2016 Porsche 911: Carrera 4 and Targa 4 models revealed

The four-wheel-drive versions of the latest Porsche 911 sports car have been revealed. The Carrera 4 and Targa 4 models will also be equipped with Porsche’s new turbocharged engines – part of an effort to boost both performance and fuel efficiency across the range.

The Carrera 4 and Targa 4 are the latest models to join the facelifted ‘991.2’ range, which has claimed CO2 emissions figures as low as 169 grams per kilometre. That’s around 40g/km better than the most efficient outgoing model. Plus, both the Carrera and Carrera S models make 20bhp more than before. That means the entry-level Porsche 911 Carrera is a 370bhp sports car with an annual road tax bill of just £205.

The new Porsche 911 is on sale now, with deliveries starting from December 2015.

New Porsche 911 design

Until very recently, we’ve only had camouflaged testing images of the new 911 to run on. However, the latest official images confirm our initial impressions that the car’s design has only changed minimally.

The 911 keeps its classic silhouette that most people will recognise, but the most recent changes include new headlight clusters and thinner daytime running lights set into the front bumper. New alloy wheel designs feature, as does a third central brake light that’s built into the rear engine vent.

A new sports exhaust system can be fitted, where the exhaust tips are mounted towards the centre of the car rather than at each side. They recall classic Porsches like the iconic 356 of the 1950s. The system can be seen in action in the camouflaged test car images.

The Carrera 4 and Targa 4 models will feature wider wheel arches and a fourth rear brake light fitted flush with the active spoiler. The convertible Targa model keeps the classic grey roll bar that acts as a pillar for the doors, with the rear window wrapping around the car.

Engines and performance

The biggest changes to the 911 are under the metal. Instead of ‘naturally aspirated’ 3.4 and 3.8-litre engines (i.e. without turbo or supercharging), the bulk of the 911 range will now be powered by all-new, twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six petrols.

Using the Carrera models as an example, the latest twin-turbocharged engines provide around 20bhp more than their counterparts in the outgoing model. Top speed for the entry-level Carrera is now 183mph, while the Carrera S can hit 191mph.

The new engines can be fitted with Porsche's PDK dual-clutch transmission, which can operate like a normal automatic gearbox, but you can also use steering-wheel-mounted paddles to change gears yourself.

All new 911 models have pretty quick acceleration times; the entry-level Carrera equipped with the PDK gearbox can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, while the four-wheel-drive Targa 4 takes four seconds and the Carrera 4S is even quicker at just 3.8 seconds.

Along with the extra power, the use of a smaller engines and turbocharging means the 911 is now more fuel-efficient than before, too. Fuel economy for the basic Carrera fitted with the PDK gearbox can reach 38.2mpg – around 7mpg more than its predecessor. CO2 emissions have dipped, too; the most efficient 911 emits just 169g/km. That makes for an annual road tax bill of £205 – £85 less than the previous generation.

Along with the new engines, the PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) system will be fitted to every model. This lowers the car's ride height by 10mm and helps to “enhance comfort thanks to an even more precise response characteristic as well as improving body control during dynamic driving”. That essentially means the new 911 should handle better whether you’re cruising down the motorway or at a track day.

The new 911 is also available with an ‘active rear axle,’ which consists of rear-wheel steering derived from more extreme Porsche models like the Porsche 911 GT3 and Porsche 918 hybrid supercar. The system will turn the rear wheels in the opposite direction to your steering inputs at low speeds to help with manoeuvring through tight streets, but turns them the same way as you steer at higher speeds for additional traction.

The Sport Chrono Package adds the driving mode selector from the Porsche 918, too. This gives you four different settings for the car’s behaviour: Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. If you’ve specified the PDK gearbox, it can also prime the car for a 20-second maximum power boost when you need it. Porsche says this would be advantageous “in anticipation of an overtaking manoeuvre, for example”.

Interior and technology

The interior look of the 911 has changed only slightly. Overall, the dashboard and centre console look very familiar, but there’s a new steering wheel inspired by the one in the 918.

Along with the new steering wheel and Sport Chrono Pack mode selector, one of the biggest changes is a new infotainment system. This Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system now has online satellite navigation, which uses Google Earth and Google Street View. There’s also the option to include Apple CarPlay, which mirrors your iPhone’s screen onto the central infotainment system.

All Carrera models will come with Porsche Communication Management, dual-zone climate control, bi-xenon headlights and a three-year warranty with three years’ roadside assistance.

Optional safety kit includes adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.

Price and release date

The new 911 will be priced from £76,412 for the entry-level Carrera model, while 911 Cabriolet models will be around £9,000 more. Both the 911 Coupe and 911 Cabriolet models are on sale now, with the first deliveries arriving in December this year. The Carrera 4 and Targa 4 models are also on sale now, but deliveries of those won’t be until early 2016.

Full price list:

For more on Porsche’s current range, visit Carbuyer’s reviews page.