FIRST DRIVE: 2027 PORSCHE GT3 S/C, A TRACK CAR YOU CAN DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN
You might be wondering why Porsche would put a convertible top on its 2027 911 GT3. It is, after all, a high-performance sports car focused more on track driving than on leisurely sunset cruises along coastal roads. However, according to Porsche, the 911 Speedster and Spyder RS have proven to be very popular among aficionados, and customers have been inquiring about a drop-top GT model. Porsche has apparently listened to its customers, and has introduced the 2027 911 GT3 S/C.
This new Sport Cabriolet is essentially a GT3 with the convertible roof from the Carrera Cabriolet , and it comes with various carbon fibre-reinforced components including the hood, fenders, and doors; the rear antiroll bar, connecting links, and underbody panel are made from straight carbon fibre. These composite components are borrowed from the GT3 Touring’s optional Lightweight Package, though they are standard on the S/C. Standard carbon-ceramic brake rotors, and wheels made of magnesium save about 29 kilos of unsprung weight.
Porsche could have gone with the manual top of the 911 Speedster to save some more weight, but rather chose the convenience of the Carrera’s fully automatic top. It has, however, been made lighter through the use of magnesium instead of aluminum in its structure; the whole mechanism, including the electric motor, weighs 39 kilos, but the weight savings elsewhere bring the GT3 S/C’s claimed curb weight to 1,497 kg, which is only 26 kg heavier than the GT3 hardtop. The top can be opened or closed in 12 seconds while driving below 55 km/h.
What powers the GT3 S/C?
The latest version of the 4.0-litre flat six powering the GT3 S/C claims 502 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. What’s remarkable is that the engine makes that power while being both naturally aspirated and Euro-6 compliant, and it still produces a boisterous exhaust drone that reverberates prominently inside the car. Drop the top and let the revs climb past 7,000 rpm (rev limit is set at 9,000), and that sound transforms into an intoxicatingly melodic wail — especially when driving under a canopy of trees.
The engine is paired only with a six-speed manual, which might make the car a tad slower from zero to 100 km/h than a PDK-equipped car (3.9 seconds versus 3.4), but it is so much more engaging to drive. It’s also accompanied by a rev-matching feature that automatically blips the throttle when downshifting, so you can at least sound to bystanders like you know what you’re doing with your feet.
What’s inside?
The GT3 S/C comes with only two seats, so there’s no optional leather-bound foam pads in the back (you can’t really call rear perches in a 911 seats, can you?); purists won’t complain about that. You can, however, get a newly designed optional leather-bound storage box that fits into the space behind the seats and can hold up 80 litres of cargo.
The digital instrument cluster features a large central tachometer, and which mimics the classic Porsche analogue gauges, but it gets a GT3-exclusive display, which shows mostly information that’s necessary when driving on a track. My test car is equipped with o ptional lightweight carbon-fibre reinforced seats, which fold forward to allow access to the rear so you can get some items into that optional storage box. The deeply sculpted seats grasp your sides firmly and hold you in tightly, which proved to be surprisingly comfy on the road.
On the road
Unlike other GT3s I’ve driven in the past, I did not get a chance to sample the GT3 S/C on a racetrack. While this was disheartening (I described the GT3 I drove at Spain’s Ricardo Tormo Circuit last year as, “exhilarating, visceral and hellishly fast”), it’s still a thrill to drive the S/C on the road, especially since the German roads on which we drove were twisty, smooth, and sometimes quite fast.
Steering is responsive, direct, and well-weighted, and the engine picks up revs with surprising ease. As mentioned before, it has an unusually high redline, though you don’t need to bounce off the rev limiter to have fun in this car; it pulls hard from low revs, and doesn’t let up until you shift gears. The six-speed box is a masterpiece of gear-shift engineering, with short, direct throws and a solid shifter feel.
Suspension is lifted directly off the GT3, which itself borrowed several components from the GT3 RS including the double-wishbone front suspension. While some testing was done using different spring and damping settings, it was discovered that the base GT3 settings worked best, so no changes were made. While the suspension is better calibrated for racetrack outings, it was nonetheless compliant enough for reasonable comfort during my test drive, though it’s probably wise to practice one’s pothole slalom skills in preparation for Canada’s pockmarked roads.
A unique driving experience
If you’re familiar with the Porsche 911 GT3, driving one with the top down is a unique experience. The car sends cues that entice you to push it hard — the slick-shifting gearbox; the alluring exhaust note; the instantaneous forward rush of a naturally aspirated engine; the eyeball-bulging braking — but at the same time you get the sun in your eyes, the top of your head gets warmed, and the wind blasts in your ears, all of which make you want to slow down and enjoy the scenery.
There’s a level of refinement that the 992 GT3 exudes that only comes after many years of development, and it has now surpassed a quarter century of production. I’ve driven a few different generations of it, and I love them all. I fell in love with the latest generation after only a few minutes in the driver’s seat, and being a convertible owner myself, I immediately bonded with the GT3 S/C. I believe that if you don’t like a Porsche GT3 after even just a short drive, you probably don’t like cars, you don’t like driving, and you don’t like engineering. It’s that good.
About the only thing I found bothersome on the road was the visibility from inside the cabin: the seats place you very low, and even though I’m six feet tall, the door sills are among the highest I can recall.
Ahhh, the price
There is one caveat to having a topless GT car, however: the 2027 Porsche 911 GT3 S/C comes with a starting price of $351,300 (including associated fees), compared to $277,600 for the GT3. That price of admission does, however, get you the fun part of a Carrera Cabriolet and the Lightweight Package of a GT3 Touring, which on that car is an additional $41,000 . The GT3 S/C arrives at dealers this fall.
Pros
✔ It’s a GT3 with a soft top ✔ Ear-tingling engine sound
Cons
✘ Restrained visibility
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2026-07-07T12:58:25Z
