911 Cabrio 4 may be dream Porsche model

2006 Porsche 911 Cabriolet 4 (photo: Porsche Cars North America)

The open-air Carrera 4 comes with a conventional suspension, though the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that's standard on the 4S is optional on the S.

PASM gives the driver the choice of two driving programs at the touch of a button: "Normal" offers a more comfort-oriented damper setting that becomes "increasingly dynamic as soon as the driver opts for a more sporting style of motoring." The advantage of the Normal setting for the driver and passenger is a significantly higher standard of comfort, particularly on long motorway trips. The Sports setting, on the other hand, automatically activates a harder damper control map for a particularly agile style of motoring and, presumably, a particularly uncomfortable ride on long motorway trips.

For the "really sporting and ambitious driver," Porsche has developed the optional Sports Chrono Package Plus. This allows the driver to switch various control maps and strategies to a "particularly sporting style of motoring."

The visible sign which proudly bears testimony to the Sports Chrono Package is the analogue/digital stopwatch on the instrument panel. Driving or lap times stopped by the driver with this special instrument can be saved and evaluated by Porsche Communication Management (PCM).

Further enhancement of Porsche's PCM system "ensures even more entertainment and less bureaucracy," which is undoubtedly a dig at BMW's legendarily confusing iDrive system. It certainly wouldn't be hard to make it easier to use than that.

The CD player incorporated in the PCM as a standard feature is now also able to play MP3 music titles, and as an option Porsche offers an electronic trip recorder with an infra-red interface for reading out the data saved.

The S-model comes as standard with Porsche's active PASM suspension also available as an option on the "basic" Carrera.

The automatic roof opens and closes easily and conveniently within just 20 seconds even while driving at a speed of up to 50 kmh.

2006 Porsche 911 Cabriolet 4S (photo: Porsche Cars North America)

Including the hydraulic operating system at the rear, the folding roof weighs 42 kg, making the roof of the open-air Porsche 911 one of the lightest convertible roofs in the market, with two fundamental advantages -- the light weight of the roof lowers the car's centre of gravity and enhances its lateral dynamics. A hardtop, incidentally, is available as an option.

Inside, both four-wheel-drive Cabriolets use "top-quality, sophisticated materials complete with a wide range of leather features."

For the first time, the open-air Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S are available as an individual highlight with bi-colour leather upholstery in three twin-tone combinations.

Over and above the basic seats that are "already quite outstanding in their ergonomic qualities," the new open-air Carreras are available with a choice of three further, even more individual seats.

Maybe not as individual as Jennifer Lopez's, but pretty good.
photo:Porsche Cars North America