Tested: 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet Makes a Strong Case for Going Base

• The standard Porsche 911 Carrera offers 388 horsepower from a 3.0-liter flat-six engine.
• The Cabriolet only weighs 152 pounds more than the coupe.
• This tester costs $156,895, but you can get into a base 911 coupe for tens of thousands of dollars less.

Testing time

At the Edmunds test track, the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet accelerated to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and completed the quarter-mile dash in 11.8 seconds at 116.4 mph. This car only weighs 152 pounds more than the Carrera Coupe we tested last year, so the fact that its 0-60 and quarter-mile times were only 0.1 second slower isn't a surprise. It's a difference that's imperceptible in the real world.

Sure, these are the slowest examples of the 911 on sale today. But the data isn't what matters. As our test driver noted, "You'll need to remind yourself that this is a base 911 — and a Cabriolet, at that. The 911 wakes right up and pulls right to its 7,500-rpm redline before pulling off a ridiculously smooth and quick shift."

In the opposite direction, the 911 Carrera Cabriolet was just as strong. Braking from 60 mph took 101 feet, which is actually 1 foot less than the Carrera Coupe. Our test driver again: "Porsches have long been the benchmark for excellent braking performance and this one's no different. Just mash the brake and the 911 stops now. Other than you fighting against your own mushy core muscles, there's zero drama here. Just straight, devastatingly short stops."

Handles like the best of 'em

More expensive 911s like the Carrera S come with extra performance kit standard, hence their higher price tags. But around our handling circuit — and more importantly, out on public roads — there's never a time when the base 911 lets you down.

"This is a base 911 Cabriolet pulling 1.06 g around our skidpad," our test driver said. "I know a 911 is a fairly serious sports car in its own right, but there's no trick to getting this result. And the 911 is riding on fairly normal performance tires and not some quasi-slick track tire. The steering feel is excellent, as is the wheel itself, and the nose of the 911 moves quickly to where you tell it to go. Accuracy is superb, even for a non-GT 911, as is the sensitivity of the gas pedal. The car responds immediately to minute corrections, and despite its speed, the 911 can be driven delicately at its limit."

"For a car that looks like a Newport Beach cruiser, you can hustle it like any other 911."

Do you really need that Carrera S?

The base 911 Carrera starts at $129,950 including an eyebrow-raising $2,250 destination fee. If you want a convertible, that'll be $143,150. In terms of comfort and convenience options, there's nothing on the base car that you can't get on the Carrera S. It's a similar story with most performance upgrades too.

Is a Carrera S worth a $18,700 upcharge for slightly better on-road manners and a bit more power? Plenty of customers think so; the Carrera S is the best-selling 911 for a reason. But drive the two back to back in the real world and the differences don't seem quite so stark. There's tons of inherent goodness in the base Carrera. You don't need a more expensive Porsche to have a truly rewarding sports car.