Porsche 911 Cabriolet Part 1: Design Review

The original Porsche 911 debuted at the 1963 Frankfurt Auto Show with a silhouette that is a Porsche trademark to this day. It wasn't until much later - the 1983 model year in fact - that the manufacturer from Stuttgart decided to take the knife to this classic shape to produce the first true convertible 911. Available as a drop-top ever since, the 911 Carrera S Cabriolet continues the open car tradition that started with the first ever Porsche - the beautifully simple 356.

With the classic roofline giving way to a good-looking fabric top, our Carrera S test car is still 100 percent Porsche 911, whether the roof is up or down.

Purely from a design perspective, the cabriolet version of the Carrera isn't the best looking of the 911 range. Personally, I'd give that title to the widebody Carrera 4S with its classic silhouette complementing its curvy hips seductively enough to raise your blood pressure. Still, there's no denying the unique appeal of an open Porsche on an open road.

The feeling you get in the Carrera S Cabriolet with its roof retracted - that feeling of being at one with the environment - is truly special, even for those of us who still prefer the 911 with the steel roof.

While I'm not a huge fan of open-top cars, I will say that there aren't many things more exhilarating than a quick blast down a beautiful mountain road in a fast, open-top car. The sounds from the car are all heightened, as is the sense of speed. Your nerve endings tingle as the engine screams toward redline and pops on the overrun.

Clearly, the 911 Cabriolet is best experienced with its fabric roof stowed, but even in the sunniest of climates, you'll have to raise the roof every now and then. When it's time to do so, the electrically operated top of the convertible Carrera will raise into place in just 20 seconds, and can be operated at up to 30 mph - which is really handy when you decide to put the top down at a stoplight that changes to green sooner than expected.

New to the 911 Cabriolet are the optional ventilated seats, which while maybe not the most obvious necessity in a convertible, are a Godsend on extremely hot, sunny days. More useful still is the most noteworthy new feature available on the 911: PorscheÕs new dual-clutch transmission, dubbed, PDK.

Mechanically, the PDK gearbox is easily the best dual-clutch transmission I've ever tried, lacking the awkward initial engagement of first gear when moving off slowly. Once at speed, it continues to impress with lighting quick shifts that rival the quickest sequential manual transmissions on the market. And in its auto-mode, it plays traditional automatic extremely convincingly. So it's top marks for PDK in every regard except one, which we'll get into our Performance Review.

The latest in a long line of drop-top Porsches, this newest Carrera S Cabriolet delivers all the exhilarating performance of its coupe sibling, along with the kind of sensory overload that can only be delivered by a topless high-performance sportscar.

Watch the video

Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet

Performance
- Acceleration: PDK launch mode better than any other launch mode we've tried, including that of the Nissan GTR - shifts in Sport Plus mode are ridiculously quick
- Handling: The bobbing nose takes a little getting used to if you're not accustomed to 911s, but the handling is sublime - if there is a car with more communicative steering, we've not tried it
- Braking: Incredible deceleration helped by extra weight over the rear axle - brake fade is non-existent

Design
- Exterior: One of the great automotive shapes works, even with its roof removed - still, not the best looking 911, nor the best looking convertible out there
- Interior: 997s return to the pre-996 layout was extremely welcomed and addressed the biggest flaw of the 996 - PCM cleans up the center stack and improves things further

Utility
- Comfort: Great in the front, especially for a performance car of this nature - nonexistent in the rear, but everyone knows that
- Space: Boot is deep, but not as handy as a proper trunk - rear parcel shelf (referred to as "rear seats" by Porsche) is quite useful

Safety
- Dynamics: One of the very best stability control systems is as foolproof as you can get - evasive maneuvers a bit tricky as the front-end needs weight transfer to be effective
- Technology: Again, PASM is awesome - add to that PTM and airbags and those brakes and... yeah, it's all here and then some

Value
- Price: Yikes! That is a HUGE number... even for a car like this
- Mileage: Direct injection means that one of the most environmentally friendly sportscars is now even more so - other manufacturers should take note

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: That profile and those hips will make your hairs stand up before you even start it up, and once you drop the top, it gets even more exciting
- Fun to spank: Spank isn't the right word here. Fun to drive quickly? Absolutely. But it wants to be driven cleanly and quickly, not sideways.

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Rear engine / Rear-wheel drive
Engine: 3.8 liter, Flat-6
POWER (SAE): 385 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 310 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Gearbox: 7-speed dual-clutch
Curb Weight: 3406 lbs.
0-60 mph: 4.5 sec.
Top Speed: 186 mph
Mileage: 17 city / 25 highway
Base Price: $101,780
Competitors: BMW M6 Convertible, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster