The Porsche 911 lineup has been overhauled. For 2006, new Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S models join the Carrera and Carrera S models that were introduced for 2005. Cabriolet versions also join the 2006 Porsche 911 lineup. Essentially, every possible combination is available between coupe and cabriolet, 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines, rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
Using Porsche's internal codename, all are new 997 models, replacing the 996 series produced since 1998. Only the Turbo continues to ride on the 996 platform.
These newest Porsches are thoroughly modern driving machines, packed with the latest in material advances, engine technology and electronic management. Yet one of the most striking things about them is that in some subtle but obvious ways, the 911 has devolved.
Over the past 10 or 15 years, as Porsche engineers ironed out some of the 911's handling quirks, they'd moved developed it in a more civilized direction. The 911 has adapted the accoutrements of a grand-touring coupe, with multiple-adjustment heated memory seats, automatic climate control, more sound insulating material and one-button convertible tops. To some hard-core 911 old-timers, it's become downright cushy.
These 997 models have changed that picture somewhat. Don't get us wrong. It hasn't become a spartan buckboard of a high-performance car. Comfort, convenience and high-tech features are still here, including Porsche's fully active suspension. Yet in certain, deliberate respects, the latest 911 is more primal than its predecessor. Perhaps it's the aggressive rasp from the exhaust or the way the engines deliver power to the drive wheels or the way the shift lever snicks between gears. Maybe it's an extra tingle of vibration through the frame channels. Whatever the reason, in standard trim the current 911 is edgier than the previous generation, and we're sure driving enthusiasts will appreciate the difference.
The Porsche 911 remains one of the easiest supercars to live with in daily use. It's more user friendly than competitors, from the Corvette to the Ferrari F430. It's relatively easy to get in and out of. It rides smoothly and comfortably, by sports car standards, and it's happy to putt around all day at a Buick pace, particularly with the Tiptronic automatic transmission. The 911 has earned a reputation for being nearly bullet-proof, and there's very little about it that's finicky.
This we say with certainty: Nearly 60 years after the company was founded, Porsche continues to make some of the world's great sports cars. The Porsche 911 remains the standard by which other sports cars are judged and this latest-generation 911 is the best one so far.