A SUNNY day with a cool breeze makes for ideal conditions to drive a convertible. But what if that breeze becomes a full-blown hurricane?
In the new Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet, that can well happen. And quite quickly too.
This topless model, the fastest that Porsche has created, is capable of reaching 310kmh. But 250kmh is as fast as you would like to go with the canopy drawn.
The car is the third turbocharged cabriolet from Porsche (the first was launched in 1987). It is a model which attracts about 3,000 buyers a year.
The latest car gets the 480bhp 3.6-litre twin-turbo engine from the 911 coupe as well as full-time all-wheel drive. To make sure you always keep a rein on things, Porsche has included PTM (Porsche Traction Management), PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) as well as the PSM (Porsche Stability Management).
These electronic guardians keep you smiling even if your skills and sensibilities leave you momentarily.
Most, if not all, 911 Turbo Cabrios will be ordered with the Tiptronic S transmission. In this particular case, it is the faster version, pipping the manual transmission version by 0.2 seconds to the century mark with an astonishing time of 3.8 seconds.
Top speed matches the coupe's 310kmh, despite its canvas hood.
Yet the car is so docile and comfortable in the city. The softer suspension gives the Turbo Cabrio a welcome suppleness in its step compared to the coupe.
Moreover, Porsche's high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes (an option) are one of the few such brakes which work with satisfying precision in town traffic.
The car's 42kg canopy opens and closes in only 20 seconds. And it can be deployed at speeds of up to 50kmh - handy in a wet place like Singapore.
The 911 Turbo Cabrio's strong suit is its towering distance-melting capability. It can lap up trans-continental highways and, at the same time, allow you to arrive unruffled after five hours behind the wheel.
Its aces are not reserved only for straight lines, as the car is quite capable on mountain roads as well.
The new Tiptronic S gearbox is programmed for enthusiastic driving. Unlike ordinary automatic transmissions which tend to shift up once you get off the accelerator (and leave you in the wrong gear in a corner), this one selects lower gears as you brake if it detects spirited driving.
The new Turbo Cabrio could well be the most capable, user-friendly supercar available. And it gives you the option of air-con comfort or gale-in-your-hair motoring.
Price: $695,888 with COE Engine: 3,600cc twin-turbo 24-valve flat-six Transmission: Five-speed Tiptronic S Power: 480bhp at 6,000rpm Torque: 620Nm at 1,950-5,000rpm 0-100kmh: 3.8 seconds Top speed: 310kmh Fuel consumption: 20.2 litres/100km (city) Agent: Stuttgart Auto
