2005 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabrio

Stuttgart's true-blue purveyor of sports cars has just released the convertible version of what enthusiasts are still calling "The New 911." The drop-top gives up little performance or structural integrity compared with the coupe version, the upside being open-air sports-car motoring. Porsche developed the cabrio with the coupe from the beginning, so drop-top enhancements--such as structural adhesives in the rockers, bulkhead, and junctions--could be built in, not layered on ad hoc afterwards. The new cabrio weighs just 188 pounds more than the coupe, even with the additional weight of floorpan gussets, double-thickness steel members, and convertible-top mechanism. Porsche shaped the insulated softtop with aerodynamics in mind, so the cabrio achieves the same 0.29 coefficient of drag as the coupe.

For the first time, the cabrio is introduced with a choice of two engines. The 911 Carrera is powered by a 325-horsepower, 3.6-liter flat-six, while the Carrera S gains a bored-out 355-horse, 3.8-liter version of the six, both teamed with a new six-speed manual gearbox with shorter throws. A five-speed Tiptronic transmission also is available. Top up, Porsche claims a terminal velocity of 177 mph for the Carrera and 182 mph for the S version cabrio, exactly the same as the coupe's. Extensive streamlining of underbody components is said to reduce lift to near zero. As an added aero touch on the cabrio, the deployable rear spoiler rises 0.8 inch higher than on the coupe.

Porsche looked at retractable hardtop designs on the market, but instead retained a conventional softtop due to its lighter weight and resulting lower center of gravity for the car. The top is fully automatic now with no latches to fool with; push a button on the console, and the top drops, and tonneaus and all four windows scurry out of sight in 20 seconds. As with the 996 cabrio, the top can be raised or lowered on the fly, in this case up to 31 mph. The folding convertible-top mechanism takes up some interior space, resulting in more vertical rear seatbacks. Still, a good size suitcase and a computer bag or briefcase will slip into the space behind the front seats. Buyers can opt for an aluminum bolt-on factory hardtop. Safety gear consists of a pair of spring-loaded pop-up rollbars and a full array of airbags including Porsche's POSIP head airbags that inflate upward from the doors in a side impact.

Most of the chassis hardware on coupe versions of the Carrera and Carrera S carries over to the cabriolet--standard PSM stability control, 18-inch wheels, and vented, cross-drilled discs on the Carrera and PASM active damping, 19-inch wheels, and larger discs on the Carrera S. Even the optional ceramic brakes and Sports Chrono Package translate over to the new cabrio. While spring rates of the conventionally sprung Carrera and PASM-equipped Carrera S cabrios remain essentially the same as their coupe counterparts, the cabrio's suspension tuning is shaded more toward comfort and avoiding spikes that might otherwise excite its open-top structure. Porsche claims the 997-based cabrio is five percent stiffer in torsion and nine percent more rigid in bending than the 996 cabrio. Softer engine mounts allow the entire drivetrain to function as a tuned damper.

At speed with the top down, side windows up, and standard wind deflector in place, the cabriolet is calm and leaves hair in place for top-down motoring.