Just when everyone believed that the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 was going to be Porsche‘s last version of its current 997 range, the Stuttgart-based carmaker announced yet another addition. It’s called the 911 Carrera 4 GTS and it has been created by pairing the 911 Carrera GTS’s powertrain with an all-wheel drive system. Available as a Coupe and Cabriolet, the new model combines the 3.8-liter engine of the Carrera GTS with the German firm’s all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management system.

The 3.8-liter flat-six develops 408 horsepower at 7,300 rpm and 420 Nm (309.8 lb-ft) of torque from 4,200 to 5,600 rpm. With this setup, the Carrera 4 GTS Coupe sprints to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds, while the Cabriolet does it in 4.8 seconds, which are identical times to the Carrera GTS. Both the coupe and the convertible are fitted as standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while a seven-speed PDK gearbox is available as an option. With the PDK, the Coupe reaches 100 km/h from a standing start in 4.4 seconds.

Fuel economy ratings are identical to the Carrera 4S, as the coupe is rated at 11 liters/100 km (21.4 mpg), while the convertible returns 11.2 liters/100 km (21 mpg). However, compared to the RWD Carrera GTS, the Carrera 4 GTS consumes an additional 0.5 liters of gasoline for every 100 kilometers.

Visually, the 911 Carrera 4 GTS models sport a reflective stripe between the taillights plus the type name on the doors and engine lid. The cars ride on standard 19-inch RS Spyder black wheels with central locking. Additional details include the Sport-Design front bumper with black painted spoiler lip and side skirts.

Inside, the sport seats feature black Alcantara lining, a material that also covers the lower side of the dashboard, door panels, steering wheel rim, gearshift and handbrake lever.

The 911 Carrera 4 GTS Coupe has a starting price of €111,956 ($158,930) in Germany, while the Cabriolet costs €122,071 ($173,290). Both models will go on sale from July 2011 in their home market.

In the U.S., sales start this fall, with the 911 Carrera 4 GTS Coupe available at a base MSRP price of $110,200 while the 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet is priced at $120,100.

By Dan Mihalascu

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