2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S & 4S Cabriolet: More Ponies, More Fun!

• The 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 4S Cabriolet get an engine performance boost.
• The night vision system, manual transmission and Sport Chrono package are optional.

Hey, the new 911 Cabrios are here! Specifically, the 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S 4S Cabriolet. What are you getting? What's so special this time around? Oh, this and this; stuff and rockets on the fenders; a better soft top; improvements to the thing that lives on the dashboard. That sort of thing. But all you really need is 443 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. of torque.

Yeah, baby!

Cosy Quick

Yes, if you want to break things up that way, the 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 4S Cabriolet would be the most comfortable and boulevard cruisers of all. But, 443 ponies and 390 lb-ft. of grunt means it's going to be a lot of fun, despite its lack of Spartan inclinations.

The turbocharged flat-six engine in the latest 911 Cabriolet gets the same improvements as the recently introduced coupe. Namely new piezo fuel injectors, larger turbos and a new layout for the charge air cooling system. That 443 horsepower is an increase of 23 over the previous model. The eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission in the rear-wheel drive version accelerates the 911 to 60 in just 3.7 seconds. Nice!

Even nicer, the 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet with all-wheel drive does it in 3.6 seconds. Incidentally, both cars are 0.4 seconds faster than the previous model.

2020 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Convertible. Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Sport Chrono package / Manual transmission: You want it!

If you get the optional Sport Chrono package, you shave another 0.2 seconds off your time. I'd say get the Sport Chrono package. The top speed «track» is now 190 mph for the rear driver and 188 for all-wheel drive. Porsche says the manual transmission arrives later. Gearboxes say: woohoo!

The optional PASM sports suspension with stiffer springs and crossmembers and a 10.9 mm (10 mm) reduction in travel height by 0.39 in (10 mm

Security systems Interior technologies

The new convertible covers now have a wet mode that detects water on the road, conditions the stability control and anti-lock braking system and warns the driver. There is also a camera-based warning and braking system, also standard, that detects potential collision with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, etc. It warns you or kicks in emergency braking to help if necessary.

Night Vision Assist with thermal imaging camera is optional.

The interior is completely new. The trait shows the centrally positioned tachograph device, a Porsche characteristic, and two slim, frameless free-form displays for driver information. The new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) is larger with a 10.9-inch touchscreen display, up from seven inches.

2020 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet interior layout. Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Spoilers, Light Bars Drop Tops.

Yes, they've widened the body. To keep the proportions correct - thanks to 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels - the body width has increased by 45 millimetres (1.77 inches), creating space for a wider front track. Updates include hidden electric door handles, new LED headlights and different contours to the front luggage compartment lid. There's a significantly wider variable-position rear spoiler, and does this «light bar» apply to all modern Porsche? Yes, it is on these 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera models.

More importantly, the entire outer shell is now made of aluminium. Yay!

The top, which is still old school cloth, takes 12 seconds to open or close with the new hydraulics. The top can be opened and closed at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour, which is such a great thing to do when you leave the malt shop. Oh, and there's an electric wind deflector to reduce draughts while travelling from top to bottom.

Pricing Availability

The 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet has a base price of $126,100, and the Carrera 4S Cabriolet has a base price of $133,400. Yes, that's a lot of money. But also yes, Porsche cars have always been on the expensive side. The 2020 911 Cabrios are expected to reach U.S. dealers later this summer.

Tony Borroz has been racing vintage and sports cars all his life. He is the author of the bricks Bones: Endearing Legacy and the Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of the Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.

2020 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Convertible Gallery

Photo Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.