The 911's cockpit is cleanly designed, well executed and nicely finished with exacting tolerances. Yet it's geared to the business of driving, preferably at a good clip. While it features most of the conveniences, we're reluctant to call it luxurious. 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. The standard automatic climate control comes with an activated charcoal odor filter. The Carrera 4S and Turbo have full leather interior, with richer trim on the dash and center surround.

Stereos have never been one of Porsche's strengths, in our view. To the company's credit, it has improved its audio systems considerably in recent years, to the point where the upgrade Bose system is finally competitive with some of the better stereos in other cars.

As comfortable as it is, the Porsche 911 is a sports car. That means dry cleaning gets laid on the back seat. That back seat is not really fit for people, it's better used as a shelf for big grocery runs. Luggage capacity is not the 911's forte. 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, all in one spot, and that's enough for 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 Range Rover. Porsche does offer a roof transport system ($400) that allows the 911 coupes to carry lumber and other bulky items.

The Cabriolet's insulated soft top folds compactly into a compartment behind the rear seats. It features a glass rear window with integrated defroster (some other expensive convertibles still use clear vinyl), and it can be operated at speeds up to 25 mph. A spring-loaded supplemental safety bar structure sits hidden behind the seats, ready to deploy automatically in the unlikely event of a rollover. All 911 Cabriolets come with a removable wind deflector that reduces buffeting when the top is lowered, and a removable aluminum hardtop with a heated rear window. The hardtop can be deleted for credit.

The Targa features a glass roof panel that really lets the sun in. A cloth sunblind helps reduce heat and glare when the roof is closed, but only partially. Be sure you want that much sun all the time. I don't. When the glass roof opens, it slides under the rear window. I found it impeded rearward vision. A wind deflector deploys to reduce turbulence in the cabin, and 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 8.1 cubic feet of cargo space, compared to 7.1 cubic feet in the Carrera Coupe.