As comfortable as it is, the Porsche 911 is a sports car. Dry cleaning gets laid on the back seat. By using this back seat, you can make a big grocery run in the 911. Luggage capacity is not the 911's forte, however. Carreras can carry 4.6 cubic feet of cargo in the front trunk and 7.1 cubic feet in the rear with the seats folded. By comparison, a Corvette can carry 13.3 cubic feet, a couple of big duffle bags. When it came time to pick someone up at the airport, we left a Carrera 4 at home and took a sport-utility vehicle. Likewise, I jumped in a Range Rover for an hour-long drive to a trout stream. Cargo matters aside, the Porsche 911 makes for superb daily transportation.

Cabriolet's power soft top folds compactly into a compartment behind the rear seats. It features a glass rear window with integrated defroster. A solid tonneau cover fits flush against the body with the roof lowered, preserving the sleek, uncluttered appearance. An supplemental safety bar structure is ready to deploy automatically in the unlikely event of a rollover. A removable aluminum hardtop with a heated rear window comes standard, but can be deleted for credit.

Targa features a glass roof panel that really lets sun in. A cloth sunblind helps reduce heat and glare when the roof is closed, but only partially. I'm not sure I'd want that much sun all the time. When the glass roof opens, it slides under the rear window. I found it impeded rearward vision somewhat. A wind deflector deploys to reduce turbulence in the cabin. Sliding the cloth screen in place helps keep in heat when it's cold. Unlike the other 911s, the Targa features a glass rear hatch that provides convenient access to the rear luggage compartment. Its design allows provides 8.1 cubic feet of cargo space, compared to 7.1 cubic feet in the Carrera Coupe.

Porsche upgraded the appearance and feel of interior materials for 2000, applying a special soft-touch grain to the console, door trim, instrument panel and other areas. Aluminum-colored trim for the shifter, door handles and handbrake release button lends a touch of classic sports car elegance to the design. The standard automatic climate control comes with an activated charcoal odor filter. Carrera 4S comes with nicer interior trim on the dash and center surround.