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It seems like summertime has come a little earlier at the Porsche’s stand in Geneva as the main attractions there are the beautiful, young and topless Boxster 981 and 911 Cabriolet (991-series), both of which have been completely renewed.

The mid-mounted Porsche Boxster 981 is somewhat inspired by the legendary Carrera GT and comes with either a 2-7-litre unit with direct injection or the more powerful 3.4-litre for its ‘S’ variant. The former delivers 265 hp ( registering a ‘+10′ hp over the model it replaces while the latter is credited with an output of 315 hp (+5). Both version will come with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, although a 7-speed automatic PDK dual clutch gearbox is also available as optional extra. Having lost quite a few pounds during the renewal process, the new Boxster can now burn the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds, 5 seconds flat for the ‘S’ version, while fuel consumption went down as well: the German carmaker claims an average consumption of 7.7 l/100km for the 2.7-litre and 8 l/100km for the 3.4 unit.

The Porsche 911 Cabriolet makes its debut in Europe at the Swiss event as both Carrera and Carrera S variants are already available for order: the former is pushed by a 3.4 litre 6-cylinder boxer engine delivering 350 hp while the latter uses a 400 hp 3.8 unit. Both these powertrains come with a 7-speed manual transmission, with the familiar 7-speed automatic PDK option will also be available upon request. The model uses an electronically controlled fabric soft top with magnesium frame and integrated glass window that needs 11 seconds to complete both raising and stowing.

View the full Porsche Live at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show photo gallery

Continue reading: 2012 Geneva Motor Show: Porsche Boxster 981 and 911 Convertible

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Porsche released an official video starring the new Porsche 911 Cabriolet, which will make its official debut this coming January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Arguably the most interesting bit of the clip is right at the beginning, when we can see the car’s innovative soft top folding in the car’s body. This device uses 3 different magnesium sections covered in fabric with glass window integrated into it.

Both versions of the new model - Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet and Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet - will become available in the showrooms next March, with a price tag of about 100,000€.

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Porsche has uploaded more official pictures of the new 911 Convertible on its official website, where there’s also a dedicated section revealing a few new details of the model such as the windbreak, which is now integrated to the car’s body and electronically lifts itself up in only 2 seconds at any speed. The model is also equipped with an innovative soft top that uses 3 different magnesium sections covered in fabric which also comprises a glass rear window, a solution that makes the convertible top particularly light and stable and contributes in providing the car with a 0.30 drag coefficient.

Initially the 911 Cabriolet will be available only as a rear-wheel drive model: there will be the 911 Carrera Cabriolet (powered by a 3.4-litre unit delivering 345 hp) and the 911 Carrera S Convertble (powered by a 3.4-litre unit delivering 394 hp) with either manual or 7-speed PDK transmission. These two variation can be easily recognized by the exhaust system as the Carrera uses 2 oval shaped tail pipes whereas the Carrera S sports 4 round-shaped mufflers, 2 for each side.

We expect Porsche to extend the 911 Convertible range with the ‘usual’ introduction of an all wheel drive version at a later time. Both models will be presented to the American public at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 9-22) and to the European audience at the next Geneva Motor Show in March.

View the full Porsche 911 Cabriolet photo gallery

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Porsche will launch two new rear-wheel drive convertible versions of the recently unveiled 7th-generation 911 Carrera (991 series) at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 9-22). These new models, the 911 Carrera Convertible and 911 Carrera S Convertible, will then be introduced to the European public at the next Geneva Motor Show in March and finally hit the showrooms in the spring of 2012.

These models have been developed on the brand new platform that generated the latest 991 Coupe - with longer wheel base and wider front track - and will be initially available with the same boxer 6-cylinder engine range of the hard top line: the Carrera will use a 345 hp 3.4-litres unit and the Carrera S will come with a 3.8-litre delivering 394 hp. Both version will come with either manual or PDK dual clutch 7-speed transmission. Porsche released performance figure too: the 911 Carrera does the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just 4.4 seconds with 177 mph (285 km/h) of top speed, while the 911 Carrera S cabriolet reaches 60 mph in as little as 4.1 seconds, with 187 mph (300 km/h) top speed. The german carmaker also claims an average fuel consumption of 10 l/100km for both models.

The first official pics released by Porsche confirm the neat design of the the new converible version of the 911, but they don’t show much about how the innovative fabric and composite plastic folding roof works. It is known that this device uses a magnesium frame and a glass rear window glued directly to the outer fabric skin, that it would need 11 seconds to complete both raising and stowing, but these pictures do not reveal how these two operations actually get carried out.

View the full Porsche 911/991 Convertible photo gallery

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