Porsche's love affair with the 911 is one for the ages, and understandably so. While the German carmaker's overall volumes have witnessed a gradual decline in the recent past, sales of its bread-and-butter sports car continue to prove why it deserves the 'iconic' status.
So it is no surprise that Zuffenhausen has decided to drop yet another derivative with the new Porsche 911 GT3 S/C, marking the first GT3 variant of the nameplate to roll off the line as a fully automatic convertible.
The 911 GT3 S/C (Sport Cabriolet) is, at heart, an indirect successor to the 911 Speedster. However, the major difference here is that now you can simply push a button to retract or extend the fabric roof, so long as you stay within 50 kmph. There is also a wind deflector that pops up in two seconds with the push of another button.
The 911 GT3 S/C introduces a fabric roof that can be retracted or deployed at speeds of up to 50 kmph Such a mechanism would inevitably result in a much heavier car, but Porsche claims that the 911 GT3 S/C weighs only around 30 kg more than the Speedster, and, in total, amounts to 1,497 kg. To make this happen, the carmaker has carried over lightweight components from the 911 S/T coupe, such as the bonnet, fenders, and doors made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, as well as the anti-roll bars and the underbody shear plate. The magnesium centre locking wheels and the carbon ceramic brakes are also from the 911 S/T. The roof also incorporates magnesium to keep the weight low.
Sporty interiors
Inside, the focus remains on minimising weight while maintaining functionality. The cabin features lightweight carpets, carbon-fibre door pull straps, and four-way adjustable sports seats as standard Weight savings weren't just left at the door, as Porsche has gone to work inside the car to keep the numbers in check. The 911 GT3 S/C features lightweight carpets and door panels with carbon-fibre pull handles, elements carried over from the S/T. As standard, the car gets lightweight, four-way adjustable sports seats, which can be swapped out for the optional carbon-fibre sports bucket seats with folding backrests. The interior is upholstered in black leather with the GT3 S/C logo embroidered in the centre of the rear bulkhead trim.
The steering wheel is upholstered with perforated black leather, and you are treated to a digital cluster housed just behind, featuring a 'Track Mode' display theme to show just the essentials when chasing lap times. The ignition remains positioned on the left side of the steering wheel, a homage to classic Porsche Le Mans racecars.
Pure flat-six thrills
Powering the GT3 S/C is a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine paired exclusively with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The setup produces 502 bhp and 450 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 kmph sprint in 3.9 seconds. At the heart of the Porsche 911 GT3 S/C is the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine mated exclusively with a 6-speed manual gearbox. With this, the car makes 502 bhp and 450 Nm of torque and can sprint to 100 kmph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds while screaming all the way to 9,000 rpm.
In terms of the dynamics, Porsche says the 911 GT3 S/C's chassis has been set up to mirror that of the standard GT3 coupe with the Touring Package. Furthermore, this is also the first open-top 911 to employ a double-wishbone front axle.
The Porsche 911 GT3 S/C is priced from $273,000 (~ ₹2.54 cr) in the US market, which makes it $3,000 (~ ₹2.79 lakh) more than the 911 Turbo and nearly $50,000 (~ ₹46 lakh) more than the GT3 Coupe.