www.QV500.com - Porsche 993 Part 2: 993 Carrera (S, T & V-series)
 

Porsche’s annual improvement programme continued as normal with the 993, the first developments being made for the 1995 model year S-series. Introduced in August 1994, the most notable development was the arrival on the options list of a more powerful 3.8-litre Typ M64/05S Variocam engine (Typ M64/06S if accompanied by Tiptronic). With 285bhp at 6000rpm, capacity was now 3746cc thanks to a 2mm bore stretch (102mm), stroke remaining unaltered at 76.4mm. Variocam engines improved the volumetric efficiency by using larger valves, the extra 13bhp inevitably bringing slight performance gains.
   

There was also a second type of Tiptronic gearbox added to the options list, Tiptronic S featuring steering wheel-mounted shift buttons. Two months later, in October 1994, Porsche introduced the all-wheel drive Carrera 4. Utilising a new and much lighter four-wheel drive system, Carrera 4's also got ABD as standard (Automatic Brake Differential), a version for the rear-wheel drive 993 having been optional from the start. ABD effectively prevented individual wheels from losing traction under hard acceleration and braking. The Carrera 4's ABD also took account of varying wheel rotation speeds front and rear to further reduce any shrinking tendency for the 911 to suffer from lift-off oversteer. Despite weighing in 50kg heavier, the C4 managed to post marginally faster acceleration times from 0-60mph (5.4 seconds) although top speed remained unchanged. For the T-series 1996 model year 993's that went into production during August 1995, Porsche deleted the 3.6-litre 272bhp motors and began fitting the 3.8-litre 285bhp Variocam units as standard.
 
An even more powerful engine option was introduced at the same time. Boasting 300bhp at 6500rpm, the new motors were designated Typ M64/21 S or Typ M64/22 S if combined with Tiptronic. A surprise arrival for the 1996 model year was a 993 Targa, but whereas earlier incarnations were visually compromised by hefty roll bars, this latest version incorporated an electric glass roof that slid back underneath the rear window. Re-establishing a configuration that had been dwindling in popularity for many years, 993 Targa's were equipped with several other special features aside from their panoramic roofs.
   
There were re-shaped triangular three-quarter windows and concave five-spoke two-piece wheels as standard, these rims having been optional on the Coupe and Cabriolet. Another new variant for the 1996 model year was the Carrera 4S, a Carrera 4 kitted out with a host of parts from the Turbo. These included the wide-bodyshell (minus fixed rear spoiler), 18-inch alloys, suspension and brakes. Ride height was dropped by 15mm whilst inside, air-conditioning and fully electric seats came as standard. No major changes were made to 1997 model year V-series 993's. Going into production during August 1996, the only development of any note was the arrival of a Carrera S, a two-wheel drive version of the Carrera 4S. It was to be the last year of production for the full 993 range as, when the 996 Carrera went into production in September 1997, the two-wheel drive 993's were dropped. The Carrera 4 continued on until July 1998 when it too was finally replaced, this time by the four-wheel drive 996 Carrera 4. The air-cooled 911 was dead.