Johannesburg - I blame the original 1979 Mad Max cult movie for this. Ever since Mel Gibson revved up the film's iconic supercharged Ford Falcon Police Interceptor, anybody who has wanted to infuse a standard model with a touch of attitude has simply finished it in very, very off-white and called it a Black Edition.
That said, most Porsches - thanks to their unfussy styling - look very smart in black-on-black, so there will be no more sarcasm directed at the new Black Edition special series 911 Carrera and Boxster models, available to order in South Africa as of this week.
All Black Edition Porsches come with built-in telephony and navigation modules, automatically-dimming rear-view mirror cruise control and a special Sport Design steering wheel
911 CARRERA BLACK
The 911 Carrera Black Edition is available as either a coupe or a convertible, with your choice of rear or all-wheel drive. Each has the basic 257kW, 3.4-litre flat six, 20-inch 911 Turbo rims and LED headlights operating on Porsche's Dynamic Light System Plus.
The all-black interior features heated sports seats, a Bose surround sound system, and parking sensors front and rear linked to a reversing camera.
BOXSTER BLACK
The mid-engined roadster has the 195kW, 2.7-litre flat six, 20-inch Carrera Classic rims and bi-xenon 'dynamic system' headlights. Blackness covers the soft top and roll-over bar, as well as the heated seats.
A wind deflector, dual-zone air-conditioning and a premium audio package are standard issue.
Pricing, says Porsche SA, will be announced shortly.