Porsche unveils its rapidest ragtop

It was always a question of when, rather than if.  Just as night follows day, so, too, follows a Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet in the wheeltracks of the stonking coupe variant.

Zuffenhausen HQ has just released the first official pics of the blown 911 soft-top, which makes it Euro debut on September 8.

As per its coupe counterpart, the 911 Turbo Cabriolet derives propulsion from a 3.6-litre twin-turbo engine with Porsche’s Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG). This combo is good for 353kW and 620Nm (the optional 'Sport Chrono' Turbo Package liberates 680Nm for short bursts).

Despite the convertible's extendable rollover hoops, roof-lowering mechanism and extra chassis reinforcement (to retain torsional rigidity), it weighs just 70kg more than the coupe, which means performance is undiminished.

Porsche claims the manual transmission version can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just four seconds, and the Tiptronic S automatic is even quicker, achieving the feat in just 3.8sec. Top speed for manual and auto versions is quoted at 310km/h.

It’s not a complete enviro-bandit either, consuming a modest 12.9lt/100km -- pretty darn good for a genuine supercar.

Porsche claims the three-layer soft top, which can be automatically be opened or closed in about 20 seconds, provides a lower centre of gravity than would be the case with a folding hardtop.

Its rear spoiler -- which automatically deploys at 120km/h -- extends 30mm further than that of its coupe counterpart, and Porsche claims the 911 Turbo Cabriolet is “the only standard series convertible that generates negative lift at the rear axle.”

The car obviously comes with a host of electronic driver aids, including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and the latest all-wheel-drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system.

The all-wheel-drive system uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that can, according to the requirements, vary the torque split between front and rear axles -- with shift intervals of less than 100 milliseconds -- to maximise stability.

Standard safety kit includes six airbags and rollover protection system comprising steel tubing integrated into the windshield frame and an extendable rollover protection behind the rear seats.

Also included in the extensive standard series equipment of the 911 Turbo Cabriolet are Bi-Xenon headlights, 19-inch forged wheels with two-tone appearance, wind deflector and Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with Bose Surround Sound System, navigation module and 5.8-inch colour monitor.

Expect the 911 Turbo Cabriolet to be priced around $350,000 when it launches here.

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