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| CHRYSLER · D O D G E C h rysler · JEEP j 2388 RoyalWindsor Dl, 905-34*7575 An Oakville Beaver Automotive Feature · To advertise in this section call 905-845-3824 or Fax 905-337-5568 W Til)\'ESI),\Y. l x x v m b e r 18. 2 0 0 2 · l 'a g e D(S BEST WHEELS IS YOUR GARAGE PROTECTING YOUR CAR BETTER THAN YOUR BARGAIN-RATE CAR INSURANCE? D on't trust just anyone to insure your car. sec me: W ayne McGill 2345 Wytxroft Rd #21, Oakville 905-847-5671 Porsche Carrera 4S a true lion in winter When it comes to winter, you can have your cake and eat it too - if you're driving an all-wheel-drive Porsche Carrera 4 S. Now to be honest, Porsche does not recommend that anyone think of the AWD system as an all-weather traction assist. But I have to tell you that with the AWD and the Pirelli Snow Sport tires T he Racer' fitted, I'd rather have this to get me home than some of the sport 'cutes' I've driven. T h e Carrera 4 is, of course, the allwheeld r i v e version of the 9 1 1 C a rre ra . The C4S is based Jim Robinson on a vis cous transfer case containing a multi plate clutch located at the front differen tial so the propeller shaft from the differ ential and rear engine runs in a direct line through the 'transmission' tunnel. Despite being asked to deal with 273 lb/ft of torque, the whole thing only weighs 120 lb (54 kg) which must make it lightest such system in the industry. When you go into a comer, especial ly in the wet, the torque to the front wheels can go from the normal five per cent up to 40 per cent. The viscous unit considers the differ ent rotational speeds of the front and rear wheels and compensates for it so that grip is as close to perfect for the condi tions of the moment as possible. Being able to make instantaneous changes from moment to moment, with the driv er rarely sensing it, is the magic. The latest Carrera 4 comes with looks inspired by the awesome Turbo, starting with the new look front and the much widened rear quarters. Besides the headlight cluster from the Turbo, there are now two, rather large air R O A D W O R T H V intakes on each side of the front fascia that increase cooling from 15 per cent. Reshaping the radii of the front wheel arches and adding what look like insignificant little spoilers ahead of the front wheels has reduced lift at the nose by 25 per cent and at the rear by a whop ping 40 per cent - pure FI stuff. Straked Turbo style exhaust ducts add to engine and rear brake cooling The engine, well what hasn't been said about the classic 'flat' six-cylinder that hasn't already been recorded. Ergo, I won't get into details like the use of Porsche's patented Lokasil high-silicon cylinder liners that reduce friction so much that Porsche recommends oil changes every 24,000 km and oil filter changes every 48,000 km.Increased from 3.4-litres to 3.6 litres, the power plant now produces 320 hp compared to 300 hp in 3.4. Torque is up to 273 lb/ft from the previous 258 lb/ft. Despite the power available, the engine is amazingly fuel efficient at 13.8L/100 km (20 mpg) city and 9.1L /100 km (31 mpg) highway which is almost econocar. In the interior is that rich black leather the Germans so love with the classic five-pot main instrument cluster not just straight ahead, but with the tach still visible to the periphery of the eye even when look ing ahead. My test C4S came with the standard six-speed manual but Tiptronic sequential is available. Down the centre stack are climate control and the Bose sound system. The remote entry system now controls seat memory when the optional power seats are added. Get this! The remote 'senses' which of the four cars keys (that come with the Porsche for individual drivers in the family) are in use, then sends that information when the locks are opened. As that happens, the seats and mirrors adjust to the key automatically. While all of that luxury stuff may be what you get with a Porsche, the reason for buying one is to drive it -- and to make a statement, even when it was sit ting inside our garage.Tum the key (still to the left of the steering wheel per Porsche tradition) and the engines The 2002 Porsche Carrera 4S Coupe adopts the wide air scoops, headlight arrangement and wide rear quarters from the T\irbo model. 'whooshes' into life and then idles with a slight feeling in your back like a tumble clothes dryer.I usually let the engine start to get some warmth into it before setting off. The narrow neck shifter of Porsche always feels willowy at the start, almost vague. But don't let that fool you. Each throw goes straight home whether going up or down the gear range. Power is instantly there, but it is power you can gauge. You can also do this in any of the top three gears. Somehow the sound of the engine and the visual intake of the speed at which you're covering ground makes it easier for the brain to figure out you how much pressure the right foot should use. , Same thing for the clutch which is also weighted depending, again, on your perception of what is going on around you. While you are doing this, the standard Porsche Stability Management system (PSM) is watching your every move to keep you out of trouble. If PSM senses a loss of grip fore or aft, it starts applying brakes to individual wheels to get you back on an even keel. If things start getting our of hand, it will also start cutting engine power. Braking is stunning with big, crossdrilled discs and the latest ABS. Porsche requires any brakes it fits to provide 25 consecutive full-force stops without fade. One of the things about driving a Porsche is the respect you get. On side streets, tuner-Hondas fall back and keep station. On the highways, a blip of the optional Bi-Xenon headlights turns the interior of a hulking great SUV ahead into Hollywood set with enough bright ness for this cellphone-absorbed lot to notice and pull over. I mentioned the Pirelli Snow Sport tires fitted on my tester. My C4S came with the 18-inch light-weight Turbo-look alloy wheels. I was expecting enough road rubble from these tires to deaden the senses, but not so. With the exception of a little chatter on the uneven concrete sections of Highway 407, they were remarkable as much for their lack of noise as for the high level of grip. The true test came on Dec. 16 with a dump of new snow causing havoc across the GTA. I was out early to a doctor's appointment and the C4S and the four snow tires just dug in and went. Later during my 50-km commute to work, the C4S had to deal with sheet ice, slush and sand and the usual shambles on the 407 of people deciding to move into you lane at the last possible moment and without any form of signal. I think the traction control cut in three, maybe four times during the entire trip and that was most ly coming to a stop at traffic lights. Bottom line, it was as good as most 4X4s and superior to normal front-drive not to mention rear-drive vehicles. On a personal note, this is one of the few cars I've ever hand washed in the dead of winter because I couldn't stand the black road grim on the nose. All good things come to an end, and I had to give the C4S up. It is a true lion in winter if there ever was one. o [PZaw nSK TD 'S - DO® GtnTGIMIS'O1 Q D K ru U H . 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