911 Carrera 4S is still sharp through the corners. You can feel it as all four wheels try to hold on to the road to the best of their abilities. The new traction control system is nothing short of spectacular too.
Switch to the new Sport mode and you’ll instantly have more control. In fact, you’ll be able to pull off stunning 4-wheel drifts on a wet road without ever having to worry about going too far and crashing the car. It’s absolutely amazing to be at the wheel of the 911 Carrera 4S.
There’s a good news too. Both the Sport and Sport Plus mode are now more comfortable, which means Porsche has somehow managed to find that sweet spot between handling performance and ride comfort. In fact, we stuck to the Sport mode almost the whole time we were testing the car and it rides beautifully.

A Capable Engine to Match
The new 3.0-liter flat-six engine now comes with two turbos with intercoolers. This brings the base power all the way up to 370 horsepower. The 911 Carrera 4S, however, produces a whopping 420 horsepower. Let’s not forget that the engine in this year’s lineup is smaller than the last 911s, which means Porsche has done a magnificent job in this department too.

Of course, there’s always room for improvement. Porsche performance can be boosted rather easily now that the flat-six engine is already turbocharged. You can tweak the ECU, install a bigger – and smoother – turbo and even strap performance parts to the engine without actually messing with it too much. Some tuners are already hard at work too, so expect to see custom models in the near future.


A Stunning Look That Captures Attention
911 refresh is always about subtle changes. The look of the car – at least the design language of it – hasn’t changed much these past few years. The changes in Porsche 911 Carrera 4S are just as subtle, but you can’t help but admire its newfound beauty.
The back of the car, for instance, now has a sleek light going across the bumper, connecting the two break lights and accentuating that ventilation grill situated slightly to the top. You still get the classic Porsche design lines too. Of course, new headlights and bumpers wrap the new look beautifully.
Is it still a good car to own? Yes. Is it nice to drive? Absolutely. The Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is certainly one of the best so far. Despite losing its classic engine noise, the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is still a 911 to die for.