Test Car Specifications
Model: 2024 Porsche 911 (992.2) Carrera Cabriolet
Price: 911 From £99,800, Carrera Cabriolet from £109,800
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power: 394hp
Torque: 450Nm
Emissions: 235-242g/km
Economy: 26.6-27.4mpg
0-62mph: 4.3 seconds (4.1 with Sport Chrono Package)
Top speed: 181mph
Boot space: 135 litres
Styling
Traditionally, the Cabriolet versions of the 911 have looked a bit weird with the roof compartment stacked above the engine at the back, and the new 992.2 is no different. But Porsche has aimed to make its 911 models look a bit different from their stablemates, so the basic Carrera versions get a clean, classic design free from the ugly gills of the GTS or any fripperies of the GT3 models. It's quite a clean, calm design, and it's all the better for that. With the roof up, at least, the 911 Cabriolet almost looks pretty.
Interior
Just as external differences between the 992.1 and 992.2 are few and far between, there isn't much difference inside, either. Yes, Porsche has changed the drive mode switch on the steering wheel very slightly and there's a new digital instrument display that you can actually see, unlike the old part-analogue display that was largely hidden by the steering wheel.
Otherwise, it's business as usual in there, with the same clean, classic design as before and the same large central touchscreen. As you'd expect from a Porsche, everything works brilliantly, and the fit and finish is first rate. The touchscreen is nice and sharp, and the digital instrument cluster is too, although it lacks the style of the old analogue rev counter. Nevertheless, it's a strong improvement for Porsche.
Practicality
Practicality is not the first word on the lips of anyone buying a drop-top Porsche 911, but then nor is it the word Porsche's engineers would use, either. Yet despite that, the 911 is reasonably practical by the standards of open-top sports cars. Yes, the 135-litre luggage bay under the bonnet is hardly massive, but it will take enough luggage for two people to spend a weekend away. And you get four seats, which means you can just about put children in the back. You might even squeeze an adult in there, but they won't be very comfortable.
Performance
Porsche may not have hybridised the standard Carrera as it has with the GTS models, but it has made a few little tweaks to the base model's 3.0-litre flat-six petrol engine. As before, it's turbocharged, but a few modifications inspired by the outgoing 992.1 GTS models have seen the power rise to 394hp, all of which goes to the back wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
That means the basic 911 Cabriolet will get from 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a top speed of around 180mph, which is quick by any measure. It just isn't quite as quick as some other 911s. Or indeed any other 911s. But it's still rapid off the mark, and that engine makes a lovely rasp, particularly if you go for the sport exhaust with two settings, allowing you to choose how noisy you want to be.
However, while the engine scores well in terms of power and sound, it doesn't do so well on economy. Despite the hybridisation of the GTS, though, this is still the most efficient 911 model, and it returns economy in the high 20s. Whether you can achieve that, though, will depend on your level of self-restraint.
Ride & Handling
Porsche hasn't made much in the way of changes to the way the 911 Cabriolet drives, but there are some small tweaks. For starters, Porsche has made adjustable damping, which changes the stiffness of the ride, standard on all 911 models, and that makes relatively basic versions such as this a bit more versatile. The softer setting is supple, but still sporty, and it makes the 911 a relaxing motorway cruiser, while the stiffer setting is better suited to track use or driving hard on a back road. By which we mean it sacrifices quite a lot of absorbency.
But what it gives up in terms of comfort it adds in terms of handling, buttoning the 911's body down that bit more to make the car even more agile. Not that it was really necessary. The 911 was already pretty sharp in its softer mode, with lovely steering feel and a sense of immediacy from the controls, but the stiffer setting just ramps things up a bit. Yes, there's still a little body roll in the bends, but not very much. All it really does is move slightly to let you know which wheel is bearing the weight and is therefore most likely to break traction.
As you can probably tell, this is a sports car for drivers, rather than posers, and it provides plenty of thrills on a race track, even if it can't live up to the lap times of more powerful and performance-orientated versions. Yet it's also a brilliantly balanced road car, giving just enough comfort to make long distances tolerable, and enough engagement to make this one of the best sports cars going.
Value
It might be the cheapest open-top 911, but the Carrera Cabriolet is hardly cheap. Prices start from just under £110,000, which is quite a lot of money, but you do get a reasonable amount of standard equipment. The touchscreen and digital instrument display are included, and you get climate control, a reversing camera and parking sensors. You also get a choice of driving modes and the choice of two suspension settings, but you’ll still pay much less for a Jaguar F-Type — and not the poxy 2.0-litre one either — we’re talking about the proper V8.
Verdict
Even in entry-level form, the 911 is still one of the best in the business, and the tweaks made to the 992.2-generation car only serve to cement that position. It might not be cheap, and the looks might not be for everyone, but if you want an open-top sports car you can use every day, then look no further. You won't find much better than this.
