smackboy1

I'm taking the plunge and looking for my first 911 but I need a car for year round driving including snow and ice (I live in NJ). So here's the question: how much better is C4 than a C2 if both have snow tires and PSM? Can you take the C4 on roads where a C2 would fear to tread or is the difference fairly small? I would prefer to get a Targa for the open air, but not if it has to stay garage bound over a C4 (and I don't want to get a C4 cab). Anybody here driven both in the crud who can lend some insight?

I guess the corollary to this would be: has anybody heard of cutting a panoramic sunroof in a C4 Coupe?

TIA

42empress

Unless you are going up large hills or deep snow, C2 is fine. I put my thule box on top and take it to VT regularly in the Winter. I have a blast with it in the snow.

care4era

C4 will always be better in the snow. You will have more grip. That is what it is meant for. A rear whee drive car, especially an auto can be a pain in the snow. Go for the C4. I live in central europe where we get lots of snow and bought the 4 because of this. If you got the cash get the 4S

rx2476

both are fine in the snow just depends on how fast you want to drive...even a c4 may give false hopes on an icy snowy road (don't bend your car!) but would definitely be my car of choice between the two if i had to drive on the interstate. both cars would be fine on city and back roads as long as you drive within reasonable limits of the conditions (ie. blizzard, ice, packed snow)... besides...most of the time - the roads up in the northeast are a blast to drive in the winter...you guys actually use salt and plows...a c4 would probably give you more piece of mind.

fast1

If the choice were between a C4 with all season tires and a C2 with snow tires, I'd go with the C2. I live in a hilly area and AWD doesn't help at all going down hills, but a good set of snow tires will certainly help a lot going up and down hills.

Dharn55

Given the same tires, it does not matter what the conditions are, wet, dry, ice, snow, cold or warm, a C4 will always have better traction than a C2. There are some weight penalties, and some argument that a C2 handles "better" in the dry, and certainly with good snow tires and PSM a C2 is quite good in wet or snowy conditions, but a C4 will always have better traction. Not much difference in braking. I dirve a C4 year round in the Chicago area. Use winter tires in the winter and it goes through snow as well as My big SUV as long as the snow is not over 3-4". So if you are wiling to trade off a little weight for a traction advantage in all conditions, go for the C4. In any case, get a good set of winter tires.

smackboy1

Thanks for all the advice. For you C4 pilots out there, at the limits of traction does the car tends towards oversteer (like a RWD) or understeer (like a FWD or AWD)? My current ride is an Audi allroad which understeers at the limits (until the ESP kicks in anyway) so I'm looking for a car which I can throw into the corners a little more. Is there truth in Porsche's claim that their AWD system preserves that RWD handling?

Riad

I'm on my second C4, my current version being the C4S and I highly recommend them if you live in the north east, and it's a must to put winter tires on them, period.

I drive all year round and I've had zero problems navigating my C4 or C4S through the snow, some snow up to 4-5" deep.

As always, the better you know the car the easier it will be to handle it in the snow.

Rob

yetis

Having come from a Audi S4, the feel is MUCH MORE rear wheel drive than any unmodified Audi, at the edge or at any time. With winter tires, the car is a beast, with only snow height being its biggest challenge.
If your using a Audi allroad as your base, I think the c4 will provide more than enough opportunity to "throw it into the corners" a little more. Whats even better is the look of the SUV driver as you roll past him in the winter, on your snow tires. This as most SUV's have all season tires on, and well, they just don't do the trick.

GreggT

Do you autocross or have you spent much time on a skid pad?.......'measured' or controled throttle can keep you on line (even if you are continually 'correcting'....ie all wheels at or past limet).

The weight is still back there......loosing your nerve and 'lifting' will have less than desirable results
Also......I'm not sure "throw into corners a bit more" would be the correct way to think of any 911 on a winter surface........much like on the track, get your braking done, then start to apply throttle as you turn in......then enjoy the corner