03 carrera vs 03 C4S

Gentlemen, What are the main differences between the regular Carrera and the C4S? I know it's AWD, the body styling is different and the suspension and brakes are from the turbo. Anything else to warrant the higher price tag? Also are they the the same width or is the C4S wider at the rear axle/back end? Thanks!

The C4S has; Turbo body, (which is the wide body unlike the narrow body carerra) , lower suspension with special C4S shocks, big red brakes, wide turbo wheels and tires, PSM, metallic paint, full leather interior, full leather seats, full power seats, digital stereo. Which adds up to a lot more for the money than if you added it to a regular carerra. Plus the differences on the body and suspension cannot be had on a regular carerra.

How much wider is the C4S than the narrow body?

I think the C4S is about 2.4" wider total (1.2" per side). -Scott

Another point to consider: all 997's are widebody. It probably won't matter in the really long run, but the narrow bodies will look more dated than the wide body C4S for the next few years.

I wasn't aware that 997's were all wides.

Yup, that's one of the "retro" look updates that have been done. Aside from the retro oval headlights, they also went with the retro wider hip look.

I would not call the 997 widebody. There will no doubt be a widebody version of the 997 when the turbo is released, followed by the C4S version. Right now the 997 has a "hipped" bodystyle like the 993, which also was followed by a widebody 2 years after introduction.

Here's my 2001 on the left vs. the 2004 C4S cab...

Yes the 997 and 997S are the same width.

Nice butt on the 4S . Anyway, the 2001 C4 is a narrow body. Usually, the "S" includes the wider body relative to the non-S. But, a Jasclass states, 997 and 997S have the same butt.

more weight being wide for wide's sake ain't good. the diff between 993 and 993 widebody is much more apparent than 996 v 996 widebody. can't beat the 993 S's curves.

I saw a 997 for the first time rolling. That looks to be as wide as a 996TT. From Edmunds.com: Width 997 71.2 996TT 72.0

No actually the new 997 does have a wider track than the stock 996 cars, but it is not what they would call a wide body. There will be a 997 Turbo which will have a wider body than the current 997. FWIW I think the 997 width fall in between the 996 and the C4S about 1.5 inches in total. The S destination in the 997 is to reflect the engine differences and not a body, suspension difference in the 997. The Boxster has a S model and its not a wide body the same is for the Cheyene. It dates back to the original 911 in the 60's that an S model was an increase in HP and stiffer suspension.

Alright. Let us settle this question once and for all, and let it rest. Question: Is the 997 a wide body and is it as wide as the C4S? Lets go to the source: the Porsche Cars USA website. 997 C2 width = 1,808 mm = 71.2 inches C4S width = 72.1 inches 996 C2 width = 1,770 mm= 69.7 inches The 997 is 0.9 inches narrower than the C4S The 997 is 1.5 inches wider than the C2. The 997 has bumped out the rear fender to emphasize the wide look. Look at those numbers, go eyeball a 997, then you can all decide for yourself what the answer is.

Thanks Palting for that info, it confirms what I thought... What a difference an inch makes!

This confirms what I've been saying for years. Size does matter.

One of the prime differences between a 996 C2 and C4S for me was in the handling. After driving both, I found the C2 too light for my taste. My C4S is a hoot to drive.

It's funny because in many ways I preferred the handling of my narrow body C4 vs. my C4S... it somehow seemed more nimble, having said that, nothing beats a nice ***.

IMO, the 40th Anniversary 996 Coupe, with C4S Front end and narrow rear end, results in very unbalanced look and awkward styling overall. Kind of like the automotive version of a "post-injection" Dolly Parton! (Love her voice, however...) Especially since they loaded them with options and an MSRP approaching or exceeding the C4S (not the ultimately heavily discounted sale prices). Don't you think that from the experience with the last 2 model years 993 C2S Porsche could have done a "no brainer" and come up with a hot-selling 996 C2S 40th Anniverary Coupe and companion Cabriolet? Perry (42 plus years of Porsche Ownership)