2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America Edition First Look: Platinum Celebration

If you're not one for celebrating special models that don't improve performance, this 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America will be right up your alley. Porsche has gone beyond just slapping on some new paint, unique trim, and special wheels. There is some performance to go along with the history behind the America name-plated Porsche, besides the incredibly long name. In 1952, Porsche created a 356 just for the American market, the Roadster America. The only reason it even came about was due to Max Hoffman, an importer of Porsche cars before Porsche North America was even formally created.

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It was unique in its Roadster style, as Porsche hadn't created a 356 like this before and Hoffman convinced Porsche to build it as a competitor to the Jaguar XK 120 and other small roadsters of the time. It was a spartan road car with a rain top, slot-in side windows, and door cuts for easy entry without needing to open the doors. At around 1,333 pounds, the lightweight Roadster America would go on to be a racing precursor to the 356 Speedster that would come not long afterwards. We would be remiss not to mention the 1992-1993-only 964 911 Roadster America that sold as a limited model, with only 250 being built. What made this America truly unique from a standard 964 Cabriolet was its wide fender flares, suspension, brakes, and 17-inch Porsche Cup wheels from the 911 Turbo. The rear seats were replaced with a parcel shelf with storage compartments underneath, once again highlighting its roadster nature.

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This means that, technically, this 2023 911 America is a 70thand30th anniversary celebration of the "America" nameplate on a Porsche. While most would be happy with just some unique paint, maybe some decals, and special wheels; this 992-generation America sees its 3.0 liter twin-turbo flat-six juiced to 473 hp and matched by a standard Porsche Active Suspension Management Sport system with Porsche's rear steering system. This lowers the ride height of the 911 by 0.40 inches and adds a set of helper springs to the rear suspension. The crisp sound of that flat-six is enhanced by a Porsche Sport exhaust system while the driver is informed by its Sport Chrono Package. While the standard—and massive—16-inch front rotors, six piston fixed calipers front and 14.9-inch, four piston fixed calipers are certainly going to grab your attention, there is one part that American Porsche owners want and is standard on the 911 America: a seven-speed manual transmission with three pedals. Yep, no PDK shifting on this special America Cabriolet, you're doing it all by yourself.

Let's talk about making this an America plated car beyond that manual transmission. It's hard to truly see in small photos, but there are splashes of red, white, and blue all over this 911 Cabriolet. The body itself is painted in a special color, 356 Azure Blue and this originally came from an original color for the 356, but was also created by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. For now, this color is exclusive to the 911 America, but will see more widespread use as an optional color in the next model year 992.

To help give this 992 some Roadster feeling, the windshield frame is painted Satin Black. What makes this unique is that it's done after the 911 America goes through its normal body painting process. You'll also find that the "America" stripe decal on the lower body is also white with a Guards Red pinstripe. Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur painters to go in, mask, and spray on the black once the body paint is done. This allows them to paint without worrying about the doors and windshield being in the way for a much cleaner look.

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When you look closely at the badges, you'll realize that they are the same badges you'd find on the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, but they are painted in white and Guards Red. While Porsche hasn't said if this will become a regular production optional treatment, they also stated that, if a customer requests it, two-toning a badge like this could be done. However, one thing that probably won't become a common request is the tri-tone treatment of the RS Spyder wheels. From a distance and certain light, it's hard to see, but the wheels are painted with a red pinstripe, a silver face, and a white along the wheel barrel and on the hub face. This is a callback to the original wheels and hubcaps you could get on the 356, according to Porsche. Moreover, and why this probably won't be done again, is that each section of color is masked and hand painted. Not an easy feat to do for standard production and better than black wheels, which Porsche engineers were actually very pleased with. Normally, anything with black wheels with Porsche denotes a very high-performance test model.

Inside the 911 America is an all black interior, but the red, white, and blue motifs don't end. Much of the cross stitching and surrounding stitching on the upper dashboard and door panels are in Guards Red and Pebble Gray. Two-tone stitching is found on the center console armrest in Pebble Gray and Guards Red while its leather material is embossed with "America." Finally, unique illuminated door sill plates celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 356 Roadster America. Optionally, you can also get more Guards Red touches to the steering wheel's stitching and 12 o'clock ring. Also part of that optional interior package is a two-tone stitching on the shift boot with a Guards Red shift pattern on the gear knob, double stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Gray on the Sport Seats Plus with 911 in Guards Red stitching on their headrests, and two-tone stitching similar to the center console on the floor mats. Finally, every key is painted in 356 Azure Blue with a leather key pouch with Guards Red and Pebble Gray stitching and embossed with "America."

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The 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America should hit U.S. dealers in late 2022, depending on parts availability. They will be built on the same line as the standard Carrera GTS Cabriolet, as the America versions are an optional package and built when ordered. While those looking outside will see the $186,370 standard price tag as a problem and will be absolutely shocked by the $193,880 for the optional interior package. Those who aren't concerned about the cost will be perturbed about the availability, as—on top of the parts availability issues—only 115 units of the 992 Cabriolet America will be built with 100 going to the U.S. and only 15 going to Canada.