2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio Spied

2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio – Spy Photo: As if fresh-fallen snow wasn’t picturesque enough, Porsche had to unleash this exquisite piece of convertible craftsmanship, done up all in black no less, as proof that can be improved upon. It’s the 2008 911 Turbo Cabrio, represented here by a barely-disguised prototype caught testing in northern Sweden. Sliding into the brand’s lineup next to the 911 Turbo Coupe, which made its sales debut last summer, the Cabrio is said to utilize the same 480-horsepower 3.6-liter engine and all-wheel-drive system. Look for the six-speed manual and Tiptronic S automatic to also make the cut, along with 0-60 mph times mimicking the hard top’s sub-four second scores.

2007 Porsche 911 Turbo

The hard top version of the 911 Turbo hit the streets last year. Motivation for the rear-engine 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo comes from a 3.6-liter boxer engine that cranks out 480 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 457 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1,950 rpm. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual or an optional Tiptronic S automatic, with the stick-shift pushing the all-wheel-drive Porsche to 62 mph in a brisk 3.9 seconds; the Tiptronic cuts that time to 3.7 seconds. An optional Sport Chrono Package Turbo allows for an extra short burst of power, pushing torque up to 501 lb.-ft. Top speed registers 193 mph on the speedometer. Porsche Traction Management works with the all-wheel-drive system to provide optimal handling.

2007 Porsche 911 GT3

For those who live their lives based on want and not need, and provided their bank accounts are flush with cash, Porsche offers another variant of the 911, the 2007 GT3. Engineers have managed to crank 415 horsepower and 300 lb.-ft. of torque from a 3.6-liter, naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine featuring dual overhead cams, 24 valves, and variable-valve timing. Selecting Sport mode unleashes an extra 18 lb.-ft. of torque between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm, all of which reaches the rear 3,075-lb. GT3’s 19-inch wheels with the aid of six-speed manual transmission.

2007 Porsche 911 Targa

Cousin to the 911 Turbo Cabrio is this hatchback. Nah – this is a Porsche hatchback, a fun to drive, sexy cat built on Porsche engineering – and a few innovations tossed in for good measure. Targa shoppers get to choose between two powertrains, the 325-horsepower, 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine in the 911 Targa 4 or the 355-horsepower 3.8-liter "boxer" six in the 911 Targa 4S. Performance-wise, you can count on 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds in the Targa 4, and just 4.9 in the Targa 4S. Both Targas come with the full array of Porsche technologies, such as Active Suspension Management technology (optional on the Targa 4), Porsche Stability Management and advanced braking systems.

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 Convertible

The 2008 Viper SRT10’s 600 horsepower puts it in very exclusive company, including the 911 Turbo Cabrio. While there are a handful of other cars that make 600 or more horsepower, they all cost well over six figures. The Viper joins this club at a relatively bargain-basement price. Its output leaves the Corvette Z06 in the dust, and puts it in the same category as megabucks Ferrari, AMG and other performance cars. Yet the Viper keeps its raw muscle car heritage, and Dodge intends on keeping it that way by refraining from adding all-wheel drive, traction control and all the other goodies found on other competitors.

2007 Ferrari F430 Spyder

If a soft top Porsche isn’t your thing, maybe a hot Ferrari will fill the bill. Ferrari claims that the F430 Spyder, with its 490-horsepower 4.3-liter V8, will sprint from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, with a top speed of 193 mph. Be careful – that’s fast enough to rip out your hair plugs or strip the bleach from your mane. Brembo drilled discs measuring 13 inches work with antilock braking to slow things down, and traction control kicks in when things get really hairy. Buyers have the choice of equipping their 3,351-lb. convertible with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel.

Photos courtesy of Brenda Priddy and the manufacturers