2002 Porsche 911 Carrera

Through the years, Porsche's venerable, rear-engined sports machine has done a pretty amazing job of carving out its own special niche with performance enthusiasts around the world. Since its introduction in 1965, the 911 has been treated to a continuing series of meaningful upgrades aimed at maintaining its position of primacy, on the road as well as on the racetrack. For the '02 season, the factory came through with one of the most comprehensive mid-generation improvement programs ever. In addition to styling changes that bring the basic Carrera family nearer in appearance to the awesome 911 Turbo variant, major tweaks to the powertrain, suspension, ergonomics and safety features have elevated the line to a whole new level of competence.

Design elements adopted from the 911 Turbo include the headlights. For 2002, rear quarter panels are wider and oval tailpipes are redesigned.

Prime visual changes on the Carrera come up front, where new Turbo-look HID headlamps and more aggressive front air inlets reinforce its now even badder-boy persona. Although these changes don't affect the 911's existing 0.30 coefficient of drag, these are far more than mere cosmetic alterations. The lights incorporate a new reflector design that makes them even more efficient illuminators while those bolder outboard ports—and related downstream ductwork—enhance cooling airflow to the brakes and forward-mounted oil and water coolers while significantly trimming lift forces that act on both the front and rear axles.


Drivetrain enhancements to the new 911 start with the engine. Stroke was bumped from 78.0 to 82.3 mm, bringing the displacement up from 3.4 to 3.6 liters. Bolstering that size boost, the all-alloy DOHC flat-six has been fitted with the latest generation of Porsche's Variocam Plus system. The basic technology—which controls both the timing of the intake cams as well as the actual amount of valve lift—has been adapted from the package introduced on the current Turbo model. But this latest iteration—the first to be used on a naturally aspirated Porsche engine—introduces a new continuously variable element to the formerly "binary" camshaft timing. It also expands the range of allowable advance from 24 to 42 degrees.

The new 3.6-liter flat-six makes the '02 Carreras the quickest and fastest normally aspirated 911s ever offered in North America.

Collectively, these modifications help boost horsepower from 300 to 320 and torque from 250 to 273 lb.-ft. Of more real-world import, that latter figure now peaks at 4,250 rpm compared to 4,600 revs in the 3.4 engine. Adding Variocam Plus makes the new 3.6 a stronger performer throughout its entire operating range. Complementing this added muscle, the engine now meets LEV emission spec and its EPA fuel economy numbers go up by 1-2 mpg.


Carrera buyers still have a choice of two gearboxes: a 6-speed manual and a 5-speed Tiptronic. However, while the former is a pure carryover item, the new Tip is actually the S-spec trans from the Turbo. In addition to being mechanically stronger than the transmission it replaces, the Tiptronic S provides noticeably quicker, crisper shifts. While purists will no doubt stick with the stick, back-to-back comparison drives indicate that the acceleration tradeoff is modest enough to make the autoshifter worth considering for owners who normally travel in high-traffic circles, regardless of whether they opt for a rear- or all-wheel-drive version of the car.