The 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet was Porsche's second Cabriolet offering for the current 992 generation in 2019. It followed the introduction of the 911 Cabriolet, among the first 992 911 models Porsche unveiled at the November 2018 LA Motor Show. What's new in the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet? Porsche hasn't introduced any significant changes for the 992 911, but we expect to see a 992.2 update soon with a facelift and perhaps performance changes, including a hybrid powertrain. However, the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet is still as good as it was when it was first released, offering a satisfactory driving experience, visually captivating looks, and more delights. Sitting among the base model 992 911s, the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet has a 380 horsepower 3.0-liter flat-six engine. However, it has an all-wheel-drive chassis, unlike the 911 models below it. However, Transmission and suspension specifications are similar, and we'll delve into that in a bit. How much is a 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet? Prices start at around the $140,000 mark, excluding additional extras, delivery, and handling charges. When buying a used one, prices could be slightly lower depending on the car's mileage, condition, and spec. Luckily, Porsches 911s are some of the best-maintained vehicles, so finding a Carrera 4 Cabriolet that matches your dream spec should take long.
1989: Porsche introduces the first all-wheel-drive 911 Carrera, badged as the Carrera 4 based on the 911 964 generation. Like the current 911 Carrera 4, the 964 911 Carrera 4 was available as a Coupe, Targa, or Cabriolet model, but it did not get a turbocharged engine. Porsche only upgraded the suspension and added power steering, ABS, and some bespoke features, such as a wing far ahead of its time, rising at speeds above 50 mph per hour to improve aerodynamics. The 993 Carrera 4, first produced in 1995, succeeded the 964 Carrera 4 still with all-wheel-drive but with a new body style borrowed from the 993 911 Turbo. It also featured an independent front suspension with McPherson struts and a multilink rear suspension similar to what Porsche uses in the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet. Unlike the previous Carrera 4, the 993 911 Carrera 4 was only sold as a Coupe or Cabriolet with no Targa option. For every 911 that followed, Porsche made the Carrera 4 with a Cabriolet roof optional but with performance unchanged from the standard Carrera model, offering all-wheel-drive as the only upgrade. However, a more powerful Carrera 4S Cabriolet option was made for each 911 generation sitting above the Carrera 4 Cabriolet. One Porsche improved throughout the Carrera 4 Cabriolet's production is the roof operation mechanism. This led to the soft top in the Carrera 4 Cabriolet getting lighter and easier to operate, and it adopted a coupe-like curvature in the 991 and 992 Carrera 4 Cabriolets, hence becoming more aerodynamic. Also, the soft top material improved, becoming more durable and withstanding nature's elements better.
You should skip all 911 models below the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet for a couple of reasons, but we'll highlight the best. One is that as standard, you get Porsche's surprisingly good all-wheel-drive system that distributes the 380 horsepower perfectly. Sure, a rear-wheel-drive 911 would be better, but the Carrera 4 is rear-wheel-drive biased, only sending power to the front wheels to increase traction when necessary. This means you can still do power slides or drifts, whatever you want to call them and tackle corners like driving a GT3 RS without battling understeer. At no extra cost, Porsche will swap out the 8-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission for a more engaging and more fun 7-speed manual transmission. This is an advantage that higher-spec 911s, such as the 911 Turbo and GT3, don't get to enjoy. You must be ordering a 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet as you read this, but there's one more reason! It's the main excuse you should use when someone asks why you're buying a cheaper and less powerful 911. Nothing beats that feeling of speed as the wind gushes over a convertible car, which should be the main reason you should get a 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet. It's not fast around the track like the GT3 RS, nor does it launch like a rocket on wheels like the Turbo S, but we guarantee you'll have a bigger smile driving a Carrera 4 Cabriolet, especially with the roof down on a sunny summer afternoon.
The power output in the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 might be laughable at 380 horsepower, but it defies expectations on the road, elevating its driving experience to a whole new level. Porsche has made it in a way that it delivers a thrilling and well-handling ride like any other 911, and you'd be surprised by how well it handles. Mated to the engine is an 8-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission, which delivers quick and precise shifts, allowing the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet to do 0-60 in 4.4 seconds. The driving experience gets better if you buy a 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet with the no-charge optional 7-speed manual transmission. You might lose some tenths of a second to reach 60mph, but the excitement you get is on another level. James May once said that driving a slow car fast is more fun than driving a fast car fast. The 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet is not exactly slow, but you get the point.
Through innovative technology, Porsche made the roof on the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet one of its eye-catching features. This is because it doesn't resemble most soft tops that in no way match the car's body lines, unlike in the Porsche Cabriolet models, in which the soft top has coupe characteristics. What this means is that when the top is up, the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet closely resembles its coupe variant. With the soft top down, the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 looks even more stunning, giving you a view of the car's interior as the icing on the cake. You get to see how the body lines flow from the top of the headlights to the front fenders, merging onto the doors and ending on the rear quarter panels, which are bulkier, giving the car a more muscular appearance. Porsche's numerous exterior customization options allow you to customize your 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet order. Sure, most of these options will add to the final price at checkout, but personalizing a car makes you enjoy it more due to the sense of individuality and the connection you develop with the car.
Like most Porsche 911 Carreras, the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet seats have leather on the seat surrounds and Sport-Tex on the seat centers. Sport-Tex is more temperature-resistant and grippier than leather; thus, you don't have to warm or cool the seats during winter or hot summers. Also, Porsche uses Sport Tex on the steering, eliminating wheel slip, especially when you get sweaty hands from the track or long-distance driving. Each button in the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet's cabin is ergonomically placed, making all the available features easily accessible by the driver and front seat passenger. On the steering wheel, the driver gets phone and media controls and, most notably, a driving mode selector to switch driving preferences on the fly. The interior trims in the interior might not be the most luxurious like the carbon, leather, and aluminum on higher-spec 911s. Still, they are durable enough to handle fingerprint smudges and scratches. If you're still unconvinced, you can opt for the Exlusiv Manufaktur Packages in the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet that add that lacking luxury touch.
The 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet has a wide array of tech features designed to elevate your driving experience. For starters, you get the essential air conditioning with dual-zone climate control, an exterior temperature reading, and Porsche throws cabin air filtering as standard. Heated windows are also standard, maintaining a clear view during those snowy winters. Like other 911s, the Carrera 4 Cabriolet has a 10.9-inch infotainment display with Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay, allowing seamless device integration. USB and Aux input are also provided at the bottom of the center console, along with an accessory power outlet. Connectivity and comfort features aside, the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet also has industry-leading safety, driver assist, and vehicle security features. These range from the standard 4-wheel ABS and electronic brake distribution to more advanced features such as an engine immobilizer, mobile tracking, and wet mode, which is standard on all current 911 models.
$150,000 is not a budget most would have when in the market for a sports car, and only those who want more than your ordinary Mustang or BMW will dish out such amounts from their pockets. There are quite a few sports cars that you can get for under or around $150,000, but is there a better option than the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet? It offers unmatched driving pleasure with reasonable performance and superb handling, and the interior build quality is miles ahead of most cars you can get at the same price. Used 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet prices start at around the same price as a new one from Porsche at around $140,000, so the decision to buy ultimately depends on your patience and personal preferences.
What the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet lacks in performance, it compensates for with remarkable handling and agility, making every drive a delight. Driving one with the top down makes it even better as you listen to the car punching through the air with every gear shift. Also, its looks will make you stop at every cliff with a nice backdrop to take pictures, and passersby will break their necks struggling to stare. What are you waiting for? Buy that Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet you've been eying now!
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