2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America edition announcedSpecial edition marks 70th anniversary of 356 America Roadster

Atlanta. Porsche will offer a special, market-specific sports car with the “America” moniker. The new 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America will reach showrooms in late 2022 as part of the 2023 model year. A very limited number will be created, making this one of the rarest Type 992 models.

Its arrival marks the continuance of a tradition that began in 1952: offering an open top, enthusiast-focused sports car made specifically for the North American market. The new model – revealed during the 2022 Porsche Parade in Poconos, Pa. – is based on the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, and features the same high performance chassis and powertrain as that model. Emphasizing its focus on driving pleasure, it is exclusively available with a seven-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.

“Passion for driving a Porsche runs deep in the United States. In particular, there is something special about hitting the road in an open top 911 with a manual transmission that fits perfectly here,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America Inc. “This is also the perfect time to add another ‘America’ model to our story as we look back on 70 years since the 356 America Roadster and 30 years since the 964 America Roadster.”

A high performance sports car for open top driving enthusiasts
The new 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter boxer six-cylinder engine to generate 473 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) Sport is standard equipment, and lowers the ride height by 10 mm while adding helper springs to the rear axle. Sport Exhaust and the Sport Chrono Package are also both standard equipment. Rear axle steering and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) are available as added cost options. The standard cast iron brake rotors measure 408 mm (16 inch) in front with six-piston aluminum fixed calipers and 380 mm (14.9 inch) rotors in the rear with four-piston fixed aluminum calipers finished in black.

Styling by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur
Aesthetic changes applied by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur make this a striking sports car both from a distance and up close. The exterior color, Azure Blue 356, was inspired by the 1953 356 America Roadster. Through Paint to Sample Plus, the color is revived and reserved for this special vehicle in the 2023 model year. The windshield frame is finished in Satin Black. RS Spyder Design Wheels are specially-finished with the interior portion of the spokes in white, the outermost flat surfaces in silver and a Guards Red pinstripe along the edge of the rim.

Along the doors, decals in white with Guards Red accents read “America” while the model designation on the rear features “911 Carrera” in white and “GTS” in Guards Red.

Cross stitching in Guards Red with surrounding stitching in Pebble Grey continue the color combination through the cabin, including along the upper dashboard and door panels. Two-tone stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey continue the contrast on the center console armrest where “America” is embossed in the leather. Unique illuminated door sill plates commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 356 America Roadster are also included as standard equipment, along with a leather interior in black, seat belts in Guards Red, the tachometer and instrument cluster in white and a heated GT Sport steering wheel.

An optional extended interior package continues this theme with a 12 o’clock marking in Guards Red to the steering wheel and Guards Red cross stitching on the inside edge of the wheel. This package also adds two-tone stitching to the shift boot and adds a gear pattern on the manual lever in Guards Red. Sport Seats Plus with double stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey with “911” stitching on the headrests in Guards Red and the leather backrest release loops in the same color. The floor mats also gain the same two-tone stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey. Finally, the vehicle key is painted in Azure Blue 356 to match the car, and a leather key pouch with two-tone stitching and “America” embossment completes the package.

Pricing and Availability
The 2023 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America is expected to arrive at U.S. dealers in late 2022 and will carry a starting MSRP of $184,920 excluding $1,450 for delivery, processing, and handling. Including the extended interior package, MSRP is $192,430 also excluding $1,450 for delivery, processing and handling.

The most significant change is the 4.0 litre six-cylinder boxer engine. This high-revving powerplant has been taken directly from the 911 GT3 Cup race car and develops 500 PS in the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport – 75 PS more than the previous GT4 Clubsport model. In addition to many upgraded details, the focus in developing the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was on further improving overall performance. The standard 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) fitted to the car now uses all seven forward gears, rather than six. All gears feature shorter ratios than in the previous model. Depending on the track and series-specific regulations, the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport can achieve lap times that are over two percent quicker than the previous model. The homologated vehicle is track-ready ex factory and can be used in SRO racing series around the world without further modifications.

