Porsche - Porsche 911 (993) Carrera 4S

1998 Porsche 993 Carrera 4S in the special Ocean Blue color

The Porsche 993: The Last Air-Cooled 911 In late 1993, exactly thirty years after the introduction of the first 911 (901), the last model of the Porsche 911 with an air-cooled engine was introduced: the 993. For some enthusiasts, the 993 is considered "the last true Porsche" because after this, the brand switched to liquid-cooled engines.

Many will say that the 993 and its predecessor, the 964, look very similar. While the doors and roof are identical, there were many exterior and, especially, technical changes. The 993 received a completely redesigned body (apart from the aforementioned similarities), most notably with wider wheel arches. These fenders had a purpose as the new aluminum multi-arm suspension required more space to house the wheels. This wider, more stable suspension significantly helped reduce the notorious tricky handling (oversteer on lift-off) that earlier 911s were known for.

Carrera 4S: The Ultimate 993 The 993 Carrera 4S was not only the top model of the 993 Carrera series upon its introduction in 1995 but remains one of the best today. No expensive new developments were needed in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen for the Carrera 4S. It was the ultimate combination of already available and proven technology from other 993 models.

In principle, the Carrera 4S was largely the same as the Turbo version. It received the body of the 993 Turbo, with only the wing and, of course, the turbocharger missing under the hood. Other than that, the car was identical to the Turbo, including the heavier brakes that allowed it to stop from 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds. The 4S features a strong 6-cylinder boxer engine with 285 hp, a 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of 270 km/h.

At the front, the Carrera 4S has the same front bumper as the Turbo, and at the rear, the 4S distinguishes itself from other Carrera models with its flared fenders (30mm wider on each side). The Carrera 4S is also 1.5 cm lower than other Carrera models, making it appear much wider when viewed from the rear. Other visible features of the 993 Carrera 4S include side skirts on the lower part of the doors, red brake calipers, white front turn signals, and red rear indicators.

Despite the visual similarities to a 993 Turbo and the standard 18" Turbo wheels with wider tires (and wheel hub caps with the 4S logo), the 4S's suspension is much more tuned for comfort, making it more of a "touring car" compared to the 993 Turbo. The standard sport suspension of the 4S is noticeably softer and, without the turbo, the 210 kW (285 hp) Varioram engine is also more comfortable for everyday use.

All-Wheel Drive As the "4" in the model designation indicates, the Porsche 993 Carrera 4S, like the Carrera 4, comes with all-wheel drive. Thanks to this, the 993 Carrera 4S is at its best on wet roads, but actually offers an extremely high safety margin under all conditions due to its neutral and sovereign driving behavior.

The all-wheel-drive layout was based on the Porsche 959, which means there are two differentials instead of three. The third differential was replaced by a space- and weight-saving, almost maintenance-free Visco-coupling. This drivetrain was much lighter than the all-wheel drive in the 964, and as a result, there was much less understeer compared to previous all-wheel-drive Porsches.

All Carrera 4S models are equipped with an active locking differential on the rear axle, which can significantly improve traction at speeds under 70 km/h, especially when pulling away from a wet or slippery surface. Interestingly, the extra fuel consumption of the all-wheel-drive 993 is minimal compared to the rear-wheel-drive version, averaging only 0.1 l/100 km more.

When all aspects of the 993 Carrera 4S are considered and compared to other versions of the Porsche 911 (type 993), the 4S was a particularly welcome and attractive addition to the lineup.