Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet - 2003 Model
Published: 25th October 2002
Standard: the electrohydraulic roof
The folding roof on the new 911 Cabriolet opens - and closes
- automatically within just 20 seconds. The roof can be operated
in three ways: by a switch in the centre console, by remote
control using the ignition key, or via the key in the door
lock. Additionally, as a new feature for this model year,
operation can now take place whilst driving up to a speed
of 31 mph (50km/h).
Standard: automatic pop-up roll-over protection
In the unlikely event of a roll-over, two roll-bars will efficiently
protect all four occupants in the 911 Cabriolet. As soon as
sensors determine that the car is in a roll-over situation,
the two roll-bars are forced up by a spring, then held securely
in that position by a mechanical arrest mechanism.
Standard: sidebags designed specifically for a convertible
Porsche has developed special side airbags for the new 911
Cabriolet and the Boxster. Thanks to their extra size and
geometry, these side airbags ensure efficient protection at
both head and chest level, even when driving with the roof
and side windows down. Porsche offers side airbags (POSIP)
as standard on all models.
Rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive - the choice is yours
The Carrera Cabriolet is available with either rear-wheel
drive or permanent four-wheel drive, the same drivetrain technology
used in the Carrera coupe and Carrera 4 coupe. As with its
coupe cousin, the Carrera 4 Cabriolet also benefits from Porsche
Stability Management (PSM) as standard. PSM is also available
as an option on the rear-wheel drive version of the Cabriolet.
Supreme performance
The 911 Cabriolet is one of the fastest open sports cars in
the world. Powered by a 3.6-litre flat-six producing 320bhp
(235kW), the 911 Cabriolet will reach 177mph (285km/h) and
can accelerate from 0 to 62mph (100km/h) in 5.2 seconds; that
is a level of performance few standard production cars can
attain, whether they are hard-top or soft-top.
Glass rear window
For the first time the 911 Cabriolet is now available with
a heated glass rear window, which not only improves rear visibility
but also adds to comfort when driving in cold and wet weather.
The new rear window is also less likely to suffer from scratching
when ice is scraped from it in the winter. A further remarkable
feature is the roof’s folding system - as on the Boxster,
it folds up like the letter Z. The upper side of the roof
therefore always faces outwards, even when the roof is open,
thus protecting the inner roof lining from dirt.
Lighweight aluminium hardtop at no extra cost
An easily removable lightweight aluminium hardtop is included
in the price of the 911 Cabriolet. Despite its very strong
and stable double-skinned construction and heated glass rear
window, the hardtop weighs a mere 33kg, making it easy to
handle by driver and passenger.
Extra luggage space
With its large luggage compartment at the front able to accommodate
most standard suitcases and ample storage space in the rear
of the cabin when the back seats are folded flat, the 911
Cabriolet also outperforms most comparable sports cars for
storage capacity.
