Reductions in interior noise allow you to appreciate the sweet sound of the engine, and oh does this Porsche engine make a sweet sound. The 2005 Porsche Carrera S is outfitted with a 3.8-liter, horizontally opposed (flat), six-cylinder engine that produces a generous 355 horsepower, 30 more than the standard Carrera, and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, an increase of 22 lb.-ft.

The six-speed manual transmission is fortifified to handle the increased power generated by the Carrera S’s engine. Redesigned for smoother gear selection, the transmission also gets a shorter throw shifter to make changing cogs crisper. Indeed, these changes make quick shifts a breeze.

If manually stirring a gearbox isn’t something you feel comfortable doing, Porsche offers its fabulous Tiptronic-equipped automatic transmission. Without a doubt, Porsche’s Tiptronic system is one of the best manually interactive transmissions available anywhere in the world. It is so good that Porsche has licensed various versions of this design to other auto manufacturers for use in their sporty vehicles.

Slowing the Porsche Carrera S down in a hurry are massive ventilated disc brakes that employ large Brembo calipers front and rear. There are a few so-called sports cars on the market that are fitted with less than stellar brakes, but Porsche would never do that. From its years of racing the company knows that you achieve only half your goal of building a superior sports car if you give it loads of power and no way to bring that performance under wraps.

Variable rate steering helps make the 2005 Porsche Carrera S easier to live with as a daily driver. For maneuvering in tight spaces or for parallel parking, the steering is light and easy to turn. Progress up through the gears to driving speeds, and the steering system reduces boost and produces excellent feedback from the road or the track.

Standard equipment also includes the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system. PASM automatically adjusts the suspension system to provide a comfortable ride when desired, and it fine-tunes itself to offer superior handling when needed.