鈥淚 love this front fender line,鈥?says August Achleitner, Porsche鈥檚 vice president of the 911 model line, running his hand over a 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet at the Geneva Motor Show. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so much more muscular compared to its predecessor. It gives it a really sporty feel. The launch of the 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet is a bittersweet one for Achleitner, who has been with Porsche for decades, as it will be his last before his retirement. 鈥淚鈥檓 so very proud of what we were able to accomplish here,鈥?he says gesturing to the handsome cabrio. The vast list of enhancements seems never-ending, though a few facts and figures stick out more than others. It鈥檚 wider than before, with comely but sizable hindquarters, giving it a more powerful stance. 鈥淎 lot of the body design is coming from the larger rear wheels, which we now offer up to 21-inches,鈥?Achleitner explains. 鈥淏eyond the rim, the whole wheel is one class bigger, which impacts the shape and the styling of the rear.
There鈥檚 not a ton of space left around the wheel.鈥?Indeed, the hump above the flat-six turbocharged engine is larger than the 991s, but it鈥檚 got a nice flow that makes it cohesive. The 911 Carrera S and the 4S Cabriolet were developed in concert, which meant Porsche is able to offer the aluminum sport chassis for the drop-top for the first time. 鈥淭hat chassis sits 20 millimeters lower and we鈥檝e brought new damper technology, both dramatically help with handling characteristics,鈥?he says. The improved dampers can now work in conjunction with the rear wing to impart a more balanced feel when driving. 鈥淏efore, we could only change that relationship in one position鈥攖he wing鈥檚 lowest鈥攂ut now it can happen in live time,鈥?he says. That variability of the rear spoiler is also new. 鈥淲e would鈥檝e had to have changed a lot of mechanical elements to get the same effect before, but now we鈥檙e manipulating it with only software,鈥?Achleitner says. While it鈥檚 154 pounds heavier than the hardtop, the convertible is a blast to drive. 鈥淔iring off through the alps with the sport exhaust ringing in your ears,鈥?Achleitner smiles.
Porsche also fits the new 911 with updated sport seats that feature a lightweight construction; while the cushion is thinner, the seats remain comfortable and supportive. And even though the new seats are not constricting, the side-bolster support becomes very effective during spirited driving on road or track. The cabin also feels roomy 鈥?not claustrophobic, which can be typical of many sports cars. Rear seats have never been all that useful in previous generations of the 911, and this doesn鈥檛 change for the new 992. The seatbacks are quite upright and 鈥?not unexpectedly 鈥?space is limited. This area still works better as a parcel shelf stowing additional cargo rather than people. Trunk space (or 鈥渇runk鈥?space, since the 911 remains true to its rear-engine heritage with historically-minimal storage space up front) in the new 911 is larger than expected. Although the area is not exactly cavernous, it will fit a few small pieces of luggage or bags of groceries. Positioned at the rear of the 911 鈥?where it has always has been, and where it belongs 鈥?the turbocharged flat-six engine is more powerful than ever before.
The 3.0-liter unit produces 443 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. Not only is this updated engine more powerful than the outgoing model, it produces fewer emissions while achieving better fuel economy. All 911 Carrera S and 4S variants are equipped with a new 8-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox 鈥?a manual transmission is no longer offered. Although many driving enthusiasts would have enjoyed shifting gears manually in the new 911, the PDK gearbox is simply impressive with quick, smooth shifts and downshifts that happen right when expected. When designing the new 8-speed gearbox for the 992, engineers specifically left space for the eventual addition of an electric motor. Although no announcements have been made about the Porsche 911 becoming a hybrid tomorrow, it seems inevitable that this sports car will possess some level of electrification in the future. Even though a Porsche 911 is about much more than straightline speed, inevitably this stat is the one all 911s get measured against 鈥?and they measure up well. The new 911 Carrera S sprints to 60 mph in as little as 3.3 seconds, reaching 124 mph in 12.1 seconds.