There's a lot of strong feeling tied up with the Porsche 911. The vehicle that many hold as the world's 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 911's legacy and heritage are key to these fans and some aren't too keen on any model that might dilute the car's 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 coupe's top as a heinous crime akin to shaving-off Des Lynam's moustache but Porsche being Porsche, they make a very good job of it.
There have been some dodgy 911 Cabriolets in the past that have given the Porsche fanatics grounds to view subsequent models with suspicion but the recent record is good. The Porsche engineers go to great lengths to re-engineer the trademark rigidity and poise of the Coupe model back into the Cabriolet once the extra bracing provided by the roof has gone up the swanee. Here, we're looking specifically at the Carrera 4 Cabriolets and the all-wheel-drive set-up on these cars is another factor with the potential to put noses out of joint amongst Porsche aficionados. For them, the only proper 911 is a two-wheel drive coupe and here we're dealing with the exact opposite. 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 Cabriolet's 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 you're half way through raising or lowering, you won't 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, that's 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. You'll 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.
Today's models get the more advanced PTM Porsche Traction Management system that was developed for and previously only available on the 911 Turbo. The system, which has been modified for use in the Carrera 4 models, uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch and features a mechanical limited-slip differential on the rear axle. It's designed to feed optimum amounts engine torque to each wheel in any situation enhancing traction and stability in the process. With the Carrera 4 using a 3.6-litre 345bhp flat-six and Carrera 4S powered by a 385bhp version of the same engine, there's plenty of power for the PTM to dole out.
The engine still sits way out at the back of the 911 and nowadays it's a DFI unit featuring Porsche's Direct Fuel Injection system. This utilises a sophisticated engine management computer and high pressure injectors to fire a fuel and air mixture directly into the combustion chamber. This mixture is constantly adjusted according to the demands being placed on the engine at the time. The results are said to include a more efficient combustion cycle, superior engine response and more power.
The other major technological innovation on the latest 911 is the PDK gearbox. This is a conventional seven-speed manual gearbox automated by a hydraulic control mechanism which is divided into two separate units. There's one clutch looking after the even gears and one taking care of the odd ones. It means that the clutches can work in unison, producing super fast shifting marshalled by buttons mounted on the steering wheel. Each gearchange is around 60 per cent more rapid that that of a conventional automatic transmission.
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 997's 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 it's possible to specify leather trim. The front seats are bigger and the driver sits 20mm lower and there's 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 don't 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 isn't a rear-wheel-drive 911 coupe and the purists will probably never forgive it for that but that fact shouldn't detract from its essential appeal. It's still a Porsche 911 after all.
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