good measuring. The all-new Carrera 4 rode point, with the recently refreshed 944 S2 following and the improved 911 Turbo bringing up the rear (no pun intended).

Our decision to tour and test in the south of France was hastened by Porsche AG. which chose to introduce the Carrera 4 to the press in this sunny clime. No fools, those Germans:

While the temperature in Stuttgart hovered in the 30s, the hills above Nice and Vence baked in a warm November sun. And so, after the formalities of the Carrera 4 introduction (a technical presentation plus a ride-and-drive sandwiched between gustatory jousts in some of Guide Michelin ‘s better restaurants). our group headed for Paul Ricard where our road test editor could gather all-important performance data on these three diverse Porsches.

The spirited drive to Ricard (purists call it Circuit Le Castellet for the ancient town located nearby), our test session there and the day- long photo trek through coastal and mountain villages of Provence taught us a lot about the nature of these three key players. Although each is different, the common thread that binds them all together is their emblem. They are Porsches—serious road cars designed for performance and pleasure with a dash of prestige thrown in for good measure.

Carrera 4

FTER A DRIVE of the Carrera 4. aka the 964, i confided to Hans Halbach, Porsche’s marketing vice president. that this remarkable car had saved my hide more than once. Recounting

my numerous hair-raising experiences, I boasted that “I never would have gotten away with that in a 911.”

“But this is a 911.”. Halbach reminded me. So it is. The Carrera 4 looks like a 911,

sounds like a 911 and has many of the original car’s characteristics (okay, idiosyncrasies). But it’s also like no other production 9 11 ever built—more aerodynamic. more taut, quieter and better riding. One more thing: It’s the besthandling mass-produced Porsche road car (but not necessarily the best-handling track car) ever built. Chalk it up to the Carrera 4’s fulltime all-wheel-drive setup that keeps the car glued to the road. Well, almost always. Prior to our arrival, a European automotive journalist