First Drive: 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4

Porsche's roll out of a new 911 is as predictable as the thunderstorms that rumble across Germany every summer. First come the Carrera 2 coupes and cabriolets, followed by the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4s. A Targa rolls in next, and then the gale-force Turbo and whirlwinds of the ferocious GTs complete the perfect storm whipped up each time Porsche reinvents its iconic sports car.

Porsche revealed its thoroughly transformed 911 Carrera 2s earlier this year, and we had no compunction about calling them the best 911s yet. Unfortunately, wet roads and pervasive squadrons of radar-wielding polizei blew away our chance to enjoy the full force of the two more powerful boxer sixes, the refined chassis, and the new twin-clutch automatic gearbox.

The C2 affair may have been less than electrifying, but all is forgotten now that we've driven the new Carrera 4 -- as a 911 should be driven, on a test track and on dry, winding back roads devoid of speed traps. At the end of a most excellent day spent behind the wheel of a 385-hp C4S Coupe, our synapses crackled as though we'd been straddling a lightning bolt. So visceral was our reaction to the car's unfettered capabilities that a series of fast laps at the Michelin proving grounds left us as giddy as if we'd been sucking on a bottle of pure ozone. (Kids, don't try this at home.)

Visually distinguished from the C2 by its 1.73-in.-wider rear fenders, retro-look rear reflector strip (framed by moderno LED taillamps), and blackout tail trim, the C4 differs underneath by the electronically controlled AWD system first offered in the 911 Turbo and by a pair of underfloor NACA ducts for improved rear-brake cooling. The many other refinements are identical to those steps recently taken along the Carrera's well-trodden path toward perfection, which means it's damn near impossible, again, to single out just one element of the C4 to describe how disdainfully it shrugs off all challenges to its powerful poise. It's equally tough to describe how only 385 hp from six cylinders can be such a kick-in-the-corpuscles hoot, or how the car's power-to-weight-to-comfort ratios are equally suited to comfortable cruising or backroad romps.

It's also hard for us to admit that Porsche's Doppelkupplungsgetriebe is one tasty treat. No, it's not an entree at the steak house planned for Porsche's new museum, it's the new twin-clutch automatic that has us, almost, forgiving the pain of enduring Tiptronic's mysterious ways. Combined with a new standard rear limited-slip differential, it's so much better at sorting out the correct gear that the transition from Tiptronic to PDK seems an inexplicable leap of evolution, the kind that can't be explained by the fossil record.

PDK, too, has weakened, perhaps fatally, our disdain for two-pedal 911s. Besides having a much cooler, more appropriately complex Germanic name than Tiptronic (which sounds like a cell-phone "app"), PDK shifts smoothly, rapidly, and more intuitively, and the push-pull paddles are a huge improvement over Tip's wimpy plastic buttons. They're also placed perfectly for shifting while keeping both hands well placed on the wheel. Full automatic still isn't the most rewarding way to get around a test track (even if it's slightly quicker), but we certainly can see the benefit if the car is used mostly on crowded urban streets and freeways.

There's no shame in keeping Porsche Traction Management fully activated for normal use, when the car's limits are taxed usually only in emergencies. You'll want all the electronics working when you try to swerve around that jackknifed big rig, but when an inviting road opens up, the skilled will want to disengage the first step of the three-mode system. This second level allows almost 30 degrees of chassis yaw before the electronics intercede, and even then the redistribution of power is virtually transparent. Should your pal require a shot of a burnout or you getting sideways through a corner for his YouTube post, the system can be turned completely off. However, a cooler video would be a demonstration of PDK's launch control system (optional with the Sport Chrono Package). What's cooler than the quickest way from 0 to 60?

Giving up the joy of Porsche's manual gearbox adds $4080 on top of the $81,700 for a base C4, powered by the smaller, 345-hp, 3.6L six; $92,300 for the 385-hp, 3.8L C4S and C4 Cabriolet; and $102,900 for the C4S Cabriolet. Porsche expects lots of buyers to shell out the additional bucks, and it does make sense for the unfortunates who want a 911 but would never find the place or time for a track session or backroad romp.

We feel somewhat the same about the new all-wheel drive, an admittedly amazing judge of wheelslip. It makes sense for some, not for others. It now can send up to 100 percent of the engine power to either axle as needed to maintain equilibrium (30 front/70 rear was the limit in the old system), but few outside of the Ice Belt will need this more expensive, heavier technology to stay on the road. Besides, a little in-equilibrium is desirable in a sports car. Otherwise, where's the fun?