2027 Porsche 911 GT3 S/C First Drive Review: The Best Way to Enjoy a 911

• What's new: The S/C combines the 502-horsepower engine and suspension from the Porsche 911 GT3 with carbon-fiber body parts from the 911 S/T and drops the top.
• Why it matters: The S/C is the first convertible version of the GT3 line and — surprisingly — is not a limited-edition 911.
• Edmunds says: The S/C is the best way to enjoy a Porsche 911. But at $275,350, it isn't cheap.

It's not complicated

While the S/C isn't just a 911 GT3 with a convertible top, it's not far off. Starting with a 911 Carrera Cabriolet shell, which is already plenty stiff, Porsche slots in the 502-horsepower 4.0-liter flat-six engine from the GT3 (that still spins to a dizzying 9,000 rpm) and bolts that to a six-speed manual transmission. I know some of the purists have already left the chat, but it's worth noting that the six-speed manual is the only transmission available for the S/C. The suspension carries over from the GT3 as well, but this time it comes from the slightly more compliant Touring model.

Andreas Preuninger, who is essentially the godfather of the 911 GT3, tells an anecdotal story about how the development car initially used the GT3 Touring's suspension as a matter of convenience. But after tens of thousands of miles of development driving, it proved to be the best setup for the S/C.

Even though the body starts life as a Carrera Cabriolet, only the rear quarter panels are shared with the standard car. The S/C runs the nose and the carbon-fiber hood of the GT3, but it also inherits the front fenders and doors from the magnificent 911 S/T. The rear diffuser is also similar to the GT3's, and the decklid (the engine cover) sports what's called a Gurney flap, like the GT3 Touring's, for improved aerodynamics once you enter the realm of serious speeds. That lightweight bodywork, plus the convertible top's magnesium frame elements and other magnesium and lightweight components, keep the S/C's weight down to a Porsche-cited 3,322 pounds, roughly equivalent to a GT3 Touring with the dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Where it gets good

Pulling away from a stop and trundling down a quiet German country lane, I was immediately struck by how nonchalant the S/C behaves at roughly 30 mph. Despite the engine's ability to rev to the moon, it's perfectly happy holding station at 1,800 rpm in a high gear or 5,000 rpm in a low one at these low speeds. The engine never feels restless or unresponsive, making the S/C less taxing to drive than other high-performance convertibles. But like the standard GT3, the S/C lacks significant sound deadening, especially between you and the engine. That means the cockpit is filled with the mechanical sounds of the engine and transmission whirring away behind you. And when the top goes down, the S/C justifies its place in the GT lineup.

That top's mechanism has been made as light as possible, thanks to copious amounts of magnesium and other lightweight materials, and it can fold itself away in about 12 seconds, even when you're driving up to 37 mph. Lowering the roof, which is something I think you should do as often as possible in a convertible, allows for the aforementioned mechanical chatter to be heard properly.

Before the top went down, I was content to upshift around 4,000 rpm; the engine produces adequate torque, and thanks to the S/C's relatively light weight and short gearing, acceleration is always more than ample. But once the top was tucked away, the sound from the center-mounted exhaust goaded me into exploring the upper reaches of the tachometer. Five-, six-, seven- and even eight- and nine-thousand rpm became home for the next few hours. Shifting the six-speed transmission — one of the best in the world, by the way — only made me focus more, not only on the speed but on the overall experience. The S/C is a wonderful reminder, albeit an expensive one, of just how good driving can be. 

If you don't want the public to hear you fumble the occasional gear change, the S/C has aids for both up- and downshifts. For upshifts, there's what is known as a "no-lift shift," which means you don't even have to take your foot off the gas pedal, no matter how hard you're currently pushing on it, when you shift. Simply push the clutch in, grab the next gear and let the clutch out. The car handles every shift, no matter how quickly or slowly you want to do it, with metronomic precision. And when you downshift, the S/C will ensure the engine revs are perfectly matched to the lower gear, and it accompanies that action with the perfect rip from the exhaust. No one around you will be the wiser, but you can switch off that rev-matching feature should you want to do it all yourself. 

Through the sweeping bends of the German countryside, the S/C feels every bit as planted and capable as the hard-roofed GT3. Any notions that the S/C might, in some way, be compromised by its convertible roof should be completely dismissed. Neither you nor I can go fast enough on a public road to notice enough of a difference between the S/C and a standard GT3. And to tell you the truth, I'd take the S/C every day over the standard car simply because it has the ability to open itself up and let me soak in the sounds of this engine and my surroundings.

If I wanted to go drive on a racetrack, I'd go buy a race car. And if I could afford an S/C, I'd probably already have a race car anyway. The steering is light but full of feel, in a way that only Porsche seems to master, and the ride, even in its firmest setting, is still plenty comfortable and far more forgiving and compliant than it is in the coupe. Despite its aggressive pedigree, it really is an all-day cabriolet. Oh, and the wind blocker works amazingly well.

More S/C things

Porsche has given the S/C a few features that we might see in other 911 models in the not-so-distant future. The most driver-centric feature is a restyled digital instrument cluster display that's easier to read and can mimic Porsche's classic five-dial instrumentation. There's also the ability to display the tachometer "clocked" or rotated to put the 9,000-rpm redline in the 12 o'clock position, as you'd see in an older race car.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice that the S/C does not offer a back seat. That means you get a carpeted space, but stuff can and will go rolling around back there when you're driving. Porsche is now offering an 80-liter (roughly 2.8 cubic feet) lockable storage box that fits in that space. That's a little smaller than the frunk (4.8 cubic feet), but this box can be useful for items you don't want to store in the nose of the S/C. You get some color options, and it can be removed by one person.

The most eye-catching new feature on the S/C is the Street Style package. Thanks to the red "Porsche" lettering and stripes on the tops of the front fenders, it's an easy option to spot from a distance. But the real shocker is the unique and eye-popping upholstery on the 18-way power-adjustable seats. To my eyes, its DayGlo red leather and intricately braided leather seat centers are ... a lot. The package also includes a stylized crest on the headrests, a special shift knob, and a host of other upholstery changes.

The uncomfortable part

No, I'm not talking about the optional carbon bucket seats in the S/C. I actually find them more comfortable and supportive than the 18-way adjustable seats. Instead, the uncomfortable truth is that this piece of road-going nirvana is $275,350 including destination. There are a load of standard features, but, as with any Porsche, options to personalize the S/C are plentiful — and costly. For example, the Street Style package costs $34,190. Any S/C with even a modicum of options will be knocking on $300K. 

On the bright side, for those lucky enough to be able to afford the S/C, this is not a limited-production car. Hopefully, this means more S/Cs will be driving around rather than being locked away in a collection or bought solely for resale. Unless you really have an aversion to convertibles, I'd argue that the S/C is the Porsche 911 in its purest and most enjoyable form, and it deserves to be driven and seen by as many enthusiasts as possible.