It was born a coupe, but when the iconic sports car saw its first cabriolet version bow, it changed open-air motoring
Ordinarily speaking, cutting the roof off a sports car is a very bad idea. For one thing, the formerly stiff chassis is now as floppy as an old shoe. For another, there’s now nothing between you and all the rain and the wasps and whatnot.
The counterpoint to this argument has long been the Porsche 911 Cabriolet. There are more exotic fast convertibles out there, but the 911 is notable for its everyday usability. In cabriolet format, it’s an exhilarating drive that lets you bask in the sunshine. Further, while sporty cars often brag about low zero-to-100-km/h times, the current 911 cabriolet’s ability to raise or lower its roof in just twelve seconds is the kind of performance owners will appreciate.
It’s also now so close in chassis stiffness to the coupe version that any differences in handling might only be noticed on a racetrack. There are all sorts of flavours of 911 cabriolet to be had, from the perfectly lovely base model; to the bonkers-fast Turbo version. Porsche doesn’t break apart 911 sales numbers into coupes and convertibles, but the scuttlebutt is that overall, the droptop 911 might actually outsell its fixed-roof stablemate.
Strange, then, that the 911 cabriolet very nearly didn’t happen. And that, technically speaking, it would take until the early 1980s to show up in a recognizable form.
No discussion of the history of Porsche convertibles would be complete without referencing the ür-Porsche that is the Type 64. Two of these – maybe three, there’s some disagreement – were built in 1938 for a race to be held between Berlin and Rome. That race was never held because of, well, the Second World War.
After the war, some American servicemen came across this odd-looking German race car sitting in storage and decided it would make a decent runabout, if only it didn’t have such a cramped cabin. So they hacked the roof off and drove it around until the engine exploded.
This American taste for top-down, foot-to-the-floor motoring would further influence Porsche when the company built the stripped-down Speedster. However, the 911 was conceived of as a coupe first, with no concrete plans for a convertible. Clearly, though, if this new car was to be a global success, some sort of version would be needed with a removable roof.
So Porsche’s engineers did exactly what those merry G.I.s had done and just cut the roof off a prototype Porsche. Technically the result wasn’t the first 911 cabriolet, because the car wasn’t even technically a Porsche 911. Initially, Porsche intended to market its then-new car as the Porsche 901, but French automaker Peugeot waded in with a trademark claim to all number-zero-number model names. Thus, production cars received 911 badges, and we all received a piece of tedious automotive trivia with which you can bore people at the next local cars and coffee.
The problem with that prototype Porsche 901 convertible is that it was not really a convertible at all. It had been cut open, but lacked a folding soft roof to button it up again when the elements were uncooperative (e.g. rain and wasps).
Further, and perhaps more worryingly, there were rumours from across the Atlantic that the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was considering banning convertibles entirely. The rumour was wrong – it was based on incoming rollover requirements that were pushed forward – but Porsche came up with a clever solution nonetheless.
That solution was a roof that came off but left a roll bar behind. The front section of the roof could be lifted off, and the rear windscreen was folding vinyl. There was also a fixed-rear-window version, which ended up being the longer-lasting idea.
This model was named for the Targa Florio, a storied and dangerous Sicilian mountain race where Porsche had won many victories. Founded by racer Vincenzo Florio, the name of the race might as well be “The Florio Trophy.”
While the NHTSA threat never panned out, the Targa was a very popular model for Porsche, spawning a line of models that continue today, and “Targa” became a shorthand for any convertible where the middle section of the roof is removable. Mazda calls its MX-5 RF a “retractable fastback,” but really it’s a sort of Miata Targa.
Porschephiles will often wax lyrical about the character of one of the marque’s early air-cooled engines, and how the modern versions don’t really measure up. Regrettably, such snobbery is probably correct: today’s Porsches are much faster and better composed, but there’s something about the experience of driving an air-cooled 911 cabriolet that’s hard to match.
Not only are you out in the elements, clipping along in the sunshine, but the turbine whirr of that flat-six engine is now sitting in the cockpit with you. Later 911 cabriolets saw Porsche developing ways to tone down the wind buffeting, but part of the fun of scooting about in a 911 cabriolet is arriving looking as if you’ve just had a fight with a gang of rogue hairdryers.
There’s a famous story in Porsche circles about how 911 production was intended to end in the ’80s, with the front-engined 928 taking over. Then-CEO Peter Shutz noticed a chart on the wall showing a bar graph noting the 911 line stopping in 1981 while the 928 and 944 continued onwards; he picked up a marker and extended the 911 line right off the page.
The net result was to breathe new life into the 911 range at the beginning of the 1980s, and that included a proper cabriolet. It sold well, and also appealed to a different sort of Porsche owner, one likely to choose a 911 as an alternative to something like a Mercedes-Benz SL. Towards the end of the 1980s, Porsche offered its four-speed Tiptronic gearbox in the thing.
A 1991 Porsche 911 cabriolet (in purple, no less) with an automatic gearbox is basically the polar opposite of how an enthusiast might spec their car. Strike one for the reduced chassis stiffness, strike two for the lack of a proper manual. Unfortunately, the enthusiasts are wrong: this car is a complete joy to drive.
Just as is the case with modern 911 cabriolets, cutting the roof off a Porsche actually improves it. At some point not too long ago, the cars became basically too fast for their own good, so blunting that performance by some nearly-immeasurable degree is such a small price to pay for a far more involving drive.
As we peer into the mists of the future in expectation of a hybrid or eventual battery-electric 911, this lesson is perhaps the most important thing the 911 cabriolet has to teach us. Cars will always get quicker and faster as the years pass. And cutting the roof off them? Turns out it might be the best way to make sure you actually want to go for a drive.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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