2013 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet vs. 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet Track Test

Edmunds.com

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mieden

So...whats your verdict?

fordson1

Not that much difference at lower speeds, but as they go up, the gap gets larger and larger. Only .5 second to 60 mph, but judging from the quarter-mile results, probably over a second to 100. I agree - no verdict from the tester? And since they took them to "the track," I'm kinda surprised at no lap times - this is where the better acceleration would show up, and probably the active suspension, too. You're taking two 3,400-lb. cars, one with 350 hp and one with 400 hp & active suspension to find the difference, and the only straight-line test regimen that takes you over 100 mph is the quarter-mile? The handling tests top out at 71 mph and change? You think the difference between four-piston and six-piston front brakes is going to show up in stops from 60 mph? The S is probably no better in autocross either, but...is that really where cars like this live?

joefrompa

Porsche is knocking on 3500 pounds with it's 911 S Cab? Yikes, that's alot of agility lost and yet look at the performance.

myob

Way to keep writing columns for real people with real needs for cars, Edmunds. I'm sure the .2% of your readers looking to buy 6 figure cars will love this.

stovt001_

One article to the right of this one is a review of the new Silverado. I'd otherwise say myob's comment isn't even worthy of a response, but this one can be wrapped up rather nicely.

stovt001_

Anyway I'm genuinely surprised. I would have thought the performance gaps would have been larger. Maybe the S would show its advantage, with its variable active suspension, on a more varied surface?

davisdvm

I'm not sure how folks will interpret these numbers, obviously the S is faster. I suspect that the majority who lease this car will opt for the S because they can afford the lease payment and want the most performance. I can add that my son and I just participated in a Porsche World Tour thing in Sonoma and were able to drive both a standard carrera and the S version on the track. I also just turned in a 997 4S coupe so i'm familiar with the feel of these cars. The S version feels markedly stronger during acceleration. It can be described as "fierce" while the standard car is at best described as "strong". For my money it's a no brainer, the S version is a much more desirable car.

carmageddon

I suspect that the vast majority of the "people" who "have said that [your] long-term 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet with PDK is the last, or second-to-last 911 they'd ever buy" will never buy any new Porsche. What they really mean is that a PDK cab is the last 911 they'd ever fantasize about buying.

Judging by the inventories our local Porsche dealers in Silicon Valley maintain, which I'm guessing tracks to what real world Porsche buyers actually want, demand for cars with manual trannies is close to zero. And at least here in sunny California, which is responsible for a huge share of Porsche sales both domestically and worldwide, convertibles are very much sought after as well.

As to the base model versus the S and up variations, the dealers seem to stock (and re-stock) plenty of plain old Carreras.

So while your test car may not be the stuff of college dormitory posters or smart phone home screens, it does fairly represent what today's 911 customers are plunking down their hard earned cash for (or more likely having their LLC's and LLP's make not so hard earned lease payments on).

So while your choice of a test car may not

stovt001_

I'm not sure the prevalence of PDKs on the lot is due entirely to consumer demand. Porsche and the dealers make a LOT more revenue on PDK equipped cars as it is a very expensive option, and they will of course want to sell more optioned-out cars, especially if they keep no manual-equipped cars around for consumers to see the value.

reliablyfast

Even for those that will never buy a Porsche this test is interesting for two reasons:

- The base 911 is very, very fast, even in overweight topless form. Nice to know Porsche are all fantastic driving cars.

- The base steel spring suspension is very good and complete satisfactory. It begs the question if PASM is really needed at least in its current development state.

Porsche cars are a window for where all cars are headed 10 years out because the high price point provides room for them to put a lot of advanced features on their car way before volume production makes them affordable for all cars. From that standpoint, active suspension control is not on my list for the next decade but PDK or equivalent is making manual transmission today seems equivalent to manual spark advance in 1930.

vikasdesai

@myob, this is the old inside line magazine, it's an enthusiasts magazine, whether you can afford the car or not it's fun to read about, who reads an enthusiast mag and complains about porsche's going head to head. BTw, edmunds times are SLOW... 0-60 in 4