New Targa just purrfect

Attending Porsche launch on the couch with your cat a sign of the times.

If you had said to me just a month or two ago that I would be forced to sit, imprisoned at home, I would have laughed at you.

And if you had said to me that our government would only allow us to congregate for three hours a day to exercise, and only be able to buy long-sleeved shirts but not short sleeved in the name of combating what we have been told on TV is a highly contagious and deadly disease, I would have thought you were insane.

The world has allowed itself to grind to a halt and is now slowly trying to claw itself back from financial destruction and ruin.

Sadly, this is not some twisted fairy tale; this is 2020, our new reality. And part of this reality is that we can’t fly around in the latest cars and bring you the stories.

But the show must go on, as they say, so I attended my first car launch via Skype from my couch, with my cat Soxy as my driving partner.

The car in question was Porsche’s new 911 Targa that will be hitting South Africa in the fourth quarter of this year.

Following on from the Coupe and Cabriolet, the iconic Targa is the third body variant of the new 911 generation.

Its defining feature remains its innovative, fully automatic roof system and, as on the legendary original Targa from 1965, it consists of a wide Targa roll bar, a movable roof section over the front seats and a wraparound rear window. The roof can be opened and closed in just 19 seconds.

This car, although very much about styling and its history, still packs punch and the dynamics you would expect from a Porsche 911, using the existing turbocharged, 3.0-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine.

In the 911 Targa 4, you get 283kW of power and 450Nm of torque; the 911 Targa 4S boasts 331kW and 530Nm.

With the optional Sport Chrono package, the Targa 4 gets to 100km/h in 4.2 sec and offers a top speed of 289km/h. The Targa 4S hits the 0 to 100km/h benchmark in 3.6sec and only stops accelerating at 304km/h.

Both derivatives come standard with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and intelligent all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management to deliver what is said to be maximum driving pleasure.

Alternatively, the 911 Targa 4S can be ordered at no extra cost with the newly developed seven-speed manual gearbox, which includes the Sport Chrono package.

The new electronically controlled PASM variable damping system and Porsche Wet mode are also standard and ensure both dynamic and safe handling.

PTV Plus is fitted to the Targa 4S and is available as an option on the Targa 4.

Porsche InnoDrive with adaptive cruise control is available as an option for the first time and provides even greater safety on the road.

The enhanced Smartlift function allows an increase in ground clearance to be conveniently programmed for everyday use.

The interior echoes the 911 Carrera and is characterised by the clear, straight lines of its dashboard and recessed instruments, for which the 911 models of the 1970s provided the inspiration.

Alongside the central rev counter – a characteristic of Porsche

– two thin, frameless freeform displays provide additional information to the driver.

A compact switch unit with five buttons for direct access to important vehicle functions is located below the 10.9-inch centre screen of the Porsche Communication Management system. Standard features include online navigation based on swarm data as well as Connect Plus.