It might seem like anathema, but Porsche has taken one of its most driver-focused models and turned it into a convertible. The point of the $593,000 911 GT3 S/C, says the company, is to allow drivers to fully enjoy the soundtrack of the naturally aspirated 375kW/450Nm 4.0-litre boxer engine.
The 911 GT3 S/C is also seen as a successor to the Speedster (last sold in 2019); it's the only 911 convertible with two seats and "in line with its positioning as a driver's car", it's only available with a close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox. It means business.
But unlike the Speedster, the 911 GT3 S/C is not a limited-edition model. It's also intended to be more useable day-to-day, thanks to a fully automatic soft-top.
According to Frank Moser, head of the 911 and 718 model series, the new car caters to customers' demand for sports cars that are particularly focused on driving pleasure: "The emotive powertrain of the 911 GT3 comes into its own even more emphatically when driving with the roof down on winding country roads.
"This is particularly down to managing to keep the weight of the 911 GT3 S/C down to just 1497kg, despite the fully automatic soft top. That's only about 30kg more than the 991-generation 911 Speedster."
Lightweight body components have been carried over from the 911 S/T: the bonnet, wings and doors are made of carbon fibre. The carbon-fibre anti-roll bars and shear plate are also carried over from the fixed-head 911 S/T.
The brakes and wheels also follow the S/T lightweight formula: the PCCB braking system, which is more than 20kg lighter than the cast iron brakes, is fitted as standard. The centre-lock wheels, measuring 20 inches on the front axle and 21in at the rear, also from the 911 S/T, are made of lightweight magnesium. This saves around nine kilograms of rotating mass.
Magnesium is also used in the fully automatic cabriolet roof. A lightweight and compact 40Ah lithium-ion battery further contributes to the low weight, saving about 4kg compared to a conventional battery.
The interior features lightweight carpets and lightweight door panels with carbon-fibre pull handles – further design features carried over from the 911 S/T.
The 911 GT3 S/C is built as a two-seater, with four-way adjustable Sports Seats Plus fitted as standard. Lightweight sports bucket seats with folding backrests and seat shells made of carbon fibre are optionally available.
The folding bucket seat is equipped with an integrated thorax airbag, electric height adjustment and manual longitudinal adjustment. Three-stage seat heating can also be ordered as an option.
You start it old-school style
Just like the current fixed-head 911 GT3, the 911 GT3 S/C is started not with the push of a button but with a rotary ignition switch to the left of the steering wheel. The Track Screen display mode reduces the digital displays on the left and right of the rev counter to essential data on tyres, oil, coolant and fuel. Shift lights on the left and right of the rev counter indicate the optimal moment to change gear. If desired, the display can be rotated so that the rev limit of 9000 rpm is positioned at the 12 o'clock mark.
The 4.0-litre engine's cylinder heads have been revised compared to the previous-generation 911 GT3, and the more aggressive camshafts carried over from the 911 GT3 RS improve response.
The new 911 GT3 S/C accelerates from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 313 km/h.
Magnesium ribs in fully automatic cabriolet top
Thanks to the use of magnesium ribs, a coupé-like roofline is achieved when the fabric roof is in its closed position. It can be opened or closed in approximately 12 seconds, either while stationary or at speeds of up to 50km/h.
As well as the two flat ribs, the front roof frame and the rear window frame are also made of magnesium. At the push of a button, the wind deflector can open within just two seconds, at speeds of up to 120km/h.
Matching the black roof, the windscreen frame is finished in black film. For the first time on a 911 with a convertible roof, the retractable rear spoiler is adorned with a Gurney flap, as found on the 911 S/T and the 911 GT3 with Touring Package. The front spoiler lip and rear diffuser are carried over from the current 911 GT3.
"We have already learned with the 911 Speedster and the 718 Spyder RS just how well our high-revving naturally aspirated engine, a particularly dynamic chassis setup and thorough lightweight construction combine to create a true driver's car without a roof," says Andreas Preuninger, head of GT Cars.
"For the first time, the 911 GT3 S/C uses the double wishbone front axle on an open-top 911. Combined with the particularly high-grip sports tyres and low weight, the car offers driving pleasure on winding roads that was previously virtually unheard of in an open-top car."
The chassis set-up of the new 911 GT3 S/C mirrors that of the 911 GT3 with Touring Package.
Street Style Package is an option
Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur offers an optional $56,050 Street Style Package for the new car. The decorative graphics on the front wings and the "Porsche" lettering on the sides of the vehicle are in the colour Pyro Red.
The wheels are painted in slate grey Neo. The brake callipers, finished in Victory Gold, bear "Porsche" lettering in black. The wheel rims feature painted accent strips in Pyro Red.
Inside, the Adaptive Sports Seats Plus have an embroidered outline of the Porsche crest. The seat centre panels are upholstered in four-tone braided leather in Slate Grey, Guards Red, Magnesium Grey and Kalahari.
This material is also found in the glove box. In addition, the interior is almost completely upholstered with two-tone leather in Slate Grey and Guards Red. The contrasting decorative stitching, door handle loops, seat handles and seatbelts are also all finished in Guards Red.
The steering column trim, the seat console, the inner sill trim and the fuse box cover are trimmed in leather – as are the air vents, including the slats. The floor mats also feature leather edging. The sun visors, interior mirror console and windscreen frame, as well as the convertible roof headliner, are upholstered in perforated Slate Grey Race-Tex.
The gearlever is darkened with an open-pore laminated wood gear knob and shift pattern displayed in Pyro Red. The "GT3 S/C" badge beneath the gear lever, the accent strips in the dash panel and the "911" badge fitted on the passenger side are also finished in Pyro Red.
In addition, Porsche Design offers accessories to complement the Street Style Package.
A lightweight storage box is available as an accessory for the 911 GT3 S/C, which offers additional storage options in the rear of the car. The box weighs 10kg, has a capacity of 80 litres and is trimmed in leather on the outside. The two lockable lids on top feature fabric loop handles.
Trim strips, decorative stitching and fabric loop handle colours can be individually customised to suit the chosen interior configuration.