Faster lap times and further improvement in driveability
We have incorporated our experience of the last three years of running the previous GT4 Clubsport as well as customer wishes into the development of the new car,“ said Michael Dreiser, Manager of Sales and Distribution at Porsche Motorsport. “Faster lap times combined with a further improvement in driveability offer our customers a competitive product for the upcoming racing seasons in GT4 class racing competitions around the world.“ Porsche began offering the Cayman GT4 Clubsport of the 981 generation in 2016, entering into this new customer racing format early with a competitive car. A total of 421 units were built prior to 2018. The next generation model, which was based on the 718 Cayman GT4, debuted in 2019. It was also an extremely success car, with around 500 units produced to date. One of the reasons for the strong demand for these vehicles is due to the low running costs. The use of well-proven series production technology combined with racing-specific components significantly reduces the costs for customer teams.

718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, 2021, Porsche AG
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport continues this tradition and offers a further improvement in terms of its competitiveness. The 500 PS 4.0 litre six-cylinder boxer engine taken directly from the current 911 GT3 Cup racing car is almost 18 per cent more powerful than the 3.8 litre engine that was used in the previous model. Thanks to an optimised air intake, maximum power is achieved at 8,300 rpm – 800 rpm higher than the previous engine. The new engine revs up to 9,000 rpm. It develops 465 newton metres (Nm) at 6,000 rpm instead of the previous 425 Nm at 6,600 rpm. The result is a much wider usable speed band, which makes driving the car much easier for pro-racers and amateur drivers alike.

Modifications to the chassis have also improved the handling of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. The damper technology has been revised from the ground up in order to achieve an optimised vehicle responsiveness and a further improvement in body control. This has had a significant impact on the overall performance of the vehicle and handling. Upgrades include the use of two-way adjustable shock absorbers with improved characteristics, in addition to adjustable sword-type anti-roll bars front and rear. 

718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, 2021, Porsche AG
Vehicle height, camber and toe are also adjustable. Furthermore, three different spring rates for front and rear axle are now available. Special NACA ducts in the bonnet are designed to direct the air flow more efficiently to the large racing braking system fitted with 380 millimetre steel brake discs. The Porsche Stability Management System (PSM) is designed specifically for motorsports and includes a switch for traction control (TC), ABS and an updated stability control system.

Excellent aerodynamics ensure precise handling
Excellent aerodynamics ensure that the precise and controllable handling of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport remains well-balanced even in fast curves. Front dive planes and an extended front spoiler lip increase downforce at the front axle. Wheel arch vents in the wings inspired by the 911 GT3 R and air curtains specifically designed to calm the air turbulence around the front wheels, while the fully enclosed underbody optimises air flow to the diffusor at the rear of the car. The swan neck rear wing has now been given a 20 millimetre long Gurney flap and an adjustment range extended by two additional stages.

718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, 2021, Porsche AG
The previous 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport was the first ever series production race car to use body parts made of renewable natural-fibre composite material. In the case of the new GT4 RS Clubsport, even more extensive use of this material is made in the vehicle as a whole. In addition to the doors and the rear wing, the bonnet, the wings, the aerodynamic components at the front end and the steering wheel are now made of this material. The use of this flax-based fibre as an alternative to carbon fibre composite material can now be tested in motorsports for its use in road cars. Porsche has been using motorsports as a test bed for technology, processes and materials potentially capable of being used in road cars for over 70 years now.

Der 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is ready for racing
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is equipped to meet all the prerequisites allowing it to compete in racing events directly from the factory. This begins with the welded-in roll cage and the fore and aft adjustable Recaro racing seat, and extends from 2023 compliant six-point racing safety harnesses and safety nets to the fire extinguisher system and the built-in air jack system with three jacks. The new safety foam on the driver’s side meets the international requirements of the SRO racing series.

The FT3 safety fuel cell can take up to 115 litres of fuel, making it suitable for endurance racing. Additionally, Porsche offers two different exhaust systems, allowing the GT4 RS Clubsport to compete at tracks with stricter noise limits. The vehicle is also prepared for the later addition of homologated headlights or openings in the bonnet for fast refueling to enable the car to be converted quickly for nighttime endurance racing.