Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox
The 911 Cabriolet weighs 70kg more than its hard-top sister, due to the structural stiffening Porsche has added to make up for the loss of a fixed roof, but you won’t feel this in the way it performs. It’s ability to pin you back in your seat when you put your foot down is nothing short of crushing, and that’s not even the most impressive thing about it.
Only the Carrera S and Carrera 4S variants are available at the moment. With an engine that delivers its peak torque (all 391lb ft of it) from just 2300rpm, you could be mistaken for assuming the 911 Cabriolet doesn’t like to be revved. However, unlike so many modern turbocharged engines that quickly run out of puff, the 911’s twin-turbocharged flat-six feels utterly relentless all the way to its relatively heady 7500rpm redline.
Suspension and ride comfort
As standard, both the Carrera S and Carrera 4S come with 20in wheels at the front and 21in at the rear. They're huge, yet – despite the shallow sidewalls of the tyres they’re shod with – the 911 Cabriolet does an impressive job of cushioning you from battered road surfaces, as long as you avoid the firmer Sport setting.
True, it’s no magic carpet, but for such a focused car it’s surprisingly comfortable. Confronted by a series of challenging crests and dips, it remains remarkably flat and stable when many rivals would throw you around in your seat.
This smoothness is even more impressive when you consider that we have so far only tried the car with the optional ‘sport chassis’, which drops the ride height by 10mm.
