Recent 911 Cabriolets were slightly awkward looking, like hunchbacks, but fat. This is the new Porsche 911 Cabriolet based on the 991 Coupe that made its debut in September in Frankfurt. Like the tin top, the Cabrio looks leaner and more dynamic than the 997 based roadster. It’s lighter than before, too.

The big news here is that the roof is an all new design. Throwing out the multi-layered fabric item from the 997, this hood uses a fabric skinned composite panel, which provides a nicer shape and a better fit. Porsche also says that this new roof, which takes just 11 seconds to raise or stow, is more resistant to high speed buffeting. There’s also an automatic wind deflector.

The roof is laid on a magnesium frame, and the glass rear window is glued directly to the outer fabric skin. The lowering and closing process can be done at speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Powertrains are identical to the Coupe. The Cabrio’s backside houses a 3.4-litre flat six with 350hp and 380 Nm driving the rear wheels via the world’s first seven-speed manual gearbox. The Carrera S Cabriolet comes with a 3.8-litre flat six with 400hp and 440Nm. Porsche’s twin-clutch Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) will be a popular option, delivering better fuel consumption and acceleration than the stick shift.