STUTTGART, April 15, 2026, 15:00 CEST
Porsche unveiled the 911 GT3 S/C on Tuesday, giving the GT3 line an open-top model for the first time with a fully automatic convertible roof. The Sport Cabriolet, or S/C, will reach U.S. Porsche Centers by fall 2026 and starts at $273,000 before delivery charges, or $275,350 including them.
The launch lands at a useful moment for Porsche. First-quarter global deliveries fell 15% to 60,991 vehicles, but 911 deliveries rose 22% to 13,889, and the company is due to publish its first-quarter financial statement on April 29.
That makes the GT3 S/C more than another niche model. CEO Michael Leiters said last month Porsche would lean on higher-margin sports cars and that “We are not looking at volume,” while U.S. retail sales of the 911 jumped 83% in the first quarter to 3,826 units. Reuters
The GT3 S/C keeps the 911 GT3’s 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, meaning it runs without turbochargers, with 502 hp and a 9,000-rpm ceiling. Porsche said it will be sold only with a six-speed manual gearbox, can reach 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and tops out at 194 mph.
Porsche borrowed heavily from the lighter 911 S/T to offset the extra hardware of a power-operated soft top. Carbon-fiber doors, fenders and hood, magnesium wheels and roof components, and standard carbon-ceramic brakes help hold the U.S. version to 3,322 pounds.
Frank Moser, Porsche’s vice president for the 911 and 718 line, said the car answers buyers’ “desire for sports cars that are particularly fun to drive.” Unlike the 2019 911 Speedster, Porsche says the GT3 S/C is not limited and is the only open-top current 911 sold strictly as a two-seater. Porsche Newsroom
Andreas Preuninger, Porsche’s GT car chief, said the model marks “the first time an open top 911 uses a double wishbone front axle,” a front-suspension layout meant to improve wheel control. Porsche said the fabric roof opens or closes in roughly 12 seconds, and the new car draws on lessons from the 911 Speedster and 718 Spyder RS. Porsche Newsroom
The sales mix helps explain the bet. North America, still Porsche’s biggest sales region, fell 11% in the first quarter and China dropped 21%, while the 911 line rose 22%, keeping the sports-car range as one of the few clear bright spots in the company’s delivery data.
But one new model will not change the wider pressure on luxury carmakers. China remains weak, trade tensions and broader economic uncertainty are still hanging over the sector, and Metzler analyst Pal Skirta warned last month that “Even high-net-worth individuals may become more cautious with discretionary spending.” Reuters
For now, Porsche is betting that a lighter, manual-only 911 with no fixed roof can keep the brand’s core appeal in front of buyers at a difficult time. In a lineup already crowded with variants, the GT3 S/C looks built to do a familiar job: keep the 911 at the center of Porsche’s recovery plan.
