First drive: 911 Turbo Cabriolet flips our wig

PORSCHE Australia will officially launch its fastest-ever convertible next month, but the twin-turbocharged 911 Turbo Cabriolet will not be able to claim the title of the fastest soft-top available in this country.

However, you will have to spend almost twice as much to go faster in the benchmark Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster.

As we have reported previously, the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet will be priced at $357,500 for the six-speed manual when it goes on sale in September, and from $365,000 for the Tiptronic S auto.

With 353kW of power and 620Nm of torque on tap from its 3.6-litre twin-turbo boxer engine (with variable turbine geometry) – the same specs as the regular 911 Turbo – Porsche’s hot 2+2 cabrio with the Tiptronic transmission will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds.

The manual is 0.2 seconds slower, and both are just one-tenth slower than the equivalent coupe because the convertible weighs an extra 70kg due to its chassis reinforcements and a rollover protection system behind the rear seats.

A ‘Sport Chrono’ package that includes an overboost function to increase torque to 680Nm for up to ten seconds will also be available.

Lamborghini’s convertible LP640, with some 471kW and 660Nm from its mighty 6.5-litre V12 engine, does the 100km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds, but costs a whopping $700,000.

The three-layer fabric roof on the Porsche opens or closes in 20 seconds and the cabrio’s drag coefficient remains at 0.31Cd while the 310km/h top speed is also identical to the coupe.

The rear spoiler rises automatically at 120km/h, extending 30mm further than the coupe – and Porsche claims the cabriolet is the only vehicle in its class that generates negative lift at the rear axle.

The Stuttgart brand also said that specific tuning work for the cabrio was undertaken on chassis systems such as Porsche’s active suspension management (PASM).

The 911T cabrio comes standard with Carrera GT-derived six-piston front calipers, while ceramic composite braking hardware is available as an option.

Other standard gear includes 19-inch forged alloy wheels, bi-Xenon headlights, full leather trim, climate-control air-conditioning, satellite-navigation and a Bose stereo.

Drive impressions:

PORSCHE reckons the new 911 Turbo Cabriolet has all the supercar credentials as its hardtop sibling, so we decided to put it to the test with a lap of the famed Nordschleife circuit at the Nurburgring in Germany.

This sinewy 20.8km of forest road is not only where some of motorsport’s legends were made, but also where most of the world’s car-makers test their new models – including Porsche.

To get to the Nurburgring, however, we had to manage the traffic around Stuttgart, a blast down an autobahn, an hour-long traffic jam and then a long section of country and mountain roads.

It has to be said that the 911 Turbo Cabriolet took everything in its stride like no other supercar. With a light clutch and gearchange, plus incredibly comfortable seating, we idled along happily in first and second gears for an hour without fuss before bursting into life again for another 250km/h charge down the autobahn.

With the roof folded away neatly and the mesh wind deflector in place, there was barely enough interior buffeting to ruffle your hair at speeds of up to 200km/h, let alone cause any discomfort.

At Australian highway speeds, there was virtually no buffeting at all and if it was not for the sun we wouldn’t have needed a cap. The only inhibitor to normal conversation was a degree of road and wind noise.

What amazed us even more was the great ride quality for a car of such dynamic capabilities. It simply absorbs ruts and bumps with aplomb.

With the roof up, it feels just like a coupe, although there was a little more outside noise creeping into the cockpit through the multi-layer fabric top.

Having been released just two weeks earlier in Germany, but not in other countries, the knowledgeable crowd at the Nurburgring gave the Cabrio the attention and respect it deserved, though they must have been amused at the prospect of us tackling the alleged 172 corners (we weren’t about to count them) with the top down.

After a long wait while the remains of a BMW Z4 Coupe was dragged away with its bruised and embarrassed owner – a regular occurrence at the Nordschleife – we took to the track with some caution and allowed a number of fully-kitted superbike riders to race past.

Having settled in, though, we began to appreciate the sweeping, high-speed nature of this awesome circuit and also to appreciate the capabilities of this amazing convertible.

Even with all that power and torque, the four-wheel drive provides enormous traction and the car never felt like stepping out of line, even as we warmed up and started hauling in a Z4 driven by an enthusiastic young Italian.

The handling felt neutral, with enormous grip and poise, while the suspension continued to soak up bumps that could no doubt tell a thousand stories.

And those big brakes provided fuss-free stopping power, with a light but progressive and solid pedal and not a hint of fade.

The only criticism would be that the turbo engine does not sound as great as it goes, lacking the crackle, bark or wail that we associate with supercars. We really wanted to hear some music, especially with the roof down.

With speeds approaching 180km/h around a track that tests the best – and much more on the long straight before the finish – it is hard to imagine people thinking of this car as a South Yarra or Double Bay cruiser, yet it’s just as happy doing that as ripping around the mighty Nurburgring.

This car is everything Porsche says it is. Very flexible, delightful to drive and easy to live with, it might not be a hardcore sports car, but it certainly has the hardcore performance. And that’s enough for us.

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