Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet Range
Theres a lot of strong feeling tied up with the Porsche 911. The vehicle that many hold as the worlds finest all-round sportscar has a loyal following of ardent enthusiasts who collectively train an eagle eye on anything and everything that emerges from the Porsche production line. The 911s legacy and heritage are key to these fans and some arent too keen on any model that might dilute the cars uncompromising focus. Sawing off the roof, then, is a big no no.
The purists might baulk at the very thought of a 911 Cabriolet, viewing removal of the coupes top as a heinous crime akin to shaving-off Des Lynams moustache but Porsche being Porsche, they make a very good job of it.
| Build |  |
| Comfort |  |
| Depreciation | |
| Economy | |
| Equipment |  |
| Handling | |
| Insurance |  |
| Performance |  |
| Styling | |
| Value | |
Drive it, however, and you have to wonder what these people are harping on about. There seems to be very little by way of compromise in any aspect of the Carrera 4 Cabriolet but fine margins between excellence and perfection are what the 911 is all about. That most controversial of components, the 997 911 Cabriolets hood system, is a good deal slicker than the old 996 soft top, featuring, as it does, an improved folding mechanism. A button can open or close the roof in twenty seconds, the hood now folding into the roof compartment with the heated glass rear window facing upwards for added protection.
One of the best parts about the hood is that it can be raised or lowered at speeds up to 31mph which means that, should the traffic lights change while youre half way through raising or lowering, you wont need to wait with a queue of laughing/swearing drivers behind you.
"the fine margins between excellence and perfection are what the 911 is all about"
Improved guide ducts above the doors direct rainwater into a specially developed channel in the windscreen pillar and an improved wind deflector reduces buffeting in the cabin while cruising. In order to ensure torsional rigidity, soft-top conversions need a degree of additional reinforcement and this often adds to the weight to such a degree that performance is blunted. No such issues with the latest 911 Cabriolet. It tips the scales at a mere 85kg more than its hard top sibling.
Even accounting for all the strengthening and electric motors for the roof, thats less than the weight of an average chap. The all-wheel drive system in the Carrera 4 models features a multi-disc viscous coupling and transfers between five and ten per cent of drive permanently to the front wheels. Youll be able to feel the benefit of this additional traction when accelerating out of corners, especially if the surface is damp. Whereas a Carrera will blink its traction control light at the driver as power is cut to the rear in an attempt to regain grip, the Carrera 4 Cabriolet will be able to balance power delivery to all four tyres and use more of its engine power.
Power is something Carrera 4 owners will enjoy a fair slug of. This 911 still uses a flat six engine and its still hung out at the back but Carrera 4 Cabriolet buyers will get a 325bhp 3.6-litre powerplant and Carrera 4S Cabriolet customers will be treated to a 355bhp 3.8-litre unit.
The straight line performance of the Carrera 4 Cabriolet is nigh-on identical to that of the Carrera soft-top, the extra 4bhp of the 4x4 car being offset by the additional weight of its all-wheel-drive system. The standard Carrera models hit 60mph in 5.2 seconds and a Carrera 4 is 0.1s slower to do the same.
The Carrera has a 3mph top speed advantage at 177mph. The Carrera 4S Cabriolet is that little bit feistier, and posts the same 4.9-second time to 60mph as the two-wheel-drive Carrera S Cabriolet. Its 179mph top speed is 3mph shy of the Carrera S.
These figures are recorded in bone dry conditions. Add a bit of typical British moisture to the equation and the Carrera 4 Cabriolet would hold a distinct advantage. Although the cabin of the 996 was a big leap forward in terms of fit and finish over the 993 series car, it was still prone to a few squeaks and rattles. The 997 takes its quality cue form the Cayenne 4x4 and features a three-spoke wheel and an in-dash LCD monitor.
Some aspects are pure 993, however, such as the location of the air vents and the roll top along the upper dash. Porsche know their history and so do their customers and the design of the 997s cabin pays homage to Porsches of the past. The quality of materials, however, is like no 911 built to date. Expensively slush-moulded fascia materials make a welcome change to the hard plastics seen in the 996 and its possible to specify leather trim.
The front seats are bigger and the driver sits 20mm lower and theres a choice of four different seats depending on how racy you want to feel. Another neat option is the dash top-mounted Porsche Sport Chrono, a stopwatch that can time laps. If you dont happen to have £106,000 kicking around you bank account, the 911 Turbo Cabriolet is going to be out of your price range and the next most striking drop-top in the Porsche stable is the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet. Many convertible cars make you pay a penalty for the wind-in-your-hair experience but this is a notable exception.
It isnt a rear-wheel-drive 911 coupe and the purists will probably never forgive it for that but that fact shouldnt detract from its essential appeal. Its still a Porsche 911 after all.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet range
PRICES: £69,900-£76,880 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20 CO2 [g/km] / EMISSIONS: 272-285g/km
PERFORMANCE: [Carrera 4S] 0-60mph 4.9s / Max Speed 179mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [Carrera 4] (combined) /25mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, ABS, PSM
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4427/1808/1354mm
