2002 Porsche 911; Moving target.(redesigned Carrera)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)

The benchmark has moved up. Customers will be more thrilled than competitors to learn Porsche has given its fabled 911 Carrera a significant makeover for 2002.

It looks much as it has since the 996 debuted in 1997, though changes to the front and rear ends improve downforce. More importantly, the Carrera gets more power as its six-cylinder engine grows from 3.4 to 3.6 liters. Porsche increased the boxer's stroke by 4.8 mm to 82.8 mm. Output jumps to 320 horsepower at 6800 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque at 4250 rpm, increases of 20 hp and 15 lb-ft, respectively.

To handle the additional load, engineers redesigned the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons, using a stronger aluminum alloy and larger-diameter bearings. They also had to boost oil supply and delivery to these components.

While the higher output alone might have resulted in decreased fuel efficiency and increased emissions, Porsche adapted its VarioCam Plus system, already in use on the Turbo and GT2, for the Carrera. Like Honda's VTEC system, VarioCam Plus uses two cam lobes of varying lift (3.6 mm and 11.0 mm) on the intake side to optimize output at low and high loads. Additionally, a cam phaser (the ``Plus'' in VarioCam Plus) adjusts the camshaft position respective of the crank by up to 40 degrees, controlling valve overlap, and can emulate a sort of internal exhaust gas recirculation effect, to reduce emissions and boost fuel economy.

Fuel efficiency improves at idle and part throttle, and while the torque curve is higher throughout the rpm range, the Carrera maintains its low-emissions vehicle rating. The EPA fuel economy rating improves slightly to a combined 21.6 mpg, up 1 mpg from the '01 model (the Carrera 4 remains the same, at 20.15 mpg).

Porsche claims the Carrera Coupe will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in five seconds flat, with the Cabrio at 5.2 seconds, both ...