The dust has barely settled since Porsche unveiled its 992-generation 911 Coupe at the Los Angeles motor show, but the Zuffenhausen mob has wasted no time in following up with the open-topped Cabriolet version.

The latest iteration continues a tradition that began over 37 years ago with the reveal of the first 911 Cabriolet at the Frankfurt motor show in September 1981. Porsche says the 992-gen 911 carries over all the tech innovations of its coupe sibling, along with new hydraulics that get the fabric roof opened and closed faster than ever.

As evident from the accompanying images, the latest 911 Cabrio echoes the profile of the Coupe, as the soft top with its integrated glass rear window blends in seamlessly with the aluminium-rich bodywork. Porsche says the Cabrio’s roof structure is bolstered by magnesium ‘bows’ that prevent the soft-top from ballooning at the high speeds the 911 is capable of.

The soft top can be opened or closed at speeds up to 50kph, with the whole operation taking around 12sec. There’s an electrically extendable wind deflector that can be deployed with the roof down to ensure your bouffant isn’t excessively bashed by the wind.

The 911 Cabriolet will initially be offered in rear-drive Carrera S and all-wheel-drive Carrera 4S formats, with both variants powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six motor. This unit pushes out 444bhp, channelled to the wheels by a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Porsche quotes a 0-100kph split of 3.9sec for the Carrera S Cabriolet (3.7sec with the optional Sport Chrono Package) and a top speed of 306kph. Meanwhile, the Carrera 4S maxes out at 304kph and sprints from 0-100kph in 3.8sec (3.6sec with the optional Sport Chrono Package).

The new 911 Cabriolet has a beefy stance, courtesy of wider front and rear fenders, which arch over 20-inch rims at the front and 21-inchers at the rear. Both rear-drive and all-wheel-drive models now share the same rear track width, whereas in earlier generations the latter was wider.

 

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