The convertible top of the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, high technology to imitate the roof of the Coupé

The eighth generation of the Porsche 911 Carrera has already been with us for some time since it was announced at the end of last year, while the brand has been accepting orders for the Coupé and Cabriolet versions in Spain for a couple of months now, even though, for example, at the recently concluded Geneva Motor Show the new Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet was still on display.

Although we already know the innovations that Porsche has developed for the new 911 Carrera, such as the innovative Wet driving mode that prevents aquaplaning, the Germans keep unveiling what makes this 911 so special. On this occasion they tell us about a very important part of the 911 Carrera Cabriolet that we often treat as secondary, but in this vehicle is quite the opposite: its roof.

We can certainly think that a brand like Porsche pays special attention to this vital element of its convertible; in fact, the brand is responsible for manufacturing it expressly to avoid any error, but this time the brand has gone one step further, not only in the field of its technology or materials used, but also in terms of its design, since the roof of the 911 Carrera Cabriolet is much more special than we might have imagined.

The fabric roof of the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet is made up of a rigid surface of individual segments (front frame, two curved panels and the rear window) that join together perfectly, which has allowed Porsche to create a design that can reproduce on the fabric roof the exact lines of the Coupé’s roof, something that until now was very difficult to achieve with a fabric roof. In this way, when closed, it perfectly reproduces the contours, creating an arc that runs from the windscreen frame to the compartment where it is stored.

The elements of the fabric roof have been manufactured in magnesium, which allows greater lightness and, in this way, saves costs by installing a single hydraulic cylinder on each side to move the roof. In addition, thanks to this design in which the segments fold in a Z shape over one another, when we stow the roof it requires very little storage space. Porsche has also installed an insulating layer, so that when driving with the roof up the occupants will enjoy climate and acoustic comfort similar to the Coupé version.

But on the Cabriolet, Porsche has had to make a few more adjustments to make it similar to the Coupé in aerodynamics. The rear spoiler has been given a greater angle of attack specific to the Cabriolet, while the air intakes and outlets have been optimised to make the air flow more effectively. With these changes, the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet achieves a drag coefficient of 0.30 with the roof closed, similar to that of the Coupé.

As a good Cabriolet, and thinking first of all about our comfort, Porsche has installed an electric wind deflector integrated into the rear, which can deploy in just 2 seconds with the press of a button as long as we do not exceed 120 km/h. Also, and now thinking about our safety, the 911 Carrera Cabriolet features a anti-rollover protection system made of welded high-strength extruded aluminium sections, which deploys through two modules located behind the seats if the high-precision airbag control unit detects changes in the body’s inclination, longitudinal and transverse acceleration and contact with the road; if the roof is closed, the protection system deploys through the rear safety glass.

Technical specifications of this car

CoupePorsche 91119 versions · from 157,835 €