To the old saying “the only two certainties in life are death and taxes,” we’d add the rollout of numerous 911 variants shortly after a new generation is introduced. The redesigned 991 model arrived for 2012, and the first variations to make good on our amendment are the 2012 911 Carrera and Carrera S cabriolets. Of course, Turbos, Targas, C4s, GTs, and more will follow, including perhaps a hybrid.
The new cabriolet has few differences compared with the coupe (it uses the same 3.4-liter and 3.8-liter flat-sixes, making the same power and hooked to the same seven-speed manual and PDK transmissions), the biggest, obviously, being the droptop roof.
Tear the Roof Off the Sucka? Not Likely
But about that roof—it’s pretty special. Beyond its outer cloth layer (available in four colors, natch), this piece shares little with a traditional convertible top. Hidden beneath the cloth are more hard materials than soft, including three cast magnesium panels that stretch from window to window and windshield to magnesium-framed rear glass. Combined with the aluminum and magnesium hinges, the panels make the roof nearly impenetrable to thieves—a common worry with traditional cloth roofs. There are a few unreinforced locations near the C-pillar that could be sliced open, but access would be limited to extremely flexible pixie people. The power top does an excellent job of eliminating wind noise, and it takes only 13 seconds to hide it beneath the hard tonneau. Operation can occur at speeds of up to 31 mph. The redesigned top doesn’t add weight (coming in at 79 pounds, the same as the previous-gen 997’s) or frumpiness, as the top-up silhouette is identical to the coupe’s.
The 991 structure had to be stiffened slightly when the top got chopped, mainly around the B-pillar area, rockers, and windshield frame. As a result, cowl shake is nonexistent. A fully electric wind deflector that deploys at the push of a button adds some more weight, as does the top itself, but the convenience is well worth the penalty. (The automatic deflector integrates seamlessly with the rear shelf when retracted.) Overall, the 991 convertibles weigh about 132 fewer pounds on a model-to-model basis than the 997s they replace.
They’re also a passable 154 pounds heavier than their 991 Carrera coupe counterparts, so we figure performance of the convertible models will be close to that of the fixed-roof cars. With the 400-hp, 3.8-liter six and the benefit of the PDK automatic’s launch control, the Carrera S cabriolet should hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and cover the quarter-mile in the low 12s. Add a few 10ths for manual transmission cars, and a few more to that for the 3.4-liter, 350-hp Carrera.
EPA fuel-economy figures haven’t been finalized yet, but we expect the numbers to be pretty close to the roughly 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway turned in by the various coupes. According to Porsche, many of the fuel-saving bits of technology introduced on the 991 (engine stop/start and engine decoupling for PDK cars, for example) may boost real-world mileage, as they don’t affect the EPA numbers.
Chassis Tech Galore
Complementing the convertible’s straight-line prowess is its adept ability at tackling corners. The suspension consists of struts in the front and a multilink setup in the rear. The ride is firm, as you’d expect; as in the coupe, Porsche’s dynamic shocks, better known as Porsche Active Suspension Management, are standard on the S and optional ($2090) on the Carrera.
On the other hand, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) is limited to S models; it replaces the anti-roll bar’s links—they connect the bar to the suspension at the strut—with hydraulic actuators and allows the bar to go from noodle soft to I-beam rigid, depending on a number of parameters. The system is totally transparent, and a Carrera S so equipped remains as close to parallel to the ground as the low-profile, 20-inch tires will allow it. Why is that good, you ask? It comes down to exploiting the tires’ grip as much as possible. When a car leans in a corner, so do the outside tires. The load transfer causes those tires to roll over onto their shoulders. Of course, ultra-high-performance tires are designed to have the most grip in the outside section of the tire, but by limiting body roll, PDCC also limits tire roll, thus maximizing roadholding in every corner.
Changes to the steering will be most apparent for those familiar with past 911s. In previous generations, the steering wheel shimmied, shook, and, well, communicated every last pebble on the road. But no more. According to Porsche engineers, this is not because the 911 has switched from hydraulic-assist power steering to electric-assist, which it has, but rather because “toning down” the steering sensations allows drivers to better concentrate on going quickly. Basically, Porsche’s idea is to weed out the insignificant steering feedback (small potholes, rough patches of road, etc.) and focus only on what a driver needs to know to go fast. Switching to electric steering has a few fundamental benefits. Mass is removed from the rear—where plenty of mass already exists, let us remind you—because there’s no longer an engine-driven hydraulic pump. Also, the power used to assist the steering is available on an on-demand basis, so there is not the constant power sap of engine-driven pumps or continual draw from the alternator.
All things considered, this electric system, which was co-developed with ZF, is as good as they come. It is direct, smooth, and precise. Turning off-center brings instant directional change. Yes, the wheel goes light when the tires start to lose grip; it doesn’t go as light as did the steering in previous 911 models, but it does happen with less warning. The system will get even better through constant reengineering, though, which is good since we’re stuck with it. Stuttgart says every Porsche will have electric-assist power steering going forward—and that will include 991 versions of the track-focused models like the GT3 and GT2.
Easy to Explore, Hard to Afford
All these chassis technologies make attacking a mountain road a snap. (We’ll give you a moment here to again weep for the unassisted, undiluted, widow-making 911s of the past. As well as their owners.) You can explore the cabriolet’s limits without much fear, particularly with the stability-control intervention reduced in sport-plus mode, a setting that livens throttle response on both manual and PDK transmissions; it also modifies shift patterns for the latter. In sport plus, overcooking a corner or going a bit too fast doesn’t kill all the fun, and having a distant safety net means mistakes don’t kill the ham-fisted, either. As in the 991 coupe, the brakes are unflappable; the PDK delivers hyperquick, nearly telepathic shifts; and the manual shifter is crisp and rewarding.
Open-top 991 goodness requires an $11,600 premium over a comparable coupe; that means $94,650 for the Carrera cabriolet and $108,950 for the Carrera S cabriolet. The opulent options list will drive the cost of the average showroom example up by 25 percent, sometimes more, when the cabriolets go on sale this spring.
For those waiting for an all-wheel-drive “4” model or Turbo or Targa, you’ll likely have to do your taxes one more time before those arrive. But if you’re worried about the Grim Reaper knocking on your door, jump on this cabriolet ASAP. With it, you may be able to outrun his scythe until your chosen model hits the streets.
