 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet. Click image to enlarge |
The 911’s high centre console makes reaching the shift lever and control buttons easier – though some of the buttons are fairly small – and the 4.8-inch centre touchscreen is quite bright and easy to use for phone, media choices, navigation, vehicle info, and sound settings. The dual-zone automatic climate control uses traditional buttons below the screen. One thing about the climate control that bugged me was that there is no off button – you have to turn down the fan speed to zero to turn it off. [This is compounded by how finicky the fan speed switch is. –Ed.]
Five pods behind the steering wheel, dominated by the centre tachometer, seems a bit cluttered to me. The pod beside the tachometer is a digital information screen that can be toggled between many of the same functions available in the centre touchscreen: navigation, telephone, and information, but it adds a g-force meter, AWD power distribution graphic, tire pressure monitoring, and audio information. There is no shortage of information available in the new 911.
But there is a shortage of covered storage space: there’s nothing under the centre console and a very shallow bin under the centre armrest, however the two rear seats can serve as large open storage bins. Two rather ungainly cupholders flip out from the passenger side of the dash, but the left one hangs over the centre console which seems like an expensive accident waiting to happen.
For protection in a collision, the 911 Cab has eight airbags including front head airbags and side thorax airbags, plus automatically deploying roll bars behind the rear seats.
 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet. Click image to enlarge |
The base price of the 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet is $134,100 and our tester had almost $25,000 worth of options – some of which you’d think would be standard on a $130,000 car! Options included the PDK seven-speed transmission ($4,660); Anthracite Brown metallic paint ($820); Umber leather interior ($4,710); Burmeister audio package ($5,720); Sport Chrono Package ($2,710); 14-way power Sport Seats ($2,650); seat ventilation ($960); multi-function steering wheel ($710); heated steering wheel ($310); Park Assist ($440); Premium package ($710); 5 mm wheel spacers ($560). With $1,085 Freight charge and $100 A/C tax, the as-tested price came to $160,245.
That’s a lot of change for a 2+2 convertible, but it’s not an unreasonable price for a performance convertible that looks and performs unlike any other car on the road (except perhaps another 911 Cab.)
Pricing: 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Base Price: 134,100
Optional Equipment: $24,960 (Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) seven-speed transmission $4,660; Anthracite brown metallic paint $820; Umber leather interior $4,710; Burmeister audio package $5,720; Sport Chrono Package $2,710; 14-way power Sport Seats $2,650; seat ventilation $960; multi-function steering wheel $710; heated steering wheel $310; Park Assist $440; Premium package $710; 5mm wheel spacers $560)
A/C Tax: $100
Destination: $1,085
Price as tested: $160,245
Competitors:Audi R8
BMW 6 Series
Jaguar XK Convertible
Maserati
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
