2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
A timeless machine.
People fall in love with Porsches on curvy roads and in love with convertible Porsches on curvy roads under blue skies. When your first drive in the 2020 911 Carrera S cabriolet is in stop-and-go traffic on a rainy California day that appears committed to making up for the previous 364 or so dry days, a convertible 911 has to work harder to win you over. That it can do so, even without the charm of an open cockpit and a high-revving canyon run, is what makes the 911 so brilliant. It’s a lovely cabin in which to spend a rainy afternoon, and when the sun finally comes out, it’s top down and revs up
2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
Porsche’s internal designation for the all-new 2020 911 is 992. Porsche revealed the new 911 last year, and while the wheelbase is unchanged at 96.5 inches, the new car has a new structure that attempts to keep weight down by using more aluminum than before. The most notable dimensional change is the widened front track that helps improve handling. Despite the aluminum, the new 911 has gained 54 pounds versus a 911 S cabriolet we tested in 2017. However, the new convertible has coupelike rigidity and never gives any indication that the roof has been torn off.
2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
Well, there is one penalty. When it comes to looks, the droptop Carrera S lacks the classic roofline of the hardtop. The redesigned brake and taillights don’t visually work as well when paired with the convertible top. The Cab is elegant from the front, but the tall sides and rear end give it a lumpy and unflattering look, like a thick sweater tucked into slim-fitting pants. Lowering the top, something we were able to do once the sun came out, improves its looks, although it has a bit of a hunchback with a great deal of visual mass hanging out the back. Is it still a pretty car? Absolutely, just not the very prettiest.
