Automotive Technology Review

Porsche and Ferrari are German and Italian sides of the same coin, respectively. Each represents an unique interpretation of the theory of a sports auto. Both were set up by a dominant patriarch, both designs are more than 50 years old, both honed their craft in racing, and both possess engineering and styling integrity. Whether they are on the track of Le Mans or on urban streets, the two brands have constantly been put man-to-man to be compared and contrasted. Even those motorists indifferent by sports automobiles associate these two names with both performance and style.

Take for instance the systematic Porsche 911 Carrera 4S and the passionate Ferrari F430. Both vehicles shock the driver with their performance whilst successfully maintaining a respectable quantity of practicality, but neither pretends to be anything apart from a sports car.

There are certain traits each modern sports car should possess. It has to be started easily. It must maneuver in town competently and politely. It has to be able to, when asked, blast along country roads. It must, both in looks and performance, echo it’s roots on the racetrack whilst at the same time being completely safe on any road.

Since both autos meet and surpass these expectations with aplomb, and all the assorted intangible qualities are essentially decided by preference, maybe the simplest way to compare the 2 vehicles is by measuring the facts and figures.

One number that right away impresses is the Ferrari’s super fast 4-second 0-100km/h acceleration. The new generation 4.3-litre V8 pushes out 368 snarling kilowatts, pinning the occupants to their seats. Whilst the Porsche’s acceleration also offers that amusement park ride thrill a superb vehicle should deliver, it is 0.8 seconds slower at the 100 km/k mark.

Of course such acceleration performance isn’t worth much unless the autos also excel in the braking office, which both do. Each auto includes optional ceramic discs brakes, permitting for impressive stopping.

In the engine office Porsche gains the upper hand. With its more refined motor, Porsche scores points for economy, earning 18.3 liters per 100km whilst the Ferrari brings up a distant 2nd with a trifling 11.8 liters per 100km. Both cars deliver the power through provoking 6-speed gearboxes and stay stuck to the road with top rate handling performance.

Even if the space is rather limited, both the F430 and Carrera 4S offer great interior comfort. Occupants will not feel cramped or claustrophobic. Though Ferrarri sports a magnificent mixture of suede, carbon fiber and aluminum, the Italians simply can’t answer the precision fit and finish reached by the Germans.

Key elements for any super car are speed and silence. The vehicle’s styling and stance draw buyers more than raw numbers. True to its Porsche roots the Carrera 4S, despite the new proportions, is visually recognizable as an affiliate of the 911 family. While it is definitely a great looking auto, somehow the styling no longer creates the jaw dropping reaction that it once did. Though traditionalists may insist that Porsche hark back to its roots, the truth of the case is that Ferrari F430 draws the awareness and turns heads.

Regardless of whether the Ferrari F430′s stops you dead in your tracks with its appearance, the super car title must go to the Porsche Carrera 4S, which represents a more complete package.