The Targa returns, with four-wheel drive as standard
and 394bhp in ‘S’ form. But is the performance harmed by extra weight and a
softer set-up?
During development of the 1996MY 911 Targa
– based on the 993, the last of the air-cooled 911s – Porsche decided that it
couldn’t reasonably expect owners to lift and remove weighty roof panels by
hand each time they wished to indulge in a spot of topless motoring.
Its engineers, therefore, designed a
motor-driven roof mechanism, incorporating a large glass panel that slid
backwards over the rear screen. The hassle in removing the panels was lost, but
so too was the distinctive roll-hoop that had, over the years, become an icon
of Porsche design.
Later generations of Targa adhered to the
993’s sliding glass panel approach, but they never looked quite right; they
never had the same fluid roof line of the coupe, nor did they match the retro
charm of those early Targas. For the new 991-based iteration, however, Porsche
has created a best-of-both-worlds solution.
The
Targa features the same range of naturally aspirated flat six engines as other
911 models
The retractable roof is still powered, but
the roll-hoop returns, now in silver to contrast against the paintwork and to
add jewellery to a familiar shape.
For kerbside drama, a 991 Targa doing its
thing takes some beating. At the touch of a button, either within the cabin or
on the remote key fob, the rather beautiful glass canopy and a section of rear
bodywork lift up as one and rotate to a position behind the rear bumper.
The fabric roof then rises and folds into
itself, tucking down into a stowage compartment behind the small rear seats,
where upon the canopy returns to its normal position. The 19-second process is
theatrical and elegant, but to watch it happen is to get some impression of the
weight penalty that inevitably comes with such a complex mechanism. The Targa
also can’t shed its roof on the move because the tail lights are brie y obscured
by the large panel.
The
Targa's new B-pillar hoop is one of its main styling features
Four-wheel-drive only, the Targa is based
upon the Cabriolet platform, with minor changes made to the body-in-white
around the B-pillar to accept the roll-hoop, which does add some torsional
rigidity. Compared with the equivalent coupe, the Targa carries 110kg in
additional mass, mostly comprised of extra structural bracing, and its
suspension has, according to the engineers, been tuned with half an eye on
improving ride comfort.
So the Targa is heavier, floppier and
softer than the coupe. Clearly the fixed-head model will remain the driving
enthusiasts’ 911 of choice, but the Targa might just be less of a compromise
than a Cabriolet for those who insist on some form of retractable roof.
911's
dials are part digital, but show plenty of information
Two versions will be available. The Targa 4
costs $146,550 and is powered by a 345bhp, 3.4-litre at-six, while the Targa
4S, driven here, costs $163,575 with a 394bhp 3.8-litre engine out back. A
seven-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, but given the Targa’s role as a
cruiser rather than a bruiser, most buyers will opt for the seven-speed PDK
twin-clutch transmission, as fitted to our test car. This also cuts the 0-62mph
time by 0.2 sec to 4.6 sec.
The drivetrain is familiar to the rest of
the 911 line-up and is therefore very difficult to fault. PDK works superbly as
an automatic and shift speeds in manual mode are crack-of-the-whip quick; each
new gear bangs in even before you’ve fully released the steering wheel-mounted
paddle. The engine, too, is a joy, for it pulls with a certain muscularity from
the mid-range and then rips around to its red line with real urgency. The
at-six howl and rasp is pleasant enough, but a car of this nature surely
deserves the more vocal and characterful optional sports exhaust ($3,008).
