How different is the 997.1 Carrera 4 and the Carrera S?

Aside from AWD on the 4 and "Turbo" brakes and 3.8L H6 on the S, what other differences? Are they both "wide bodies"? I know the "S" models in the 993s were a little wider.

Hopefully with what I learn from the helpful people in these forums, I'll make a good decision when I finally find my first Porsche.

 

The 4 will have a wider body on each side with less HP than the S. It will be AWD, but the AWD is very slight on the front (I never noticed a big difference when I had my C4S). If you live in crappy winter weather, then a 4 would be great, but I would default to the S for performance. A C4S is the best of all worlds and I am biased toward that - see signature line. I like the looks of the wider C4S body along with the HP gains over C2 or C4.

Be sure to get what makes sense to you. Getting your first P-car is an awesome experience.

 

Only the 4 is a wide body, about 44mm wider. The 4 is AWD obviously, it's 95% rear wheel drive on normal driving, it can put 40% power up front when the computer feels it it needed. For the normal driver the 4 feels more planted, more secure, and gives you a lot more confidence. Honestly, unless you are a race car driver, it's very difficult to feel the weight difference between the AWD and RWD. For some the RWD is more fun b/c it allows you to slide (drift) around the track a bit.

 

The C4 has a noticeably smaller trunk.

 

Many of us enjoy the lighter and more nimble feeling front end on the non-AWD cars. You should try each and decide for yourself what features you want/need. The hunt is one of the best parts of buying a Porsche IMO. There is a lot of research you can do on these forums to educate yourself about all the options and features. The variety is mind-bogling. Good luck.