Four-wheel drive makes the new 911 Cabriolet one of the most versatile sports cars you can buy – but should you?
For now, the Carrera 4S Cabriolet is the most expensive version of the new 992-generation Porsche 911.Interestingly, it’s not the most expensive open-air 911 that can currently be bought from new. Porsche launched the latest 911 Speedster earlier this year, and although it’s built upon the old 991-generation underpinnings, it’s still on sale. Whether the £108,000 4S Cabriolet represents better or worse value for money than the £207,000, GT3-engined Speedster is an interesting debate. Perhaps we’ll have a better idea what the outcome would be in a moment.In this instance, your money buys a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat six whose 444bhp and 391lb ft are distributed to both axles by an electronically controlled (and newly water-cooled) multi-plate clutch. The system defaults to a heavily rear-biased setting but is constantly shifting the division of torque to maximise traction.On the subject of traction, the new 911 is also able to sense when the road is wet via splash-detecting microphones in the front wheel arches (the technology for rain-sensing wipers can only detect when it’s actually raining) and will recommend you adjust the ESP setting accordingly. For extra anorak points (sorry), this is actually a system that Porsche had developed to ‘functional maturity’ as far back as the mid-1990s.Moving on. Mounted to the engine is Porsche’s eight-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox, which can be either left unattended or operated with a pair of slim metal paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel. A seven-speed manual will come in due course. Meanwhile, electronically controlled adaptive dampers are standard issue.Our test car is also fitted with a sports exhaust, the Sport Chrono package (which includes the little mode-swapping rotary dial between the steering wheel’s spokes), Active Suspension Management (for a 10mm drop in ride height) and matrix LED headlights, all of which help to take the cost to £120,998. Opting for four-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars and carbon-ceramic brakes would push the price higher still.
Source: Autocar
