Image: Porsche
If you walk into a dealership of any of Porsche’s competition, you can plonk down a big stack of cash and drive out in a drop-top version of the company’s highest performance model. Ferrari has open top versions of its 769 horsepower hybrid mid-engine monster, as well as the standard F8 Spider, and even an Aperta version of the V12 track car 812 Competizione. OK, maybe none of those are direct competitors to Porsche’s 130,000 dollar 911 GT3, but you get my point, right? On the opposite end of the spectrum, Chevrolet is moving a ton of open-top track-ready C8-generation Corvettes. Everything else in the competitive set in between those two outliers is available as a convertible; R8 Spyder, AMG GT Roadster, Aston Vantage Roadster, Lexus LC 500, BMW M8. Why no GT3 Cab?
We’ve been over this before, but with a new 992-generation GT3 now on sale, it bears repeating. Porsche could sell a whole boatload of GT3 Cabs. And before you get started on the fact that Porsche sold a Speedster with the same 500-horsepower 4-liter engine found in the GT3, that’s not quite the same thing. The 991 Speedster was an amazing feat of Porsche engineering, but that car is not a GT3. For one thing, the Speedster was an extremely limited production vehicle with just 1948 units sold worldwide. There are that many GT3s sold in a single quarter, and I’d venture that at least a quarter more could be sold if it were offered with a convertible option.
If you want a more-than-standard convertible from the 911 lineup, your options are currently limited to the newly-launched pumped up 475-horsepower GTS and the bonkers fast Turbo and Turbo S. They’re great cars, don’t get me wrong, but none of those offer the flat-out track performance that many 911 owners love. Lots of other companies will build you a track-ready drop top, so it’s time for Porsche to stop losing potential market share to those inferior products and get the GT3 Cab on sale ASAP! They have the chassis, they have the engine, they have the gearbox. Let’s have it!
View Comments (5)
GT3 or not, it still wouldn't look as good as the 982 Spyder, the cabriolet GT4.
I have driven the 911 Speedster and 718 Spyder extensively. The latter is not only aesthetically superior to my eyes thanks to its GT4 nose, rear diffuser and the lower rear deck profile enabled by its mid-engine configuration, it is also the better roadster at a fraction of the price.
Yes, it is 90hp less potent but it is also lighter and mid-engined.
The issue with Porsche's so-called competitors is that apart from the McLaren Spiders whose carbon-fibre tubs endow them with the same torsional stiffness as the Coupe versions, the al fresco variants of the Audi R8, Ferrari 488, Lamborghini Huracan etc. all lose significant stiffness and thus handling finesse. Even the 992 Cabriolet bodyshell moves too much for my liking on bumpy roads and is not on my shortlist for that reason.
The Boxster was designed as a roadster from day one and you simply don't feel its structure twist on a bumpy road. Thus for me the 718 Spyder is the one I would choose if I had to have a roadster, with the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 coming a close second. The GTS is not as good looking as the Spyder but it is more practical if you use it as a daily driver.
The only downside of the Boxster/Cayman models is the lack of a front-lift option when you encounter steep car park ramps and large speed bumps.
I agree. I made the easy choice of a 2015 Boxster GTS instead of a 911 cab, The 911 cab is a good car to go to the golf club for dinner, but for driving go with the Boxster.
How many 991 Speedsters are already on their second or third owner? (Seriously find out for us). Btw… Ferrari is no longer taking orders for the F8 Spider and the delivery time for those with orders is approx 18 months. You had to be invited to purchase the 812 GTS and for the 100 Comp 812s… Not even the Pope is getting one.
My thoughts EXACTLY. It would be great if Porsche did indeed build a GT-3 cab, as a Touring model. Especially if it incorporated the new double wishbone front suspension and maybe a discrete ducktail spoiler. One wonders when this suspension set-up migrates to the rest of the 911 line-up.
Make mine in überlengenrot metallic with cocoa leather interior with brown pepita inserts on 18-way sport seats and a cocoa cabriolet roof.