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Porsche Carrera Coupe '05
by Peter Bleakney
 Charles Darwin would love the 2005 Porsche Carrera Coupe. And not just because this newest version of Porsche's ass-engined icon is a terrific driver's car. The 2005 Carerra, at $101,400, is the automotive embodiment of Darwin's theory of evolution. In 40 years of prowling the earth's roadways, the Porsche 911 has gradually evolved through its various incarnations, and each edition has been that much faster, more refined and better handling. Now we have the latest 911 (internally code-named 997), which by any reasoning, is the ultimate expression of this species.
Survival of the fittest indeed.
Externally, the changes are subtle, but every body panel of the 997 (save the roof) is new. With a wider track at both ends, the car has a broader, more aggressive stance. While the previous 911 (code-named 996 and introduced in 1998) was wedgy, the 997 is a much more sensuous beast, with voluptuous rear haunches and a pinched waist. The round and more upright headlights are a welcomed nod to the pre-1998 air-cooled 911s.
Eighteen-inch wheels (235/40 front, 265/40 rear) are standard on the Carrera.
The 996's interior received a lot of criticism; its plasticy and down-market execution was certainly not befitting of a car in this snack bracket. Wisely, Porsche has turfed the whole thing and started fresh. Yes, it's still identifiably 911 in there (that is to say spartan and businesslike), but the materials are of a higher quality and the ergonomics are better sorted. That said, the drab grey of my tester didn't do it any favours.
The big tach is still central in the five-gauge instrument cluster, but now the numbers are illuminated in a crisp, eye-friendly white. The digital speedo readout in the lower half of the tachometer benefits from the big white numerals too, which is a good thing. Believe me, you want to know how fast you're going at all times in this road rocket, and the small speedometer to the left of the tach with it's markings in tight 50 kph increments.is no help,
 The central console is a 4/5ths version of the Cayenne's well-designed unit. It's a flurry of buttons, but ultimately intuitive and well laid out. A 7-inch LCD screen coveys all the necessary audio, trip computer and (optional) sat-nav info.
The express up and down power window switches have been moved from the console to the door panels where they belong.
Swapping cogs in the six-speed transmission is a more pleasant task in the 997 thanks to an improved linkage, and for those into heel-and-toe downshifting, the pedals are perfectly placed for your dancing pleasure.
The standard leather seats with powered backrest are a paragon of comfort and firm lateral support. Height and for-aft adjustment is manual. If you want them heated, be prepared to shell out $680.
Although the rear seats are tiny, they are usable for small children and, as I discovered, those few adults who will suffer anything just to get a ride in a Porsche.
My tester had the $1950 optional Bose High End Sound Package which sounded good – but not spectacular. But really, the only song you want to hear (and most of the time it's you're only choice) is the scintillating metallic snarl of the 325 hp 3.6 litre aluminum flat six that lives a couple of feet behind you.
This engine is strong, flexible, and loves to run to its 7200 rpm redline. A torque peak of 273 lb/ft arrives at 4250 rpm, but peak is really the wrong word here, as thrust is instant and linear in any of the lower four cogs. Car and Driver magazine squeezed a 0-60 mph time (96 kph) of 4.3 seconds out of a 2005 Carrera, which in anybody's book is freakin' fast.
The vented and cross-drilled discs squeezed by four-piston fixed alloy calipers provide the expected serious Porsche stopping power.
 Porsche has once again improved the handling characteristics of the 911, taking it even further away from the bad-old-days when these cars were tricky oversteering beasts. Even compared to the 996, which was by far the most “civilized” 911 to date, the 2005 997 is a more predictable, forgiving and accurate driver's tool. And faster.
Cornering attitude can still be adjusted with the throttle, but now the nose floats less and doesn't push as wide on hard acceleration. Likewise, lifting off in a bend will tighten the line slightly but won't have you filling your Dockers. Grip is astounding, and as would be expected from this Zuffenhausen icon, steering feel and accuracy are in a league of their own.
If you do manage to get out of shape, Porsche Stability Management will do it's best to reign things in. Works great in the snow too.
.Don't let all this talk of refinement and civility scare you off. Driving the 2005 Carrera is still a highly visceral experience. Very few cars display the uniqueness of purpose of this sports car. The 997 is an instrument of rapid forward progress, pure and simple.
Jump in, twist the key (to the left of the steering column, of course) and the engine springs to life with an uneven idle. The car vibrates in anticipation as all those expensive bits in the back, whirr, tick and thrum. The clutch is stiff, take up is quick, and the six-speed shifter requires a firm hand. As you travel through the gears, the expensive Bose sound system is rendered redundant by the engine noise. Your backside reads every dip and camber change in the road.
Communication is the keyword here, and this car never shuts up. On a twisty road, with your butt snug in the seat and the steering wheel alive your hands, it feels as though your nerve-endings have traveled through every mechanical inch of this car and arrived at the contact patches. This is what Porschefiles pay big bucks for, and once you're hooked, there's no substitute.
But if you think Porsche has emptied its whole bag of tricks into the Carrera Coupe, you'd be mistaken. Sitting one rung up on the evolutionary ladder is the $115,650 2005 Carrera S.
 The lusty bored-out 3.8 litre engine serves up 355 ponies and 295 lb/ft of torque. Nineteen inch wheels are standard issue, and the very clever Porsche Active Suspension Management takes the tiresome chop out of the ride but firms things the instant you get playful. When PASM is put in sport mode, the suspension buttons down, throttle response quickens and the PSM allows for more sideways fun before it intervenes.
The Carrera S is an astounding piece of machinery – the most comfortable and best handling 911 yet.
Inevitably, the Darwinian march of the Porsche 911 will continue. The question is, where will Porsche go from here?
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