Porsche 911 2012

Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

The new 911 Cabriolet features a unique new roof design that uses stiff, fabric-covered composite panels for the top and rear sections that better preserve the roofline of the coupe. The engine lineup is also the same as the coupe, including a 3.4-litre engine generating 350 hp (257 kW), and a a 3.8-litre engine developing 400 hp (294 kW) for the S models.

The 911 Carrera Cabriolet is priced from £79,947 (100,532 Euros), the 911 Carrera S Cabriolet from £89,740 (114,931 Euros)--Following up on the coupe models already announced, Porsche has released photos and information on the 2012 911 Carrera and Carrera S cabriolet models. The new convertibles are, like their coupe versions, based on the new 991-generation platform. The convertible top is again a power-retractable fabric type, which gives the cabrio the same silhouette as coupe models when it is raised.

The droptop Porsches are mechanically identical to the coupe versions, meaning the 911 Carrera has a direct-injected 3.4-liter boxer-six engine producing 350 hp, while the 911 Carrera S has a 3.8-liter boxer-six with 400 hp. A seven-speed manual transmission is standard, with Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch unit optional. Porsche says the Carrera cabriolet dispatches with the 0-to-60-mph run in 4.4 seconds and manages a top speed of 177 mph.

The Carrera S is factory-rated at 4.1 seconds to 60 mph and a 187-mph top speed. Those acceleration times are on par with the 911 coupes, although the coupes can muster maximum velocities 2 mph higher. The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet starts at $98,250 (including a $950 destination charge), and the Carrera S cabriolet starts at $108,950. The convertibles go on sale in spring 2012.