Topcar has made a business of building awesome kits for Porsche->ke1 models. Over the years, the Russian tuner has developed programs for the 911,->ke282 the Cayenne,->ke212 the Panamera,->ke1840 and a slew of other models coming out of Stuttgart. That’s a pretty impressive list right there and true to form, a new program has just arrived for another Porsche model, this time the 911 Carrera 4S.

In typical Topcar fashion, the program is dominated by two things: an aerodynamic body kit and an engine modification. The former is available in two versions, including the highly sought-after body kit made from vacuum-formed carbon fiber. You don’t need to tell me how cool that is because this is Topcar we’re talking about here.

Meanwhile, the latter is made up of the usual elements that are associated with an engine modification. There are hardware and software upgrades that combine to increase the 911 Carrera 4S’->ke574s power and performance credentials. It may sound like an all-business program without the usual flair from Topcar, but that’s exactly what you have here.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

2016 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S By TopCar

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S By TopCar
  • Engine/Motor: flat-6
  • Horsepower: 500
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

One of the main highlights of Topcar’s new program for the 911 Carrera 4S is an extensive aerodynamic kit that the tuner designed to give the sports car a lower, wider, and cleaner look while also improving its handling capabilities. The front section received a new bumper with air ducts and LED inserts, hood, front lip, and fender flares. It’s a similar story at the back with the fender extensions, a new rear bumper, and diffuser. Two-part side skirts were also thrown in for good measure, as well as a new set of ultra light forged wheels from ADV 1. The aerodynamic body kit can be purchased with or without carbon parts.

Interior

With so much work put on the exterior of the car, the interior is, by contrast, relatively subdued. The tuner didn’t indicate the upgrades it made on the cabin but basing it from past programs from Topcar, there should be a nice dose of finely upholstered leather and the usual helpings of carbon fiber. The seats might also be new, at least if Topcar does something similar to this program the way it did its previous 911 kits. Oh, and let’s not forget the “Stinger” name on the door sills. That should still be part of the mix.

Drivetrain

Topcar didn’t dive into the details of the performance upgrade, opting instead to say that the 991 Carrera 4S received an engine control unit, new filters, manifolds and an exhaust system. In other words, the Russian tuner installed the usual cocktail of mods to help produce 500 horsepower from its 3.4-liter, twin-turbo flat-six engine. That represents an increase of 80 horses from the sports car’s standard output of 420 ponies. Improvements on the torque numbers were not mentioned, but if my estimate is accurate, somewhere around 440 pound-feet of torque isn’t out of the question. With the upgrades on the engine, it’s reasonable to think that the Topcar-tuned Carrera 4S will be able to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds to go with a top speed of around 194 mph.

Remember, other than the announced horsepower increase, the figures mentioned here are merely my estimates. They could be higher or lower depending on Topcar but, either way, the modifications are all significant enough to give the 911 Carrera 4S the kind of power that's in the neighborhood of what its more powerful sibling, the 911 Turbo, is capable of.

Pricing

The Stinger body kit starts at €11,424, which is about $12,470 based on current exchange rates. If you opt for the carbon fiber version of the body kit, the price for that starts at €15,124, which is around $16,510 based on current exchange rates. It’s interesting to note that the set of wheels and the engine modifications aren’t included in the price of the body kit, so expect the price tag to go higher if you want the full experience of Topcar’s Stinger program.

Competition

Mercedes-AMG GT

The Porsche 911 is considered one of the most iconic models in the business, so naturally, there are other cars that are here to compete against it. One of the newer models is the Mercedes-AMG GT, a car that not only derives its appeal from its “classic-modern” look but also packs a meat-banger of an engine itself. In standard form, the AMG GT has a 4.0-liter V-8 engine that produces 456 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Those figures are a little more than what the Carrera 4S can produce without any aftermarket help, but the difference isn’t big enough that one car is considered vastly superior over the other. Both models have had their share of tuning programs, and depending on the aftermarket company that does these programs, both the Carrera 4S and the AMG GT can truly be considered as rivals.

Granted, I know the lines can get blurred a little bit with the presence of the AMG GT S and the 911 Turbo, but with those two models sitting at the top of their respective lineups, I think it’s safe to say that the Carrera 4S and the AMG GT can be left by themselves to figure out which of the two is better than the other.

Read our full review on the Mercedes AMG GT here.

Jaguar F-Type

The Jaguar F-Type doesn’t have the name recognition of the Porsche 911 and to a lesser extent, the Mercedes-AMG GT. But, even if it is overshadowed by the legacies of its rivals, the F-Type has proven to be a real worthy competitor, especially to the 911 and its family of models.

The F-Type makes use of two different engines: a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine that produces either 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque or 380 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. The latter is the output of the F-Type S variant and, while it doesn’t quite approach the standard output of the Carrera 4S, it’s still, once again, right in the ball park of what the Porsche is capable of. Unfortunately, there aren’t as many programs for the F-Type as there are for the 911 Carrera, but give it some time because I’m pretty sure that the number of programs for the Jag sports car will car increase eventually.

The second and more powerful engine is the 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 that produces 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. This is exclusive to the range-topping F-Type R model, which sits in the same level as the 911 Turbo and the AMG GT S.

Read our full review on the Jaguar F-Type here.

Conclusion

This is a very neat program for the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. It doesn’t go out of its way to outshine the car itself, but instead, serves as a nice complementary piece to what the 911 Carrera 4S already is. The carbon fiber body kit may be too overboard for some, but for the most part, it works in bringing an extra kick of exclusivity to the sports car. The power upgrade is also a nice upgrade, especially for those looking for 911 Turbo-like power out of their Carrera 4S models. Overall, it’s another solid program from Topcar that is actually more subtle - in a good way - than some of its previous works.