Arguably the best looking 996, the
C4S is highly sought after but remains an affordable 911
In 1974, Porsche created the first 911
Turbo. Defined as much by its aggressive appearance as its explosive
performance, the Turbo’s flared rear wings started a fashion that would never go
away. Indeed, such was the popularity of the flared arches in the Eighties that
independent specialists like Autofarm found a thriving market for grafting
Turbo wings onto so-called narrow-body 911s. Porsche itself got in on the act
with some special low-volume, non-Turbo, wide-arch editions of the 3.2 Cabrio
and Speedster and the 1993 ‘celebration’ 964. However, it was the 993 4S in
1995 that established the variant in standard production. Two-wheel (C2S) and
four-wheel-drive (C4S) versions were offered featuring the much-admired 993
Turbo body. These proved to be successful, and production overlapped the start
of 996 production by several months so demand could be met. Zuffenhausen duly
noted this, and when the 996 facelift came in 2001, a Turbo-bodied, naturally
aspirated 911 model made its appearance.
996
Carrera 4S is Driving Perfection
If the previous wide-bodied, non-Turbo 911s
were generally one-offs or limited editions, the acclaim received for the
‘Turbo-look’ 993S, the first series production variant, alerted Porsche’s
marketing department to its lucrative possibilities. So when the widened body
996 eventually emerged, it was a thoroughly conceived and carefully targeted
specification that would be a hit from the outset.
“Porsche
would position the C4s as the 911 to aspire to, going further upmarket than its
933s predecessor”
First, though, Porsche needed to establish
the new 996, launched in 1997. The most radically new 911 ever seen, it upset
purists, who lamented the demise of air cooling and the smooth, minimalist
style largely attributed to Porsche’s former chief of exterior styling, Hong
Kong-born Pinky Lai. Having worked with Porsche Design chief Harm Lagaaij at
Ford on the Sierra and Scorpio and later BMW, he followed his mentor to
Stuttgart in 1989. The pair would spearhead the style revolution at Weissach, which
would successfully bring Porsche into the 21st Century and gain both men renown
and Lai several international awards. The 986 Boxster and 996 911 would propel
the sports car maker into a much wider market, but without affecting its
uncompromisingly sporting image. Porsche was not a Morgan, making 13 cars per
week; the purist view would never make or break the 911.
996
Carrera 4S back
The all-wheel-drive 996 followed in 1998,
and by 2000 Porsche had filled out the range with the specialist GT3 and range-crowning
Turbo, though both used a different engine from the base 996. The new 911 was
faster, more spacious, comfortable and economical than its air-cooled
predecessor – all critics could find to complain about was a cabin which
although as ergonomic as the 993’s, was not finished to the same standard.
Porsche would address this with the face lifted version of the 996 and 996 C4,
launched in 2001. Bored out to 3.6 liters and with eight per cent more power
and torque, the second 996, distinguished by its revised headlights, offered
detail improvements and saw the return of the wide-bodied 911: the C4S.
Porsche
have used the timeless feature of a red strip connecting the two rear lamps
right up to the latest 911 model
Porsche would position the C4S as the 911
to aspire to. As with the 993S and 4S, the C4S used the Turbo’s curvaceous
wings and deeper front and rear valances, but went further upmarket than its
993S predecessor with a more generous specification. On 18-inch Turbo alloys and
sitting 10mm lower than the standard car, to the uninitiated the C4S appeared
indistinguishable from the Turbo. It took the cognoscenti to spot the subtly
different front lip, absence of air intakes in the wings and retractable rear
spoiler of the 996 rather than the Turbo’s fixed wing. Beneath the spoiler was a
welcome Porsche trademark: a full-width reflective panel. The C4S shared the
Turbo’s 330mm brake discs and four-piston ‘big red’ calipers, as well as its
four-wheel-drive transmission and most of its suspension, except for the rear
springs, which were softer, reflecting the lighter payload of the naturally
aspirated flat six. Tiptronic, not previously compatible with all-wheel drive,
was also an option.
