New Porsche 911 Cabriolet revealed

ABU DHABI: The new Porsche 911 Carrera, dubbed as the 992 generation, is still some months away. The standard S and 4S coupe models were unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. And yesterday, the Volkswagen-owned company offered a first official look at the Porsche 911 Cabriolet body style.

Both the Porsche Carrera S and 4S Cabriolets, similar to the coupe, would be hauled by a 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged, flat-6 motor that churns out 443 hp and 529 Nm torque. That’s a gain of 23 and 22 respectively from current 991 version. The German automaker is currently showing only the new dual-clutch, 8-speed automatic transmission system which replaces the 7-speed version. The 7-speed manual transmission would arrive later. Porsche has claimed that the Carrera S version will sprint 0-97 kmph in a superfast 3.5 seconds. The all-wheel option will do that at an even lesser 3.4 seconds. Both versions will have the Sport Chrono Package as an option. The 4S Cabriolet has a top speed of 303 kmph.

The Stuttgart headquartered company, for the first time, has equipped the Cabriolet version with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) suspension system. The car comes with stiffer sway bars and springs, adjustable dampers, and has a 0.4-inch lower ride height. The company said that the new system ensures better weight distribution and offers a more neutral on-road feel.

The Cabriolet looks more muscular and wider than its older sibling. The rear hump also seems bigger. The wider wings arch over the 21-inch rear wheels and 20-inch front wheels. The rear-wheel-drive model now matches the bodywork width of the current all-wheel version. The rear axle is 44 mm longer.

The back of the Porsche 911 Cabriolet is dominated by an imposing, variably-positioned spoiler and the full-width light bar. The entire outer part of the body, except the rear and front sections, is now manufactured from aluminium.

While the kit has plenty of features, Porsche has fitted the Cabriolet with the Wet Mode, which is now available as a standard. The system detects water on the road, conditions the car’s control system, and warns the driver accordingly. The driver can then simply push a button mounted on the steering wheel to switch to the safe-drive mode.