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When the new 911 was introduced as a rear-wheel-drive model, enthusiasts familiar with the 911 model line immediately recognized that the floorpan had been designed to take Porsche's all-wheel-drive (AWD) package as well. The 1996 Carrera 4 again offers the capable, high-traction all-wheel-drive system pioneered in 1989, with several refinements:
Recognition features:
The Carrera 4 benefits from the complete 911 redesign, including body, chassis and new six-speed transmission (the Tiptronic is not available with all-wheel drive). The specific design requirements for the 1996 Carrera 4 included handling characteristics closer to those of the rear-drive Carrera, and minimal weight increases despite the addition of all-wheel-drive components.
The heart of the Porsche Carrera 4 is a sophisticated all-wheel drivetrain, one of the lightest of any all-wheel-drive car. On the 1996 Carrera 4, a viscous center clutch controls the power distribution between the front and rear wheels. The maintenance-free viscous clutch, running in silicone fluid, responds to power, rpm, and temperature differences to vary the amount of slip between the front and rear axles. If both rear wheels spin, the center clutch diverts engine power to the front wheels, ensuring that maximum traction is always available. The simpler, lighter viscous clutch replaces the electro-hydraulic center differential of the previous generation Carrera 4.
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