Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

The 911 Carrera Cabriolet at a glance

The 991 replaced the 997. Porsche built 233,540 cars of the 991 family, coupés, Cabriolets and Targas together, until 20 December 2019. The broader story is told in the history of Porsche.

What changed from the 997 Cabriolet

The new Cabriolet kept the coupé's roofline when closed, with a fabric top stretched over magnesium bows and three flat roof panels. It has a heated glass rear window and a power-operated wind deflector that rises in about two seconds and works up to 120 km/h. Compared with the 997 Cabriolet, the wheelbase is 100 mm longer and the front track is 46 to 52 mm wider. The car is up to 60 kg lighter, thanks partly to magnesium in the body. A rear spoiler extends at 120 km/h and retracts at 80 km/h, and the drag coefficient is 0.30 with the top closed.

Flat-six engines, gearboxes and performance

The 991.1 Cabriolet used naturally aspirated flat-six engines. A seven-speed manual was standard, and the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox was optional.

Torque for the 3.4 engine was 390 Nm (287 lb-ft) at 5,600 rpm. The Carrera 4 and 4S, shown in September 2012, added all-wheel drive to both bodies.

For the 2016 model year, the 991.2 update replaced both engines with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six. The Carrera then gave 272 kW (370 PS), the Carrera S 309 kW (420 PS) and the GTS 331 kW (450 PS). With PDK, the coupé figures were 4.4 s (Carrera), 4.1 s (Carrera S) and 3.7 s (GTS) to 100 km/h.

By our calculation, the turbo engine added 15 kW to both the Carrera and the Carrera S, about 6 % and 5 % more power. The latest 992.2 Carrera of 2024 has 290 kW (394 PS), 13 % more than the 2012 Carrera Cabriolet.

Dimensions, cabin and luggage space

The 991 Cabriolet is a 2+2. The rear seats suit children or luggage, and the main boot sits under the front bonnet. When open, the roof folds into a package about 23 cm high and 55 cm long behind the rear seats. According to the old 1cars text, standard equipment included leather upholstery, xenon headlights, electric windows and mirrors, an audio system and sports seats.

Fuel consumption and running costs

The PDK uses about 9 % less fuel than the manual on the official test. Real costs come mainly from tyres, brakes, servicing and insurance. Check the roof mechanism and the drainage channels on any used car, because a convertible roof is costly to repair. Use the 1cars fuel cost calculator for a yearly estimate.

Trims, options and versions

The Cabriolet followed the coupé range: Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S and, from late 2014, Carrera GTS and Carrera 4 GTS. Options included the Sport Chrono package, which cuts the 0–100 km/h time by 0.2 seconds with PDK. Larger wheels and a sports exhaust were also on the list. The Targa, with its fixed roll bar and glass rear, arrived in January 2014 as a separate model. The old 1cars text dated the facelifted range to 2011, but the 991 was in fact the new generation that replaced the 997.

Safety

The 911 Cabriolet was not crash-tested by Euro NCAP or the IIHS, as is common for this class. It has front and side airbags, stability control and a roll-over protection system that deploys behind the rear seats. The longer wheelbase and wider front track also help stability compared with the 997.

Rivals: the 911 Cabriolet compared with other open sports cars

The 911 is the only car here with two rear seats. Its closed sibling, the Porsche Cayman, is the hard-top version of the Boxster rather than a 911 alternative. To line up two open cars with their official data, open the 1cars comparison tool.