The way the 911 range unfolds with each generation has become as predictable as Mission: Impossible III. First comes the "base" Carrera and Carrera S; then the AWD Carrera 4; Cabriolet versions of those; followed by the hard-core GT3; then the Turbo; maybe a Targa; and finally the loony GT2. It's all completed just in time to start the cycle all over again with the next-generation 911.

Not that we're complaining. Every new iteration of the 911, including this Guards Red 2006 911 Carrera 4 Coupe, is like your favorite shirt fresh from the dryer — familiar, comfortable and a joy to wear.

What you get
The Carrera 4 (C4) and Carrera 4S (C4S) pick up where the already excellent rear-drive "997" Carrera models leave off. Simply put, the C4 and C4S are all-wheel-drive versions of the Carrera and Carrera S, respectively. As in the previous C4, a viscous center differential varies the torque split to the front wheels from 5-40 percent.

Besides the all-wheel-drive hardware, the C4 and C4S have 44mm-wider bodies (it's all in the rear fender flares) covering wider 18-inch rear rubber, and 3 quarts more fuel capacity than their rear-wheel-drive brethren.

The same 325-horsepower, 3.6-liter flat six from the Carrera sits in the C4's tail and S models share the 355-hp, 3.8-liter mill.

Doing it all
Sprinting through our slalom cones at 71.4 mph, our test C4 ranks among the quickest cars we've tested. By comparison, the insanely nimble Lotus Elise ran 71.6 mph, and the Cayman S ran 72.2 mph.

Despite penalizing the 911's curb weight by 110 pounds, the C4's all-wheel-drive system allows the driver to apply the throttle sooner when exiting the gates of the slalom. On the road, this gives the C4 the ability to hurl itself out of turns with authority.

Considering their comfort and modest bolsters, the standard seats are surprisingly up to the task. They kept our backsides planted regardless of pace. Plus, they're covered in the same rich hide that festoons most of the C4's interior surfaces, including the dash, door panels, console, steering wheel…nearly everything except the headliner, which is suede.

We drove our tester 1,000 miles in just three days, and one thing became undeniable. The C4 likes throttle. Enter a turn at steady throttle and the car will understeer mildly. If you instead roll onto the throttle progressively, it becomes more neutral. Give the gas a larger boot after the apex and the tail will step out; correct the slide while staying on the throttle and you're rewarded with indecently rapid forward progress.

And worry not — if there is any adverse effect on the steering of the two driveshafts spinning up front, we couldn't feel it.

We could certainly feel zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds on the way to a quarter-mile in 13.1 seconds at 106.2 mph, though. This compares favorably with the Carrera S we tested in January. Although two-wheel drive, it wore wider 19-inch rear tires and managed to also crack off 4.5 seconds to 60. In the quarter-mile, however, the rear-drive Carrera made its 30 additional ponies evident, with a 13-second pass at a much faster 110.7 mph. Still, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, our reigning bang-for-buck king, will trounce either car by about a full second in the quarter-mile.

Keeping the shiny side up
The C4 models also bring enhancements to Porsche's Stability Management (PSM), most significantly a braking assist function. If it thinks you're going to be braking hard, it pre-fills the hydraulic system, effectively removing any slop from the system.

Sure enough, when our foot touched the brake pedal during hard driving, it was like an anchor tossed overboard had impaled a redwood — the car slowed NOW. The effect is remarkably similar to the awesome initial bite of fully warmed-up racing brake pads. And here we thought Porsche brakes couldn't get any better.

PSM also nannies the braking of certain wheels and cuts engine torque to control the car's attitude. It can be switched off…sort of. With Carrera models, the slightest brush of the brakes reactivates PSM. With the revisions ushered in on the C4 models, it now requires seriously hard braking before PSM automatically re-engages. And with the C4's 60-0-mph stopping distance of 105 feet, you'll seriously want to make sure there's nothing behind you when you pile-drive the middle pedal.

We noticed that the C4's PSM permits more tail-out hooliganism at lower speeds, reining things in more abruptly as speed increases. It's a safety net that is probably a good thing considering the forces at work on a rear-engine car conspiring to punt you into the hedge.

Why you want one
At a base price of $77,100, you'll want to keep it on the tarmac. Indeed, the $5,800 premium over a base Carrera is perhaps the only downside to the C4. Considering that the six options on our test car rang in at over $3,500 and did nothing to expand its capabilities, we'd say it's a relative bargain. The 911's broad range of talents are what differentiates it the most from other cars in its price range; and the Carrera 4 expands the core values of the 911 by appealing both to those who drive hard and those who just want the all-weather proficiency of all-wheel drive.

Is there a better 911? Not yet.