This is not simply another Porsche 911.

The 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S - better known to enthusiasts as the 996 C4S - is one of the standout models of the entire 996 generation, combining the dramatic wide-body appearance of the 911 Turbo with naturally aspirated flat-six performance, four-wheel drive and genuine everyday usability.

With its 3.6-litre flat-six engine producing approximately 320PS, Tiptronic S transmission and Porsche all-wheel-drive system, the C4S delivers serious performance while retaining the refinement that makes a 911 such an extraordinary sports car to own.

More than two decades later, the 996 Carrera 4S has developed a particularly strong following among Porsche enthusiasts, and it's very easy to understand why.

The C4S is a very different proposition from a standard Carrera.

Porsche gave the Carrera 4S much of the visual drama and chassis presence associated with the flagship 996 Turbo, creating one of the most distinctive normally aspirated 911s of its generation.

The result is a car with serious road presence.

? Highly Desirable Carrera 4S

? 3.6-Litre Naturally Aspirated Flat-Six

? Approx. 320PS

?? Tiptronic S Transmission

?? Porsche All-Wheel Drive

? Turbo-Inspired Wide-Body Styling

? Distinctive C4S Wheels & Sporting Stance

? Enhanced C4S Chassis & Braking Hardware

? Iconic Rear-Engined 911 Layout

? Increasing Modern-Classic Appeal

For anyone who knows their Porsches, the Carrera 4S badge matters.

Park a standard 996 Carrera beside a C4S and the difference is immediately apparent.

The wider rear bodywork gives the C4S a much more muscular stance, while the Turbo-influenced styling creates a car that looks planted even when it's standing still.

Then there's one of the C4S's most recognisable styling details - the distinctive rear reflector strip linking the tail lamps, giving the car an unmistakable appearance from behind.

It's subtle enough to remain elegant but aggressive enough that enthusiasts immediately know this isn't an ordinary Carrera.

At the heart of the car is Porsche's 3.6-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine, producing approximately 320PS.

There's no turbocharger dominating the experience.

Instead, you get the progressive response, character and unmistakable soundtrack of a naturally aspirated Porsche flat-six.

It's the sort of engine that encourages you to use the rev range and reminds you that this generation of 911 comes from a very different era of performance motoring.

The "4" in Carrera 4S is equally important.

Porsche's all-wheel-drive system gives the car additional traction and reassurance, particularly when road conditions deteriorate.

That makes the C4S an extremely appealing 911 for UK and Irish roads - you still have the unmistakable rear-engined Porsche character, but with the additional security of power being delivered through all four wheels.

It's a sports car that can be genuinely enjoyed throughout the year.

The Tiptronic S transmission gives this particular C4S a different character from the manual cars.

Leave it in automatic and the Porsche can be driven comfortably through town, traffic or on a long motorway journey.

When the opportunity presents itself, the driver can take greater control of the gear selection and enjoy the performance available from the flat-six engine.

For an owner who wants a 996 C4S they can actually use regularly rather than save purely for Sunday mornings, Tiptronic S has genuine appeal.

One of the reasons the 911 has survived for generations is that Porsche never forgot that owners actually want to drive their cars.

You have a beautifully focused driving position, excellent visibility for a sports car, front luggage space and the traditional 2+2 seating arrangement.

That means this isn't merely a toy.

You could take it for an early Sunday morning drive, use it for a weekend away or point it towards Europe and enjoy exactly the sort of long-distance touring for which a 911 is remarkably well suited.

The 996 generation represents an important chapter in Porsche history as the first water-cooled generation of the 911.

For a long time these cars were overshadowed by their air-cooled predecessors. That has changed significantly as enthusiasts have started to appreciate what the better 996 variants actually offer.

And among those variants, the Carrera 4S has always been one of the cars enthusiasts gravitate towards.

It has the looks.

It has the wide body.

It has the naturally aspirated flat-six.

It has four-wheel drive.

And crucially, it has that C4S badge on the back.

At this age, the right Porsche should be viewed differently from an ordinary used car.

You're buying into the 911 story - one of the longest-running and most celebrated bloodlines in automotive history.

And the C4S occupies a particularly interesting place within that story.

It gives you much of the visual drama associated with the 996 Turbo, but with the character of a naturally aspirated Carrera.

That's a combination that Porsche enthusiasts understand immediately.

There are cheaper ways to go fast.

There are newer sports cars with bigger screens and more technology.

But that's completely missing the point.

This is a wide-bodied, naturally aspirated, flat-six Porsche 911 Carrera 4S with all-wheel drive from an era when sports cars still felt wonderfully mechanical.

It's a car to own, preserve, drive and enjoy.

For someone who has always wanted a 911 but wants something a little more special than the standard Carrera, the 996 C4S deserves to be very high on the list.

3.6 flat-six. 320PS. Wide body. Four-wheel drive. Tiptronic S. And one of the most desirable silhouettes of the 996 era.

? A special Porsche deserves a serious viewing. Contact us to arrange an appointment and experience this Carrera 4S for yourself.