Porsche 911 Type 997.2 Carrera 4S - 2011

The 997.2-generation Porsche 911 Carrera 4S (2009–2012) arrived as the all-wheel-drive, wide-body evolution of the facelifted 997. Launched alongside the mid-cycle update, it swapped the old M97 engine for the newly developed 3.8-litre MA1 flat-six with direct fuel injection and introduced the 7‑speed PDK dual‑clutch gearbox to the Carrera range. For the 4S, Porsche paired this powertrain with a 44 mm wider rear track and arches, plus the signature full-width red reflector strip — a visual calling card for AWD 911s — and an electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system (PTM) capable of shuffling torque seamlessly.

Context mattered. In the late 2000s the 911 faced a new wave of rivals: Audi’s R8, Nissan’s R35 GT‑R, Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage and the best BMW M3 yet. The 997.2 4S answered with 385 PS and 420 Nm, lightning-fast PDK shifts and the kind of hydraulic-steering feel enthusiasts feared was fading from the market. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) was standard on S models, and options such as Porsche Torque Vectoring with a mechanical rear LSD, Sport Chrono with Launch Control (PDK), Porsche Sport Exhaust (PSE) and even PCCB ceramic brakes let buyers tailor the car from refined GT to back‑road scalpel.

The switch to the MA1 DFI engine was more than an efficiency play; it helped restore confidence after years of IMS/RMS chatter around earlier water‑cooled flat‑sixes. Period road tests praised the 4S as the real‑world sweet spot: the traction and stability of AWD without blunting the car’s playfulness. Top Gear and other motoring shows highlighted the PDK’s speed (while grumbling about the early steering‑wheel “push/pull” shift buttons — Porsche soon offered a paddle wheel), and magazines like evo and Car and Driver lauded the blend of everyday civility and track stamina. With the optional X51 Powerkit, output climbed to 408 PS, underlining the engine’s headroom.

Beyond numbers, the 997.2 4S cemented key Porsche ideas that shaped the 991: compact exterior dimensions, telepathic front‑end bite, and a cabin updated by PCM 3.0 touch navigation, Bluetooth and LED lighting. It also kept the 911’s timeless usability intact — usable rear seats in a pinch, a decent frunk and long-legged motorway manners. A fun bit of trivia: while PDK felt like a revelation in 2009, the concept came from Porsche’s 956/962 racers in the 1980s. Today, enthusiasts prize the 997.2 4S as a last-of-the-line feel car: classic size, hydraulic steering, naturally aspirated soundtrack — but with modern reliability and performance that still embarrasses plenty of newer machinery.