Porsche 911 GT3 S/C debuts – first-ever GT model with auto-folding roof; 510 PS NA, six-speed manual only

In some ways, the Porsche 911 is kind of like nasi kandar. Loved by many and available in numerous configurations to fit a variety of tastes, the 911 range is as diverse as the lauk available at your favourite haunt.

Whether you want a Carrera with a hardtop or soft top, a lightweight Carrera T, a Targa, an all-conquering Turbo S or a mix-and-match affair, Porsche has some combination that meets the requirements of its discerning customers.

However, there’s one combination that the company has never offered: a GT3 with a convertible soft top. See, the GT models in the 911 range have always been offered strictly as coupe for the longest time. You can see where this is going because Porsche has added a new member to the GT family with the introduction of the 911 GT3 S/C.

The ‘S/C’ stands for ‘Sport Cabriolet’, and the company says its new offering “combines a range of driver’s car qualities that have already delighted customers of the limited-edition 911 Speedster and 911 S/T models.”

The former comes with a manually-operated fabric roof for an open-top driving experience, but having to operate the roof by hand isn’t something that Porsche expects its customers will want to do. As such, the 911 GT3 S/C gets a fully automatic convertible roof from the Cabriolet models that can open or close the soft top in about 12 seconds, either while stationary or at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

Generous use of magnesium, which is already present in the Cabriolet models, means the 911 GT3 S/C is only 30 kg heavier than a 911 Speedster despite its auto-folding roof. In addition to the soft top, the S/C also gets the side airblades, vented bonnet and Gurney flap on the retractable rear spoiler like on the S/T.

The rest of the car looks pretty much identical to the current GT3, including the front spoiler lip, rear diffuser and matrix LED headlamps, the last of which allows for a larger area for the front air intakes. Porsche, through its Exclusive Manufaktur programme, will offer customers the optional Street Style Package that adds on decorative graphics, tinted headlamps and body-coloured airblades.

As the name implies, the S/C gets the GT3’s 4.0 litre naturally-aspirated flat-six petrol engine that revs to 9,000 rpm and makes 510 PS (503 hp or 375 kW) and 450 Nm of torque. Unlike the GT3, there is no option for a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, so the only pairing is a short-ratio six-speed manual transmission.

Porsche says this is more in line with the S/C positioning as a driver’s car, which also sees the car being offered purely with two seats – the GT3 in Touring form can be had with four seats. Performance-wise, the S/C gets from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and despite being a convertible, will still hit the same top speed as a manual GT3 at 313 km/h.

At 1,497 kg, the S/C is quite a bit heftier than the S/T at 1,380 kg, although the latter is a limited-run special (just 1,963 units) that was designed to be the lightest model of the 992 generation. A GT3 in its lightest configuration weighs just 1,420 kg, so the weight compromise to better hear the howling boxer engine isn’t as severe as you think. Of course, Porsche did as much as it could to offset the weight brought on by the folding roof.

We already talked about the use of magnesium for certain components of the folding roof, but there’s also the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) system, magnesium 20-inch front and 21-inch rear centre-lock wheels as well as carbon-fibre body parts (bonnet, wings and doors). All these come from the S/T, along with the shear plate and carbon-fibre anti-roll bars. There’s also a 40-Ah lithium-ion starter battery that save about four kg compared to a conventional battery.

Inside, the S/T leads the S/C its lightweight carpets and door panels with carbon-fibre pull handles. Four-way adjustable Sports Seats Plus come as standard but you can option lightweight sports bucket seats with folding backrest and seat shells made of carbon-fibre for something racier.

Black leather upholstery is used throughout the cabin, which gets a ‘GT3 S/C’ logo embroidered in the centre of the rear bulkhead trim. Elsewhere, the steering is trimmed in perforated leather and can option for an open-pore laminated wood gear knob through the Exclusive Manufaktur programme.

Porsche will also sell you a lightweight storage box placed behind the seats, which adds 10 kg back in, has a capacity of 80 litres and features two lockable lids with fabric loop handles. Porsche Design is also on hand to put a Chronograph 911 GT3 S/C timepiece on your wrist, specially designed to match your car.

On paper, the 911 GT3 S/C makes for a tasty recipe because you get to hear the boxer engine behind you a lot more clearly (without having to faff with a manual roof), while also enjoying a six-speed manual and performance of a GT3. Of course, purists might be upset by Porsche’s decision to make a convertible GT model. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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