Rock

I know the weight reduction might make it better, but then would the wind getting down into the car eliminate any performance gains?

iloveporsches

Depends on speed. Aero drag increases with speed. Also, due to the deflector and overall aero design, it doesn't seem like much wind gets in through the sunroof (I may be wrong, I haven't driven with the top off since probably July). Either way though it'd be negligible.

Dave in Chicago

I have heard that the hardtop saves about 3-4 pounds. I was admiring a Firehawk 968 at our track event this weekend. Straight roof on that one. Think they were onto something...

Serge944

I like the streamlined sunroof delete look, but i also love my sunroof. Nothing like a cool evening with the roof off, windows down, and loads of balance shaft belt whine.

Mighty Shilling

Man, any time when it's warm enough...the roof is off and the windows down...I don't care...it's great that way.

Rich Sandor

I think it would be faster without the sunroof up until around 60mph where the drag of the pop-up visor is greater than the weight advantage. i just picked that speed arbitrarily though.. it could be lower or higher.

Serge944

Its pointless talking weight over the sunroof being on or off. A few psi difference in tire pressure will cause a FAR greater reduction in speed, along with many, many other factors. Besides...the fiberglass sunroof weight hardly anything.

Whats the next thread gonna be? "How i took off .1 seconds off my 0-60 by filling up 1 gallon at a time."

xsboost90

i think the rock was looking at our cars at the autox....they were out for helmet clearance.

Travis - sflraver

I know my helmet hits the roof without the sunroof up.

Zero10

Hehe, I have to lower my seat until it's pretty much on the floor to get my big head, complete with helmet in my car. Although, I did not have to raise the sunroof =)
I think the difference would be negligible, about equal to whether you ate a salad or a burger before hopping in the car.

Dave951M

If you're thinking in terms of auto-x, then the effect would be negligible. You just don't spend time at higher speeds like on a track. The only way I could think of a difference at auto-x is that the CG might get lowered marginally.

Rock

Yeah I was just wondering because there was a big pile of stuff like a sunroof, a spare tire and others at the autocross. I was just wondering if that was for weight.

joseph mitro

if your 9 year-old daughter has her head sticking out the sunroof when you're driving, the aerodynamic drag negates any weight loss

tifosiman

Well, that, and safety. You don't want any extra crap in the car that can come loose and become a head-seeking projectile.

I try to run with the sunroof off whenever possible. I have plenty of helmet clearance with the race seats, but it is a "mental thing" where I think lighter=faster. The other benifit is better cooling, it gets hot sitting in the car for a long time during staging.

GlenL

To the original question, I think that at high speed, say 80mph, the added resistance of air cycling through the sunroof would slow the car. It's like having a higher speed with the windows closed.