Porsche has revealed the first official images and details of its 2020 911 Cabriolet, the convertible version of the new generation of 911 coupe (known also as the 992) that was revealed late last year at the Los Angeles auto show.
Every new generation of 911 brings changes in details but alters little about the car's overall shape, and the Cabriolet follows that tradition. It sports the coupe's full-width taillights and the slatted engine cover that recalls the 911's air-cooled origins.
Arriving initially in rear-drive S and AWD 4S variants, the 2020 Porsche 911 Cabriolet shares its 3.0L turbocharged engine with the coupe. Its 443 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque go through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to move the rear-drive Cabrio S from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, while the 4S is marginally quicker, making the same move in 3.8 seconds. We assume the 4S's advantage comes from its extra traction off the line, and in spite of the extra weight of the AWD hardware.
As with most Porsche models, an optional Sport Chrono package cuts a couple of tenths off the 911 Cabriolet's acceleration times.
Both Cabriolet variants are 0.4 seconds slower to 100 km/h than their coupe counterparts. That difference we can definitely ascribe to the weight of the extra hardware needed to make the droptop work. That includes a new hydraulic system designed to open and the close the top in about 12 seconds, and at speeds up to 50 km/h. The fabric roof has a glass rear window and magnesium structural elements that Porsche says keep the roof from "ballooning" at higher speeds.
Like the 911 Coupe, the Cabrio's body boasts better structural rigidity than the old droptop, and reading between the lines of Porsche's press release, that's the reason behind this being the first 911 Cabrio to be offered with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system. Meanwhile, stiffer springs and roll suspension bars promise a more neutral handling feel.
The 2020 Porsche 911 Cabriolet are available to order now, priced from $143,700 for the S and $152,100 in 4S form. Deliveries will begin in the third quarter of this year.
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