Riding shotgun with the car's development boss, Michael Schaetzle, we were impressed by the ability of the new structure to not only filter noise when the roof is raised, but also the way it builds on the inherent calmness evident in other aspects of the new rear-engine open-top.
At typical motorway cruising speeds, there is a palpable improvement in overall refinement when the roof is raised, the result of bettered aerodynamic properties and the enhanced sound-deadening properties of the composite panel concentrated within the upper and rear sections of the two-piece structure.
As Schaetzle explains, “It's become a lot quieter, both in terms of wind and mechanical noise, on constant throttle loads. The roof structure, with its composite-plastic design, is much more stable and insulating than before.”
Equally impressive is the 911 cabriolet's roof-down qualities. With a large, automatically operated wind deflector that automatically pops up from the top of the rear bulkhead, there is now far less wind swirl around the cabin at speed, making the new car a more pleasant place to be with the roof retracted back behind the rear seats over longer journeys.
What really got our attention as we made our way down the Pacific Coast Highway with Porsche's test team, though, was the new 911 cabriolet's much-improved ride quality. Despite the larger aperture created by removing the roof and giving it a fabric and composite roof, the torsional rigidity of the body has improved by some 37 percent, according to Schaetzle. This, in turn, gives the suspension greater control, added pliancy and a smoother character over a variety of different surfaces.
Perhaps best of all, though, is the way the new roof provides the new 911 cabriolet with a cleaner look than its predecessor.
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