When asked if I would like to test drive this Doppelkupplung Tiptronic Carerra 4, my immediate reaction was "Yes, but ....Really. Are you sure?" After overcoming my insecurities, I fired her up, but first lets look under the hood. 6 cylinder and 345 bhp. This is no wolf in sheep's clothing, its a wolf in a wolf's skin and at 0-60km/h in under 5 seconds - quicker than Ben Johnson's Cheetah.
We decided to drive topless since it was the last warm weekend of note. A quick quarter turn with the supplied wrench and the top lifts off. Turn the ignition and you can feel the testosterone eminating from the twin pipes. This is the all wheel drive tiptronic version. Not having driven tiptronic, my fear was blowing the engine by forgetting to thumb the transmission into the next gear. However, I soon discovered the car was made for virgin performance wannabe drivers. The gear changes automatically when redlined and the wide profile Pirellis ensures the beast sticks better to the road than toilet paper to your shoe. Driving topless is fine if you occupy the front seats, but little people stuck in the back seat, get the full force of Hurricane Katerina billowing at 170km speeds. That speed and 10 degrees, it can get pretty chilly, so it was odd to have heat flowing through the vents mixed with the cooler air circulating overhead. Driving this car in minivan suburbia territory is definite eye candy. I'm not sure if it was stares of envy or stares of annoyance by the 345 bhp growl. OK, I admit I redlined it once or twice or was it on every stop street and red light. The price, a cool $84,000 US - if you can afford this, you wouldn't need a Visa card....priceless. JP, if the car is still available for the week of June 22, 2009...my diary looks clear....... |  |
