2019 Porsche 911 Carrera 2S Cabriolet Review Review

What are the stats?

The real bragging rights belong to the rear-mounted engine. It’s a 3.0-litre turbocharged flat six with 444bhp and 391lb ft – enough to dispatch 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and reach 191mph, and yet it still manages a highly respectable 31mpg. But the roof has a few impressive stats of its own…

Okay, tell me about the roof…

Despite being fundamentally the same as the previous model, the electrically operated hood now takes just 12 seconds to open or close, a huge two-second improvement. As before, it works at up to 32mph.

It’s also quieter than before, both in terms of the marginal noise made by the electric motor, and because there’s a new fleecy insert sandwiched between the inner and outer layers. It decreases cabin noise by a claimed 10%, though you won’t need measuring equipment to know the coupe is quieter still.

A wind deflector pops up behind front-seat occupants to help calm any bluster with the roof down, and deploys with a push of button where other deflectors have to be clipped in place and stored when not in use. Handy.

Drawbacks? Well, providing space to store the roof above the engine means the rear bodywork is 10mm taller than a coupe’s (if that sounds insignificant, it does lend a bulkier look) and the smaller heated glass rear screen makes rear visibility poorer too.

Any other negatives versus the coupe?

Cabriolets can feel worse to drive than coupes, simply because losing the metal roof reduces structural stiffness, and under-body bracing is normally added to compensate. The 911 Cabriolet’s bodyshell is half as stiff as the coupe’s and there is a 70kg weight penalty, but it’s a struggle to tell behind the wheel.

Our car rides on the optional 10mm lower sports suspension, so it does feel firm at low speeds – the standard set-up is better if you’ll mostly drive in town – but the structure also feels incredibly composed.

Pick up the pace and the 911 Cabriolet really shines. The fidgety ride eases with speed, and this car handles and steers so well you could easily think you’re driving a coupe. What’s particularly impressive is how this 911 feels both so planted and so playful. Yes there’s huge grip, steering that has a calm, precise feel even when you really lean on the front end, and a massive surplus of traction from the 21-inch rear rubber, but it’s also agile and nimble, encouraging you to play with the throttle and adjust the car’s attitude through corners.

What about that flat-six engine?

Nothing to complain about here. The Carrera 2S is brutally quick off the mark, effortlessly flexible when you accelerate gently in higher gears, and genuinely exciting when it roars to maximum revs. Porsche has played up the turbocharged character for this generation too, and while that’s discreet during normal driving, there are some lovely whooshes and exhalations when you try harder. The optional eight-speed PDK gearbox complements the engine’s bandwidth – silky at a gentle pace but finger-click rapid when you really exploit the performance.

In a nutshell

The 911 Carrera 2S Cabriolet is not only a great soft-top, but a great driver’s car full stop. Purists will always favour the coupe, but the convertible literally opens up a whole new dimension of open-air enjoyment and demands very little sacrifice in return. In fact, the Cabriolet is arguably the most versatile 911 of all.