Its arrival marks the continuance of a tradition that began in 1952: offering an open top, enthusiast-focused sports car made specifically for the North American market. The new model – revealed during the 2022 Porsche Parade in Poconos, Pennsylvania – is based on the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, and features the same high-performance chassis and powertrain. Emphasising its focus on driving pleasure, it is exclusively available with a seven-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.
“Passion for driving a Porsche runs deep in the United States. In particular, there is something special about hitting the road in an open-top 911 with a manual transmission that fits perfectly here,” says Porsche Cars North America President and CEO Kjell Gruner. “This is also the perfect time to add another ‘America’ model to our story as we look back on 70 years since the 356 America Roadster and 30 years since the 964 America Roadster.”
A high-performance sports car for open-top driving enthusiasts
The new 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America uses a twin-turbocharged three-litre flat-six engine to generate 353 kW (480 PS; [911-Carrera-GTS-Cabriolet]) and 570 Nm of torque. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) Sport is standard equipment, and lowers the ride height by 10 millimetres while adding helper springs to the rear axle. Sport Exhaust and the Sport Chrono Package are also both standard equipment. Rear axle steering and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) are available as added-cost options. The standard cast iron brake rotors measure 408 mm at the front with six-piston aluminum fixed calipers and 380 mm rotors at the rear with four-piston fixed aluminum calipers finished in Black. Further standard equipment includes Black leather interior, seat belts in Guards red as well as instrument dial and tachometer dial in White.
Styling by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur
Aesthetic changes applied by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur make this a striking sports car both from a distance and up close. The colour Azureblue356 is inspired by the 1953 356 America Roadster and reserved for this special vehicle in the 2023 model year. Specially-finished RS Spyder Design Wheels are finished with the interior portion of the spokes in white, and the outermost flat surfaces in Silver with a Guards Red pinstripe along the edge of the rim. Along the doors, White decals with Guards Red accents read ‘America’ while the model designation on the rear features ‘911 Carrera’ in White and ‘GTS’ in Guards Red.
Cross stitching in Guards Red with surrounding stitching in Pebble Grey continues the colour combination through the cabin, including along the upper dashboard and door panels. The centre console armrest, meanwhile, features two-tone stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey and ‘America’ can be found embossed in the leather. Unique illuminated door sill treadplates commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 356 America Roadster are also included as standard equipment. An optional extended interior package continues the colour theme also on the steering wheel, gear stick and seats.
About the 356 America Roadster
Max Hoffman, the first importer of Porsche cars to the US, found early success among American customers when he began selling the 356 in 1950. In 1953, the 356 America Roadster followed. With all but the bare essentials removed, the car used a 1,480 cc flat-four engine generating 51 kW (70 PS). That figure represented a significant jump from earlier models with a smaller engine making 29 kW (40 PS). That barebones sports car quickly inspired the 356 Speedster, which used the steel body of the 356 Cabriolet, but with minimal equipment – much like, but not quite to the same extent as, its earlier sibling. Only 16 examples of the 356 America Roadster were built.
About the 964 America Roadster
In 1992, roughly 40 years after the first America Roadster, Porsche revived the concept as part of the 964-generation 911. Once again, a model specific to the US with an open top and a focus on performance improvements reached American showrooms in limited quantities; in this case 250 examples. This special model featured the wide body, brakes, suspension and 17-inch Porsche Cup wheels of the contemporary 911 Turbo. In that sense, the commonality between the 992-generation 911 GTS models and Turbo models combined with a version of the engine used in the Carrera models make the new car a true spiritual successor.
Info
The 2023 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America is expected to arrive at US dealers in late 2022.