Cars.com's Kelsey Mays takes a look at the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. It competes with the Audi R8 and Nissan 370Z.
Transcript
(upbeat rock music) <v Announcer>Cars.com auto review. Hi, I'm Kelsey Mays for cars.com. This is the updated 2009 Porsche 911.
Doesn't look all that different from the 2008, Porsche 911, which you would have a hard time telling apart from the prior generation of it drove past you really quick. You get the idea. If you're buying a 911, you're doing it more for go than show, and why not? This car comes in more than a dozen possible variations, and it's pretty sublime drive on the racetrack. Unfortunately, we're in Chicago and nearest racetrack is well it's pretty far. But that gives us an opportunity to take a closer look at how this car does day in and day out is sort of your daily commuter. Check it out. Our test car is a 911 Carrera four S. That means it's got a 3.8 liter six cylinder engine instead of the 3.6 liter engine in other 911s. One thing you'll notice as soon as you get in is that this engine sounds actually exotic. I mean, you compare it to engines in the cars like the BMW six series, the Jaguar XK, those cars certainly come off as having burly sounding V8s. They don't come off as having sort of exotic sounding engines, definitely something that sets this car apart. Also acceleration. Obviously it's superfluous, there's power anywhere along the, the TAC range. Very good. The steering is hydraulic. It's not an electric setup like the electric power steering used elsewhere. That means the steering wheel is a little bit heavier to turn a little bit more cranky at low speeds, not as easy to drive, but in return for that, you get very, very precise during very easy to rotate this car kind of on its axis as you're driving around. Porsche now has an optional seven speed dual clutch automatic transmission. It's called PDK, which stands for Porsche Doppelkupplung. Porsche Doppelkupplung, PDK, anyway, exceptionally smooth for a twin clutch transmission, actually in drive the up shifts come pretty well. And it can downshift to three gears at a time lickity split, which is usually why you get a twin clutch transmission in this car and, and various others. Ride quality, not something I'm crazy about. You'll definitely notice this as a firmer car then the six series, the XK, the Mercedes SL. So at the end of the day, some of those other cars might have more interior room, better ride, comfort, but none of them really kind of performed near the 911s thresholds. Keep that amount of your car shopping. This car definitely has potential as a weekend toy. Now, if you're using it Monday through Friday as your commuter car, well put it this way. The six series, the XK, those are kind of like vanilla soy lattes. The 911 is black coffee. (upbeat rock music) <v Announcer>For more car related news, go to cars.com or our blog kicking tires.net.
