Ray S

In fairness Paltine I will give you a little know fact, Porsche does use the C4 chassis (narrow body) for the GT3. It's added structure up front yields a slight improvement in stiffness.

But you still drive the slower (top speed) car!

Don't forget at the end of the day we all drive Porsches and the differences between C2's, C4's, and C4S's while noticeable are slight!!

dallasboats

c2 is faster, accept it.

Cloud964

Readings from numerous road test articles all concluded that in stock form, a c4 is faster than a c2 on a road course. On the other hand I am sure a c2 is more fun to drive in a classic 911 way. So a C4 handles better and C2 provides more driving fun. Everbody wins.

SPR

I will say three things:
c4s has turbo brakes- marginally better even because of weight but still better heat dissipation etc.
C4 must be driven differently i.e. you get on the power earlier in the apex and to more braking beforehand to get the most out of it- whereas in a c2 the power is delvered 100% at the apex, the c4 is given the power slightly before "the cheat"
c2 can manage a greater slip angle out of the car
This all basically results in the same result
c4/s can be driven quicker by a novice
c2 can be driven faster with skill

Ray S

Great Looking Car Sean!

What did you lower it with.....PSS9's or springs?

If springs which type?

TT Surgeon

More tire, bigger brakes, better cooling, sport suspension, lower center of gravity(sits lower), superior ad's(doubt a higher cd), it carries 281# more and loses some drivetrain losses as well.
I wouldn't compare it to a GT3, different animal. However, I think the C4S is superior to a C2 on the track in most hands. Wonder why Walter Rohl said he thought it was the best of the 996 series?

Alon

As far as being wider, I would normally agree that to be an advantage but the fact is that the car is only wider in the rear and the same width up front, netting in more potential under-steer.

Palting

Awwwright, I guess no one noticed the "tongue in cheek" part of my post.

Anyway, straight line speed is NOT a Porsche strong point. Lots of cars will best both the C2 and C4S in 0-60, quarter mile and top speed. But, take these cars to the track, and the Porsche will pass these cars time and time again, lap after lap.

Have we moved on to C4S vs C2? On that I have more definite opinions . Lots of past threads on it, too.

The C4S by purpose and design by Porsche is superior to the C2, both in performance and amenities, as well as economics.

Let's take amenities and economics. Take a C2, and option it to the same extent as the C4S. That means adding a sport suspension, bigger brakes, larger wheels and tires, full leather, PSM, side skirts. It will cost significantly more than the C4S which have these as standard. Then there are the things that you can not change unless you go to a major expense and body work, such as the Turbo front and rear and the wide body look as well as wider track and, of course, the AWD. I'm talking new from the factory back when the 996 was new. Take the same cars as used cars, and the price difference to upgrade a stock used C2 to the same level as a stock used C4S would be even more. I could be wrong on that last point, since the C4S has held it's value better than the C2, so the price diff between a used C2 and a used C4S can be large enough to offset the upgrade cost.

Let's take performance. I've already made my statement regarding straight line performance. How about the track? The 996 C4S is faster than the C2 at the 'ring. Regardless of any disclaimers, opinions, regarding the Nrburgring, THE C4S IS FASTER AT THE TRACK THAN THE C2. It was faster with a pro. The C4S is easier to drive fast than a C2, therefore it will also be faster with a novice driver. I am in no way a pro, but I can attest to the fact that I have passed more experienced drivers in their 996 C2 with track suspensions and roll bars and 6 point harnesses and aerokits and track tires in my bone stock C4S with street tires. I can honestly say I have not been passed by a 996 C2 in any DE at any track driven by a driver at the same level I was in. Is it the brakes? Is it the wider track? Is it the AWD? I don't know, but it definitely was not the driver. It's the car.

OK. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it .

Kevin H. in Atl..

I totally agree that most drivers would be quicker around a track in a C4S than a C2.

That a C2 laps faster than a C4, I would think that the C4S is probably quicker around a track than a C2 due to the upgraded suspension and brakes.

Perhaps someone can post laps times for 993 C2S vs 993 C4S to illustrate the effect of adding AWD.

Another interesting comparison may be lap times of the upcoming 997 C4S vs 997 C2S.

TT Surgeon

Palting, well put, of course I'm biased.

evo_333

wait.. I thought the debate was over the c4 vs. c2, not the c4s vs. c2. I'm confused now..

to add-on another comparison... what about the 996 c4s vs. 997 c2?

TD in DC

You really want to know what is faster? OK, anything I am driving.

I would put my 996 C2 with PSS9s and GT3 adjustable swaybars against a C4S any day of the week. Of course, I am biased as well

PS, since brakes are not a problem on the C2, I do not think that the Turbo brakes on the C4S would make, to the vast majority of drivers, an appreciable difference.

Ray S

I got your "smart"......"tongue in cheek" response and so I gave you my "smart" response (did you get it). Now your talking interior amenities!! You have managed to totally take this thread off topic not once but twice.

Let me be clear, I never said that the C2 would lap a road course faster than a C4S (only a C4). I said that the C2 would have faster 0-60 times, 1/4 mile, and top speed (than a C4S). I believe these facts are undisputed, do you agree?

Let's pull this back on topic. On a road course (for arguments sake let's use the "ring" and agree on "stock cars" and the same "good driver" - no need for experts or novices) the C4S > C2 > C4........period. Can you agree with that???

Start adding Tips, Cabs, 16 year old first time drivers, PSM vs. non PSM, 030, PSS9's, and the optional kitchen sink into the mix and it gets too confusing.

At the end of the day we all love our cars and purchased according to our performance priorities and what we could afford (I'd love to buy the new 997 GT3 or Carrera GT, wanna spot me a few $$............I'm good for it)

Palting

I'm sorry, but I thought when you put a question mark you generally are asking a question. I was trying to answer you, not take it off topic. I stand corrected. From now on, a question mark does not mean it needs an answer, right?

Rob in WA

What does the C4S do the 'ring in? I can't find it.

I'm curious as to how the suspension, brakes, and AWD, make up for almost 300 lbs in extra weight.