Porsche to debut 911 Turbo and Turbo S cabriolet at L.A. Auto Show
Convertibles and Los Angeles go together like peas and carrots, so it’s no surprise that Porsche has announced it will debut the drop-top versions of the 911 Turbo and Turbo S models at the next L.A. Auto Show.
The cars are mechanically identical to their hardtop brethren. This means they each have a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine. In Turbo form, the cars have 520 horsepower, 487 pound-feet of torque, and a zero-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds.
The Turbo S models bump that up to 560 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, while the zero-60 mph time drops to 3.1 seconds.
PHOTOS: 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo cabriolet models
All-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission will be standard on both. The cars will be rated at 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg in highway driving.
PHOTOS: Porsche’s 911 through the years
The soft roof on the cabriolets is supported by a magnesium frame, which Porsche says will open and close in about 13 seconds and at speeds of up to 30 mph.
The sunshine these cars’ folding roofs allow won’t come cheap. The Turbo Cabriolet starts at $161,650 while the faster Turbo S cab will set you back at least $194,850. These being Porsches, expect the options list to take those prices considerably higher. Porsche says the cars will launch in the U.S. in early 2014.
The debut of the 911 Turbo Cabriolet models is yet another chapter in a very busy year for the sports car. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 911’s debut at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show. The car first entered production as a 1965 model and Highway 1 was able to sample an early 1967 model, which you can read about here. We also got in some time in a brand-new 911 4S Cabriolet.
To celebrate the anniversary, Porsche introduced a special edition 911 earlier this year, as well as the latest version of its track-oriented (yet street-legal) GT3 machine. Meanwhile, sales for 2013 have also been robust, with the automaker reporting that through August, sales are up 28% over the same period in 2012.
The company has no plans to slow down, as demonstrated by its plans for the 2013 L.A. Auto Show in November. In addition to displaying these 911 Turbo cabriolet models, the automaker has already confirmed its all-new Macan compact SUV will make its world debut.
That vehicle will be positioned below the larger Cayenne SUV, and is loosely based on the Audi Q5 crossover. As the lowest-priced model to wear a Porsche badge, it’s expected to quickly become a volume seller for the automaker.
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