PORSCHE has just widened the appeal of the iconic 911 Carrera with a brilliant new automatic transmission that is the centerpiece of a mid-life upgrade for the 997 model. All new Carrera models, including the cabrio version we test here, have been given a performance upgrade thanks to direct fuel injection and are also now available with the new dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Called PDK, the transmission changes gears in a fraction of a second and is far superior to the previous Tiptronic system which was a regular torque converter type automatic. Porsche has also made some minor styling upgrades including new front and rear lights as well as mild bumper changes.