(2009 – 2012) Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet (997.2) – Ultimate Guide
After four years of production, a mid-life cycle refresh was on the cards for the 997 911 range. For the 2009 model year, the full 997 911 model range got a mid-cycle update. These cars became known at the 997.2 generation cars and it represented an important upgrade for the whole range. Porsche had to improve its engines to make them cleaner and to meet the new pollution laws in Europe.
The 997.2 Carrera Cabriolet gained the aforementioned new direct-injection 3.6-liter boxer six and for the first time a new dual-clutch PDK, with its seven speeds. A standard automatic transmission is no longer available on the Carrera.
On the outside, this was a mild tweak more than anything else. The front end looks slightly more Boxster-like, with a new front bumper, where larger air-intakes were sculptured. The headlights were fitted with LED daytime running lights and an option for bi-xenon lamps was added to the list. A new set of 18” light-alloy wheels was fitted as standard for the Carrera. The rear lights have a slightly more complex shape than before and are fully LED, including the turn signals. The 997.2 Carrera Cabriolet also got larger mirrors and bigger brakes.
Inside the car, on the center console, Porsche installed a new infotainment unit that featured a 6.5” touch-screen display. The latest Porsche Communication Management system, PCM 3.0 includes a new touchscreen feature, is standard on all 997.2 911s. Along with this upgraded system, options such as a hard disk drive navigation system, XM radio with XM NavTraffic capability, Bluetooth connectivity, iPOD port, USB port, and aux jack will be available. It is a major upgrade. Besides the standard, manually adjustable, seats, there was an option for 12-way adjustable seats, adaptive sport seats, and new for the 2008 model were the sport-bucket seats.
The direct-injection 3.6-liter engine also got new air filters, a more free-flowing exhaust system, and reduced engine friction, making it more powerful than before. It has peak power of 339 bhp @ 6500 rpm and torque of 287 ft lbs @ 4400 rpm. The Carrera equipped with PDK covers 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds and runs to a top speed of 179 mph.
The 997.2 Cabriolet chassis remains largely unchanged, with slightly modified springs and dampers. The previous model’s optional sports suspension—only available with the manual transmission—is replaced with a variable, electronically controlled sports suspension based on the active PASM suspension. There is also the option to combine PDK with that Porsche’s optional Sport Chrono Plus including Launch Control.
As any premium or sports convertible, the Carrera Cabriolet featured a power-roof, which could cover and uncover the car in 20 seconds.
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Press Release
As expected of Germany’s proud, independent sportscar maker, any Cabriolet wearing the Porsche crest is far more than a Coupe with its roof removed. When Porsche engineers set out to develop the newest 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes, they simultaneously worked on equivalent open-top models.
The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet and Carrera S Cabriolet share the same internal 997 model designation as their Coupe siblings. They also share the same essential architecture, interior appointments, suspensions and potent new drivetrains.
The result is a pair of open-top sports cars that deliver the same exhilarating acceleration and dynamic response as the iconic Carrera and Carrera S Coupes.
Despite their abundance of 21st century technologies, the 2009 911 Carrera and Carrera S Cabriolets clearly trace their engineering and aesthetic roots to the seminal Porsche. That original car evolved over fifteen years from the highly—coveted 356 to the 911 when, at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, the groundbreaking 1964 911 debuted. As a testament to the genius of its design after more than forty years of development and six generations of engineering improvements, the 911 Carreras still showcase a horizontally—opposed, rear-mounted six-cylinder 911 Carrera Cabriolet/Carrera S Cabriolet – 2 – engine carried in distinctive and instantly recognizable sheet metal.
Highlights: New for 2009
Though the 2009 911 Carrera and Carrera S Cabriolets boast several important refinements over the 2008 cars, the cars carry the same internal 997 designation as their immediate predecessors. Chief among those refinements are new, more powerful and fuel-efficient engines and the availability of Porsche’s seven-speed double-clutch transmission, the PDK, in place of the optional Tiptronic S. Other critical changes include larger, more potent brakes, a revised Porsche Communication Management system with Bluetooth connectivity, and a fresh exterior with BI-XENON™ headlights and light-emittingdiode rear lighting.
