New Porsche 911 S/C is a GT3 convertible in all but name
Porsche has finally revealed a true open-top GT3, with a few RS goodies thrown in
The next high-end Porsche 911 variant is here, and it finally offers a combination that loyal customers have been asking for. The new 911 S/C is the first time Porsche has fitted the GT3’s stirring powertrain into a model with a fully electric folding fabric roof. Pricing in the UK has yet to be confirmed, but it should cost from around £200,000.
Technically, Porsche has offered a drop-top model with a GT3 engine before, but the former 911 Speedster was a limited-run special that came with a manually operated folding roof and chopped-down windscreen. The new S/C, however, has a more practical powered folding arrangement and standard-height windscreen.
It does have more than a few special elements, though, such as the carbon-fibre doors and front wings borrowed from the desirable 911 S/T, plus standard-fit magnesium wheels and carbon-ceramic brakes. These lightweight elements, plus the carbon-backed bucket seats and lightweight six-speed transmission, help keep the S/C’s weight at just 1,475kg. This is only around 30kg more than the more stripped-out Speedster of the previous generation.
The S/C has a few other bespoke elements, including a black windscreen surround and unique embroidery inside the cabin. It’s also a strict two-seater, with no option for the rear bench as in other 911 Cabriolet models. For a more eccentric look, Porsche is also offering a Street Style Package, which adds in unique colour options plus tartan interior trim and a plywood gearknob.
Sourcing an engine from the GT3 means the 911 S/C features the well known 4.0-litre flat-six petrol engine combined with a six-speed manual transmission. Peak power is 503bhp, with torque rated at a relatively mild 450Nm. However, thanks to the shortened final drive inside the manual transmission, Porsche claims the S/C will still hit 62mph from rest in just 3.9 seconds.
It doesn’t just share an engine with the GT3, but its chassis set-up too. This makes the S/C the first open-top Porsche 911 to be fitted with double-wishbone front suspension – a trademark of 992-generation GT3s. The S/C’s ultimate suspension tune is shared with the GT3 Touring, which is designed to excel on the road, rather than the track.
Porsche won’t limit the number of 911 S/Cs it produces, but it will only sell the car for a limited amount of time, rather than it being a consistent member of the range like a GT3 or Turbo S.
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