2020 Porsche 911 S - Because Driving In The Sunshine Is Good For Your Health

Because driving in the sunshine is good for your health.

- Frank Markus

During an intense day spent driving the all-new 992-generation 2020 Porsche 911 S and 4S Cabriolets, I sensed that my heart was spending a great deal of time at an elevated rate, and my pasty winter-in-Detroit skin was equally conscious of and grateful for the overdue dose of vitamin D it was receiving in the nearly draft-free cockpit. This drive around the Attica peninsula below and around Athens, Greece, felt like my healthiest outdoor activity since warm-weather departed Michigan. Could these Cabrios actually be good for your health?

Whether dancing or driving, my natural tendency is to let it all hang out a bit farther when nobody’s watching (or hanging on for dear life). This is especially true when I’m leading a superior dance partner who’s forever whispering, “C’mon baby, don’t be shy!” And thanks to an aircraft issue in L.A. that prevented my driving partner from attending, I got to do this whole workout solo.

Let’s first warm up by recapping the highlights of the 911 Cabriolet, which we laid out when the Cabrio was first teased in January. The new top employs a clever magnesium structure, with three large panels that stow in a stack above the glass rear window and ensure that the fabric never balloons or flaps at top speed (188 mph on the 4S and 190 on the rear-drive S if you’re planning to take factory delivery for an autobahn vacation, which we highly recommend). The top—designed-in-house at Porsche like every convertible top that has preceded it—goes up or down 2 seconds quicker (in 12 flat) than its predecessor at speeds of up to 31 mph. It’s controlled by buttons clearly marked with open- and closed-roof icons, set above a button that controls the clever mesh windscreen.