911 Turbo Cabriolet

Make
Porsche
Segment
Compact

The Porsche 911 is a versatile animal, with numerous variants built for a specific purpose. The GT3 RS, for example, is designed to tear up a racetrack while the Targa is meant for cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway. Then there's the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet. Based on the 992 generation 911 Turbo S, the drop-top will likely see more action on Rodeo Drive than Laguna Seca. But Porsche still gave its flagship model supercar-rivaling performance for that off chance an Audi R8 pulls up next to it at a set of lights.

While no longer the most expensive 911 you can buy (there are plenty of special editions that trump it), the Turbo S Convertible is still the belle of the ball in Porscheland when it comes to long-distance cruising. There are 911 variants that will be faster around a race track but for average street driving, this new Turbo S is the right tool for the job.

Understated Design... But You Can Get A Cool Color

It looks like a 911. Try to act shocked. Porsche rarely messes with the 911 design formula because it is a recipe that seems to ignore the aging process. That's not to say there aren't any new elements on this new 992 car. There are standard LED matrix headlights, an extendable front spoiler, a large rear wing, and a variety of cool wheel options. This new car is also wider than its predecessor, giving it a more aggressive stance.

Porsche offers the car in 12 standard colors, some of which are borings whites, blacks, and silvers but brighter hues like Guards Red and Racing Yellow are also available for no cost. There are also a slew of optional colors like Lava Orange and Python Green if you really want to stand out. But if none of those float your boat, Porsche will gladly mix you up a unique color for $12,835.

Functional But Upscale Interior

Unless you look up at the fabric roof (or the sky if the top is down), you won't notice much of a difference between this interior and the one in the coupe. A 10.9-inch central touchscreen comes standard paired to a Bose Surround Sound system. There hasn't been a manual transmission in a 911 Turbo for some time now, meaning you get Porsche's little electronic shifter knob.

Drivers will hold onto a GT Sport steering wheel featuring an integrated drive mode selector. Porsche's classic five-gauge cluster now features screens save for the center tachometer that is still an old school analog unit. As usual, the are two back seats but they will most likely be used as a storage area for a golf bag.

More Power Than Ever

This is the most powerful 911 Turbo model ever produced. Full stop. Power comes from a 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six churning out 640 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, a massive 60 hp and 37 lb-ft increase compared to the outgoing Turbo S. To help get the grunt down to all four-wheels, Porsche has fitted its lightning-quick eight-speed PDK transmission, which enables a 0-62 mph run in just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph. The Turbo may not have the visceral sound of a GT3 but this new model has a sport exhaust with adjustable flaps, which should help it sound pretty raucous.

It isn't just quick in a straight line either. There are numerous handling improvements including an Active Suspension Management Sport system that can lower the car by 0.39 inches, dynamic chassis control, and rear-axle steering. Bringing the Turbo S Cabriolet to a stop are massive ceramic composite brakes with 16.5-inch front rotors.

Pricing And Competition

The Turbo S Cabriolet currently sits atop the 911 pricing chart and will likely remain there until a new GT2 RS is released. Pricing starts at $216,300 plus a $1,350 delivery fee and if you think that high price tag precludes you from spending a fortune on options, you clearly don't know Porsche very well. This price puts the Turbo S Cabriolet within spitting distance of convertible supercars like the Audi R8 Spyder, Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, McLaren 570S Spider, and Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster, though the Porsche is less expensive than all but the Mercedes.