Porsche 911 Carrera 4 S 2005 Review

The switchbacks are tighter than the sharpest turns of the Great Ocean Rd, the tarmac can be rough and low, and the often-dilapidated brick walls and flimsy steel barriers don't provide much reassurance.

That's where the all-wheel-drive Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S come in.

The Carrera 4 AWD system uses a viscous coupling that feeds 95 per cent of power to the rear wheels in normal driving conditions. When needed, up to 40 per cent can be sent to the front wheels.

Both models have the Porsche Stability Management stability and traction control system, which can be switched off.

With windows down we tear up to a tight corner. The flat six engine hits the sweet spot from 5500 revs and the exhaust note is amplified by the rock walls.

Just before the engine hits the cut-out of 7300 revs it is time to brake and change down into first gear.

The road is so steep there is an unpleasant scraping from the nose as we turn, which we are relieved to find is only a plastic guard on the front wheel arches.

It's time to feed on the power and the 911 shoots out of the corner so fast the next corner is suddenly upon us. With the AWD system, the 911 pulls itself out with power shifted to the front wheels. But there is still enough grunt being fed through the rear wheels for the back to step sideways slightly under acceleration – a nice feeling.

The traction is impressive, even on the dry tarmac and at corners where road workers have left loose gravel. We can only imagine it would also work well in the wet.

The Porsche is not prone to push its nose on through corners, as do some AWD cars, and is incredibly well balanced.

Both C4 cars come standard with a six-speed manual. The five-speed Tiptronic automatic, with gear change buttons on the steering wheel, is optional.

The brakes have a new brake-assist for when you need to stop suddenly, even if you don't push the pedal to the floor.

Porsche's hefty anchors use cross-drilled vented discs with four-pot calipers. They are also available with ceramic composite discs that are lighter and have superior stopping power.

The Carrera 4S comes standard with active suspension, which allows the driver to select between "comfort" and the firmer "sports". This system is an optional extra on the Carrera 4.

The bodies of the AWD cars are slightly different. The rear guards are out an extra 44mm to house 305mm tyres.

The interior of the 911 C4 picks up all the improvements of the new 997 series, including a mix of metal and leather that matches the expectations of the pricetag.

Some Porsche drivers may prefer to stick to the regular two-wheel-drive 911 and save about $23,000.

For former World Rally champion Walter Rohrl (above) there is no question which 911 he prefers.

"It is more difficult to drive a two-wheel-drive car but, for me, without four-wheel drive it is not a perfect car," Rohrl says. "This feeling of maximum traction is something that makes me crazy."