Speedster 2011 Porsche 911 First drive

It’s unusual. It’s fast. It’s costly. Meet the 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster. First shown in October at the Paris Auto Show, the $204,400 humpbacked 911 arrives at U.S. dealerships early next year.On paper, the rear-wheel-drive 911 Speedster appears to be a heavily optioned 911 GTS Cabriolet, albeit one with a bubbled tonneau cover. Having just driven the new GTS with the 408-horsepower 3.8-liter flat-six and Turbo-width rear track, we knew going into this drive that the uprated equipment makes a good foundation for the Speedster. Building on the GTS’ enhanced mechanicals, the Speedster also gets the seven-speed PDK dual clutch, Sport Chrono Plus, Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes. Take it or leave it, this is the only way the Speedster comes.

But so much for on-paper specs. To find out what the 911 Speedster is like on the road, we headed to Palm Springs, California for a mid-winter desert blast.Great roads are a dime a dozen around Palm Springs. Finding one is so simple even a bell ringer could do it; aim car toward mountains, hit gas. Drive far enough and you’ll find an empty, sinewy strip of blacktop where you can play Grown Up Hot Wheels. After being docile in traffic, the 911 Speedster eagerly becomes a full-size road toy when let loose.Considering what’s hanging over the rear axle, dropping the throttle rockets the 911 forward with authority. Porsche states a minimum 0-60 mph time of 4.2 seconds, and with launch control and Sport Plus engaged and the brake pedal side-stepped, acceleration is both ferocious and efficient. Electronics limit wheel spin to the optimal percentage, ensuring explosive takeoffs for even Christmas tree newbies.

Tags: 2011 porsche 911, porsche, auto show, speedster