2026 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet First Test Review: Supercar Uncovered

This top-down 911 blows your hair and mind with supercar performance.

Pros

• Quick and loads of grip
• Thoughtful and high-quality interior
• Top-down experience

Cons

• Rear visibility
• We miss the analog tachometer
• Out of reach for most

The Porsche 911 has one of the deepest benches in the industry, packed with a dizzying combo of powertrains and body styles. The one you’ll likely see on the road most, however, is the 2026 Porsche 911 Carrera S, which is essentially the midgrade trim in the lineup. And while it might be the 911’s volume seller, it’s far from a slouch.

Our test of a 911 Carrera S coupe, for example, left us in awe with “supercar-rivaling” performance including a 0–60-mph run of 2.8 seconds and loads of grip to the tune of 1.06 average g. Now the time has come to test a 2026 Porsche 911 Carrera S cabriolet, and the test car featured here sports a sharp uniform that pairs Vanadium Gray Metallic paint with a cherry-red soft top. But the real cherry on top? It, too, can blast from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.0 seconds.

Porsche has a habit of underpromising and overdelivering when it comes to its 0–60 claims. We easily smashed Porsche’s 3.3-second estimate for this car, recording a 2.9-second dash to 60 mph on the way to a quarter mile of 11.1 seconds at 125.9 mph. Two of its primary rivals don’t come close. For starters, our most recent test of a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible returned a 0–60-mph time of 3.3 seconds, while a Mercedes-AMG SL55 4Matic+ trailed even farther behind at 3.6.

And although the Chevy and AMG are stuffed with burly V-8s, the 911 is every bit the overachiever with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six churning out 473 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. That power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed, twin-clutch automatic transmission. And among the features included in our test car’s optional Sport Chrono package ($2,540) is a launch control system that’s among the best we’ve experienced, for both its ease of use and effectiveness—simply twist the steering-wheel-mounted drive mode selector knob a couple notches to Sport Plus, turn off the stability control system, and firmly press the brake pedal with your left foot before going hard on the accelerator with your right foot. Wait for the engine to settle at 5,000 rpm, release the brake and enjoy your sub-three-second blast to 60 mph. The 911 Carrera S cabriolet excels at braking, too, needing just 97 feet to stop from 60 mph.

In addition to the Sport Chrono package, other optional handling bits on our test car included rear-axle steering and a sport suspension package with a lower ride height (by 0.4 inches), stiffer anti-roll bars (front and rear), and retuned active dampers. And with sticky Pirelli P Zero summer tires thrown into the mix, the 911 Carrera S cabriolet simply made us feel like a hero on our figure-eight course, responding to inputs with instant, almost telepathic quickness. No surprise, no quirks. Better yet, its 23.2-second lap time was enough to edge out the SL55 by one tenth of a second. The Corvette Stingray convertible was more than second behind the Porsche, although that car had all-season tires. We did note the 911 Carrera S cabriolet was more prone to understeer compared to the coupe. We’ll chalk that up to the cabrio’s higher curb weight (3,683 vs. 3,509 pounds) from its additional structural reinforcements and its retuned suspension to account for that weight.

That said, most cabrio owners likely won’t explore those handling nuances. We do hope, however, that they make time to head for the hills, ideally ones with lots of curves and on a day when it’s clear to put the top down. We had such a day in Los Angeles, and the 911 was just as exhilarating out there as on our figure-eight course. It may not be as loud as a Corvette, but the 911’s distinct and rowdy engine makes wonderful noises. The suspension is firm yet soaks up bumps like a fresh pair of Nikes.

So what happens once the fun is done and it’s time to go back to the grind? Well, you stay in the 911, obviously. It doesn’t take long to register that Porsche put just as much brain power into comfort as it did performance. The ride is relatively smooth considering its stiffer suspension and large 21-inch wheels, and the cabin is satisfyingly hushed with the top up; passengers sensitive to noise will likely mention road and tire roar before complaining about wind noise.

The optional Adaptive Sport Seats Plus that provided plenty of lateral support on the track were also supremely comfortable for longer cruises. Materials are top notch, from the tautly upholstered leather surfaces to the knurled switchgear that clicks and turns with satisfying heft and precision. And although we miss the analog tachometer of 911s past, the digital instrument panel and infotainment screen are straightforward and easy to use.

While our test car was technically a four-seater, any attempt to place butts in every seat will be awkward for everyone involved. Rear legroom is pretty much nonexistent unless the front seats are moved forward a significant amount. It’s best to think of the back passenger area as extra storage for when all 4.8 cubic feet of frunk space is used up.

Rounding out our nitpicks is rear visibility, which is slightly reduced due to the raised trunklid that houses the power soft top. That rear hump also contributes to the slightly awkward hard side profile. But the biggest gripe of them all is the price of entry (for most of us, anyway).

Our test car rang in at $197,370, about $25,000 above the 911 Carrera S cabriolet’s starting price. Yes, that’s almost double the cost of a well-equipped Corvette Stingray convertible. And yes, 911 pricing continues its upward creep at a seemingly rapid pace. Does Porsche have a shortage of buyers? Absolutely not. For those with deep pockets, they know they’re buying a car that’s simply in a league of its own.