New Porsche 911 Cabriolet unveiled
Latest 911 not glamorous enough for you? Behold the 992 Cabriolet
The new 911 992 Coupe was officially launched just six weeks ago, but the Cabriolet was never going to be far behind. Unveiled today in Carrera S and 4S form, it predictably follows much the same formula as the hardtop, resulting in several significant improvements over its previous incarnation.
We'll start with the obvious one: the roof. The structure of the fully-automatic soft top utilises magnesium bows to prevent ballooning at high speeds. It can be raised or lowered in around twelve seconds - a whole second quicker than previously - at speeds up to 30mph. So far, so Cabrio.
You'll have to be reasonably delicate with the throttle to remain within that roof-friendly envelope, though, with the Carrera S and 4S hitting 60mph in 3.9 and 3.8 seconds respectively - dropping to 3.7 and 3.6 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package. That's thanks to the 2,981cc, twin-turbo flat-six - which produces 450hp at 6,500rpm and 390lb ft between 2,300 and 5,000rpm - and a newly-developed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. All-wheel drive traction gives the 4S its slight accelerative edge but weighs it down when it comes to outright pace, resulting in a two mile per hour deficit versus the 190mph top speed of the rear-wheel driven S.
A new mounting position for that boxer engine allows for improved torsional rigidity, while an improved layout for the turbochargers and charge air cooling system optimises the efficiency of the setup. PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) is available for the first time on the 992 Cabrio, the shorter and stiffer springs lowering ride height by 10mm and, in tandem with hardened front and rear anti-roll-bars, providing a "more neutral feel on the road".
Like the Coupe, all variants of the Cabriolet gain the 44mm wider body previously only found on all-wheel drive models, a forward-extended bonnet to "lengthen the front of the vehicle" - whatever that means - and 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels. New styling cues such as the full-width rear light bar and less prominent gear selector also carry over, as does tech including Porsche's new Wet Mode, a 10.9-inch PCM infotainment screen and a standard park assistant system.
Both models are available now, with the Carrera S Cabriolet priced from £102,755 and the 4S Cabriolet from £108,063, roughly a £10,000 premium over their Coupe equivalents.
The cabrio, on the other hand, has never seemed to look quite right.
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