997 Carrera vs Carrera 4 - What's the difference?
Discussion
Hi
I just went on the Porsche website, and clicked build your own, and was comparing figures of these two cars... But I could see no difference? Same BHP, same lbft, same RWD, and the Carrera is .1 of a second faster 0-62 than the C4... But the C4 is 5k more? What's the difference?
Thanks
I just went on the Porsche website, and clicked build your own, and was comparing figures of these two cars... But I could see no difference? Same BHP, same lbft, same RWD, and the Carrera is .1 of a second faster 0-62 than the C4... But the C4 is 5k more? What's the difference?
Thanks
Spice_Weasel said:
C4 has a wider rear track and wider rear bodywork. Also the brake callipers will be silver (rather than black on a C2). Unless it's an S model in which case they'll be red. Unless they are PCCB in which case they'll be yellow...
really?
The 997?
Can you provide a link to the info? (I thought only the S had the wider track)
Fidgits said:
Sharief said:
Also, are the '4's not AWD, rather than 4WD?
erm, it only has 4 wheels, so 4 wheel drive IS all wheel drive

It takes a while to explain properly, but basically (as far as I understand) 4WD is where max power is sent to all wheels all the time, whereas with AWD power is sent to the wheels depending on traction grip etc, so the computer says 'more power left front, less left back' etc.
Fidgits said:
Spice_Weasel said:
C4 has a wider rear track and wider rear bodywork. Also the brake callipers will be silver (rather than black on a C2). Unless it's an S model in which case they'll be red. Unless they are PCCB in which case they'll be yellow...
really?
The 997?
Can you provide a link to the info? (I thought only the S had the wider track)
That's right - on the 997 the Carrera and Carrera S are "narrow" bodied (1808mm), the 4 and C4S (and Targa) wide-bodied (1852mm).
The Porsche website has the info: www.porsche.com/uk/models/911/911-carrera-4/featuresandspecs/ (that's the link for the standard C4, but you get the idea ...)
Sharief said:
It takes a while to explain properly, but basically (as far as I understand) 4WD is where max power is sent to all wheels all the time, whereas with AWD power is sent to the wheels depending on traction grip etc, so the computer says 'more power left front, less left back' etc.
eh ?
FWD, RWD, 2WD, 4WD, AWD simply refers to the nature and number of the driven wheels, front, rear, 2, 4, all, respectively.
On the 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, there are 4 driven wheels and hence the cars are 4-wheel drive. AWD, all-wheel-drive, tended to be used in relation to older 'off-roaders', as presumably previously less sophisticated systems operated all 4 wheels but without being sufficiently sophisticated to vary power to individual wheels.
The 4-wheel-drive system in the Carrera 4 and 4S can vary between 5% front, 95% rear (default, and effectively RWD?) and 40% front and 60% rear in extreme conditions. Presumably power can also be split left/right as well?
They are most certainly 4-wheel-drive by any normal interpretation of the defintion.............
Sidicks
PS - the 4S is great !!
Edited by sidicks on Saturday 6th January 23:45
sidicks said:
Sharief said:
It takes a while to explain properly, but basically (as far as I understand) 4WD is where max power is sent to all wheels all the time, whereas with AWD power is sent to the wheels depending on traction grip etc, so the computer says 'more power left front, less left back' etc.
eh ?
FWD, RWD, 2WD, 4WD, AWD simply refers to the nature and number of the driven wheels, front, rear, 2, 4, all, respectively.
On the 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, there are 4 driven wheels and hence the cars are 4-wheel drive. AWD, all-wheel-drive, tended to be used in relation to older 'off-roaders', as presumably previously less sophisticated systems operated all 4 wheels but without being sufficiently sophisticated to vary power to individual wheels.
The 4-wheel-drive system in the Carrera 4 and 4S can vary between 5% front, 95% rear (default, and effectively RWD?) and 40% front and 60% rear in extreme conditions. Presumably power can also be split left/right as well?
They are most certainly 4-wheel-drive by any normal interpretation of the defintion.............
Sidicks
PS - the 4S is great !!
Edited by sidicks on Saturday 6th January 23:45
garyhun said:
Tis bollox. It's just 2 sayings for the same thing!! All wheel drive was a term thought up by marketing men to differentiate between more industrial vehicles which used 4 wheel drive for years (thr 4x4's) and your modern luxury/sporty 4x4.
Sorted!!
Sorted!!
yeah, that was my thinking.
The terms are just that, terms, they simply relate to driving either all 4, or simply ALL wheels - they do not distinguish between power delivery to said wheels IMHO...
Besides, all 4WD systems have variability to the wheels through differentials, 4WD systems need a central one on top of one for each axle for that exact need?
too bad he's right, AWD and 4WD are two different systems. While they both have basically the same purpose, they go about it in different ways, with usually being geared more for trucks while AWD will usually be seen on cars. The one big difference is usually that AWD systems drive all four weels all the time, such as in a mountaineer or just about every subaru, but 4WD can be switched to 2WD and has high and low settings. He's also right about the power distribution, AWD will transferr power between any of the four wheels depending on traction, but some 4WD systems will do this too.
kemmerl2 said:
too bad he's right, AWD and 4WD are two different systems. While they both have basically the same purpose, they go about it in different ways, with usually being geared more for trucks while AWD will usually be seen on cars. The one big difference is usually that AWD systems drive all four weels all the time, such as in a mountaineer or just about every subaru, but 4WD can be switched to 2WD and has high and low settings. He's also right about the power distribution, AWD will transferr power between any of the four wheels depending on traction, but some 4WD systems will do this too.
I guess I lost my golden anorak to you...

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