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Introducing this new top-of-the-range model, Porsche is once again placing a 911 Turbo Cabriolet right at the top of the family after a break of 14 years: From 1987 - 1989 the Porsche 930, as the first Turbo was code-named within the Company, set the first milestone in the history of these outstanding open-air sports cars. With cylinders still featuring two valves each at the time, the 3.3-litre power unit driving the first Turbo Cabriolet offered maximum output quite unique at the time of 300 bhp or 221 kW. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h was in 5.2 seconds and the car had a top speed of 260 km/h or 161 mph.
The Group 4 racer based on the 911 Turbo (930) was called 934 and the Group 5 Porsche was called 935. The first version of the 935 looked similar to the 911 Carrera RSR. The first customers for 935 were Martini Racing and Kremer Racing. The Martini car was a full factory development, while Kremer made its own enhancements already before the first race. By 1977, the 935 was sold as a customer car for these series to race against cars like the BMW CSL.
The Cayenne GTS is the hair-splitter’s latest achievement. It’s a Cayenne powered by the same 4.8-liter V-8 as seen in the ­Cayenne S but tuned for an additional 20 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque to make 420/380. It wears a body similar in style to the Cayenne Turbo, meaning a domed hood, blacked-out trim, and body-color fender extensions and side skirts. And it’s loaded with standard performance gear that is optional on lesser Cayennes. What isn't there to like?
Porsche Panamera Turbo S
The Porsche Panamera Turbo S is unquestionably a performance beast, with plenty of power and presence to go with its muscular stance. However, the best bit about the Panamera Turbo S may be how it cleverly masks its brute strength and capabilities beneath an elegant layer of the silky-smooth ride and top-class luxury. In that sense, it perfectly fits the bill of a luxury performance sedan - just what Porsche set out to achieve.
Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Targa (964) (1990 - 1993)
Like the Carrera 4, the Carrera 2 was available as a coupé, Targa or Cabriolet. This was the last generation Targa with traditional removable Targa roof (till 991). It sold ok, with 3,534 units sold over its lifetime. The engine was the 3.6 liter unit which produced 250 horsepower and a maximum speed of 162 mph while the 0 to 60 mph acceleration was made in about 5.6 seconds. Performance was on par with the coupe and it is the looker in the 964 range.
More power and upgraded brakes, a body lowered by ten millimetres and the especially sportily tuned chassis with air suspension and PASM are the major technical modifications that make it the Panamera model capable of cutting it on the racing circuit – without sacrificing practicality. The power unit in the new Panamera GTS is a modified 4.8-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, delivering 434 hp (316 kW) at 6,700 rpm, while maximum torque also increased from 500 Nm to 520 Nm.
Features like Porsche’s active suspension and the new-for-992 “wet mode” are standard on the Carrera 4 variants, but the electronically controlled limited slip rear differential (standard on the 4S), as well as ceramic composite brakes (cast iron rotors are standard). The current 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet is equipped with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management). The twin-turbo flat-six has 379 hp and 331 ft lbs of torque.
This is the open-top model for those who don’t want the full convertible experience – and it’s only available in the wide-hipped four-wheel drive bodyshell. The new Targa is a striking design, echoing the 1965 original with its fixed rollover bar. The Targa 4S, gets you the more powerful 3.8 engine from the Carrera S. It mixes regular Carrera 4S go with a sense of style and everyday usability (those occasional rear seats, the real possibility of 30mpg in everyday driving). Great car.
If you're not one for celebrating special models that don't improve performance, this 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America will be right up your alley. Porsche has gone beyond just slapping on some new paint, unique trim, and special wheels. There is some performance to go along with the history behind the America name-plated Porsche, besides the incredibly long name.
The Porsche 965 was an engineering mule, used to try and solve the tough problem of how to replace the 930's turbocharged, air-cooled engine to power a new sub-959, range-topping 911. Costs ballooned, the project floundered, and ultimately in its last throes, its engineers got desperate. The flat-six with water-cooled heads was too complex, and too expensive, to work. A water-cooled Audi V8 was tested out back, a last-ditch effort to find a cost-effective, power-dense solution.
It didn’t take Porsche’s engineers long to significantly improve on the base 944’s performance by doing the obvious and adding a turbocharger to the engine. The 944 Turbo entered production in 1985 for the 1986 production year and it made a significant difference to the stock 944’s performance. Power of the new turbocharged engine was 220hp and torque was 243lb/ft, a significant increase over the naturally aspirated standard 944.
The 997 Carrera S was the first step up in performance over the base 997 Carrera. Available over two distinct generations, the 997.1 Carrera S used a 3.8-liter engine producing 355hp – the available X51 Powerkit bumped that number to 376hp. From 2009 onwards, the 997.2 Carrera S offered 380hp from 3.8 liters. Besides a more powerful engine, it also comes standard with 19 inch wheels, larger brakes, and a lowered suspension with PASM.
The replacement for the SC series came in 1984 as the 911 3.2 Carrera, reviving the Carrera name for the first time since 1977. This was the last iteration in the original 911 series, with all subsequent models featuring new body styling and new brake, electronic, and suspension technologies. Almost the same galvanised body as the SC. Engine was claimed to be 80 per cent new, and the first production 911 to feature an ECU to control the ignition and fuel systems.