If you were in the market for a Porsche 911 and wanted supermodel good looks and blazing speed in equal measure, then you would want to make a beeline for the fire- breathing Turbo S Cabriolet with its 560bhp and 3.2 seconds zero-to-100km/h time.
However, if your interest is stopped dead in its tracks by the staggering price tag of the Turbo S ($989,678 with COE, but without options), then may we suggest the next best thing: the 911 Carrera 4S (C4S) Cabriolet.
Granted, the car’s price tag of $677,578 (again with COE, but without options) is hardly chump change to most people, and against the Turbo S, it puts out 160bhp less, but the good news is, it is still a potent convertible. And when it is wearing some choice optional bits, as with our test car, it looks the part too, especially when it is sporting a “duck tail” rear spoiler, inspired by the one used on the legendary 911 Carrera RS 2.7 from the 1970s.
This grey-coloured model also comes with an optional sports exhaust system that amplifies the flat-6 engine’s mechanical chatter to borderline obnoxious levels.
Of course, those butch looks and performance do not come cheap. A lick of glossy black paint on the wheels costs $5569, the SportDesign bodykit that includes the aforementioned spoiler is $16,948, the sports exhaust comes up to $10,603, and the cost of lacing the interior with carbon fibre trim is $8669. And these are just the more overt items. You can also paint the headlight washer nozzles (an additional $824) or upholster the slats of the air-conditioning vents in leather ($3340).
But seriously, moaning about the pricey options in a car such as this is like going to an expensive restaurant and ordering tap water instead of the Italian spring water.
Thankfully, though, you really are getting what you pay for in the 911 C4S Cabriolet, as it is one of the finest convertible sports cars on sale today.
It rides firmly, as you would expect a car of its pedigree to, but there is also an underlying suppleness to the damping that marks the C4S out as a truly classy act. It is pliant enough to deal with the rigours of everyday driving, but when pushed hard, serves up a healthy dose of body control.
Yes, the loss of rigidity over the coupe is palpable, as is the 70kg weight gain (convertibles usually require chassis reinforcement to compensate for the rigidity lost from the deletion of the roof), but unless you indulge in racetrack speeds or racetrack sessions, this should not be too much of an issue.
On public roads, it is blisteringly quick, with the traction provided by the all-wheel-drive system more than enough to put a silly grin on your face.
In addition to all that, the C4s Cabriolet also comes with a host of clever features, such as a roof that deploys/retracts in 13 seconds (operable at speeds of up to 50km/h) and an electrically operated wind deflector to reduce buffeting with the top down.
As far as we can tell, both work as well as advertised. The roof folds away with a flourish of automotive origami, and the wind deflector allows you (and your coiffure) to arrive at your destination in pristine shape.
All said, the 911 C4S Cabriolet is a blend of all that is good about a modern 911 – sleek, sharp-handling, well-built and incredibly well thought through. It may play second fiddle to the Turbo Cabriolet in the Porsche hierarchy, but when the fiddle in this case looks this good, plays this well and costs considerably less (as long as you do not go crazy with the expansive, expensive options), that is a moot point.
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE 3800cc, 24-valves, flat-6
MAX POWER 400bhp at 7400rpm
MAX TORQUE 440Nm at 5600rpm
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100KM/H 4.5 seconds
TOP SPEED 294km/h
CONSUMPTION 10.9km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 217g/km
PRICE INCL. COE
$677,578 (after $5k CEVS surcharge)
