More Power, More Driven Wheels, More Money

As reliably as the sun rises and sets, Porsche is fleshing out the 911 lineup. Following last year’s facelift, Porsche just revealed the new all-wheel drive “S” variants, Carrera 4S coupe and Cabriolet, plus Targa 4S. The headline? More power and standard equipment than their predecessors, and a healthy price increase, too.

Like the rear-drive Carrera S coupe and Cabriolet, the new all-wheel drive models get a 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six making 473 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. The power increase is largely thanks to intercoolers from the 911 Turbo, Porsche says, and the horsepower figure matches the old Carrera GTS’s, though torque is slightly lower. As with its rear-drive siblings, the only transmission available is an eight-speed PDK dual-clutch. Porsche is, so far, limiting the manual to just the purist-aimed Carrera T and GT3.

Photo by: Porsche

The new 4S models also get a standard Sports Exhaust and larger brakes from the old Carrera GTS model. As before, adaptive dampers, a rear limited-slip differential, and 20/21-inch wheels are standard, while sport suspension, rear-wheel steering, the Sport Chrono package, and carbon-ceramic brakes are optional. However, the Targa 4S gets rear-steer standard.

Inside, there’s more leather trim standard than before, and the rest of the upgrades Porsche gave the 911, including somewhat controversially, a digital gauge cluster. The coupe comes standard as a two-seater now, with 2+2 seating a no-cost option, and standard on the Cabriolet and Targa.

Porsche says in the US, around half of all 911 “S” models are all-wheel drive, so these are an important addition to the lineup. And until now, for the face-lifted model, the entry-level all-wheel drive 911 was the hybrid Carrera 4 GTS. So, these cars usefully lower the barrier of entry.

Not that they’re cheap. Preliminary pricing for the 2026 Carrera 4S coupe is $156,450—over $16,000 more than the 2024 model, though Porsche stresses this is subject to change. There’s more standard equipment and performance than before, but still, that’s a large gap. The preliminary cost for the Carrera 4S Cabriolet is $169,650 while the Targa 4S is $171,350. Not that Porsche customers will balk at these prices. Demand for new 911s seems to far outstrip supply.