2012 NAIAS: Porsche 911 Cabriolet
Germany’s iconic sports car manufacturer chose to unveil the cabriolet edition of its newly released 911 in the most unexpected of venues. The state of Michigan has historically been such a small market for Porsche that they abstained from displaying a single car at the show for a couple of years. Combine that slim sales volume with a city that normally experiences single digit temperatures several months out of the year and the unveiling of a bright red Porsche 911 Cabriolet at Detroit’s Cobo hall is as unexpected as Detroit’s warm weather this week.
We couldn’t be more pleased that Porsche defied the expectations and showed us this new convertible, which though larger than past 911s, is actually 132 lbs lighter than its predecessor due to the use of magnesium. Other improvements to the Cabriolet include a less obtrusive tonneau cover. Like the coupe, the 911 Carrera Cabriolet features a 350 hp 3.4L flat six while the Carrera S is propelled by a 400 hp 3.8L. Buyers can also choose to manually shift amongst seven gears. The Carrera S Cabriolet stickers at a staggering $103,800 while those choosing to save a few grand can choose the Carrera Cabriolet for only $93,700.
Photos by Jason Muxlow
