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Some cars just kind of smack me in the face with their beauty. Porsche’s 356 Cabriolet almost always is one of those cars. They possess a beauty that is very hard to find in modern machinery, while also showcasing the charm of a vintage automobile. The 356 Coupe calls to mind much more the shape of the 911, if a slightly overweight version (though it’s not overweight at all). They have a somewhat bulbous look. However, chop the top and suddenly the 356 is transformed into a lithe and elegant automobile that promises to treat you to the best of open-top cruising. It’s no wonder that the 356 Speedster was so initially popular for its combination of open-top appeal with a pared-down structure best suited to weekend racers. The 356 Cabriolet brings with it the usual refinements that the Speedster did without, but we still get a fairly simple machine with graceful lines and, in this case, a beautiful and vibrant red paint. The example here comes from just toward the end of the model’s production: a 1965 Porsche 356SC Cabriolet, located in North Carolina, with a reported 63,020 miles on it.
We’ll step back from the dizzying heights of the Carrera RS to have a look at a more standard Carrera. That shared name is important as it helps link the performance pedigree of each model, even if each truly represents rather different performance standards. While the Carrera RS resurrected the Carrera name, that name would quickly disappear once again, found only on the limited production Carrera 2.7 and 3.0, which shared a similar ethos to the original RS. For the base 911 we were back to the 911 and 911S, both of which suffered from emissions restrictions. It would not be until 1984 that we would see the Carrera name once again, and this time Porsche had no intention of utilizing it for a single special model and then retiring it. The Carrera would be the standard moniker as it has remained to this day. About the car here: this is a Platinum Metallic 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet with Burgundy leather interior and just under 85K miles on it. This would be the first year of the 3.2 Carrera Cabriolet and only the second year of 911 Cabriolet production in general. For those looking for an early 911 Cabriolet there aren’t very many earlier than the 3.2 Carrera.
It seems as if winter decided to hang on for another weekend on the east coast of the United States this week. However, summer will be here before we know it and with it comes the desire for open top motoring. This 1999 BMW M3 for sale in Arlington, Virginia is on offer from the second owner who has had the vehicle in his possession since it was a year old. While the M3 Convertible might not be the first choice for the hardcore //M enthusiast, this one is perfectly suited for those lazy jaunts to the beach, especially since these E36 convertibles have more than adequate rear seat and trunk space for those weekend jaunts to the beach.
1999 BMW M3 Convertible
The gorgeous Velvet Red 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet we featured last month remains up for sale. Pricing remains the same at $59,500 so all of that beauty won’t come cheaply, but for fans of the Cabriolet and classic 911 design this final year model of the 3.2 Carrera should make for a very promising addition to any stable.
The below post originally appeared on our site February 27, 2016:
I’ve always been somewhat intrigued by the Porsche 968 Cabriolet. Before SUVs and sedans graced Porsche’s lineup, this was a bit of an outlier, a car more suited for cruising than its hardtop sibling, yet packing the same potent large displacement inline-4 under the hood. Someone decided to turn this formula up to 11 with this example we see here for sale in California. This 968 Cabriolet packs a supercharger, with an output of over 300 horsepower. Mated to the preferred 6-speed manual gearbox, this can make for some seriously fun al fresco motoring.
