Porsche hits the Targa-t
Why have a simple removable roof panel when you can turn the entire process into an elaborate piece of mechanical art, asks Damien O’Carroll.
Whether you want more than a sunroof, but less than a convertible because you are weirdly specific, or you just like the cool retro-inspired looks, the Porsche 911 Targa 4S might just be the sweet spot in the 911 range for you.
So why does Porsche feel the need to have two open-top versions of the 911?
No idea, really. But then the Targa really seems to be a concept that has got away from them a bit.
After all, what started life as a simple removable panel in early 911s has now blossomed into a full-blown spectacle, with an elaborate ballet of fabric and metal occurring just so you don’t have to remove the panel yourself.
At the touch of a button, the entire top of the rear section of the car, rear window and all, lifts and moves gracefully backwards and the fabric-covered roof panel folds itself up and tucks itself away under it. It is elaborate, it is showy, and it is totally unnecessary.
But it is also absolutely awesome. And, personally, I am a fan of elaborate and totally unnecessary things anyway.
Even though it is elaborate and unnecessary, it does offer that whole ‘‘best of both worlds’’ vibe that Targaroofed cars have always done well, with a convincing open-air experience and the security and roofline of a hard top, but in this case it is also blended with those brilliantly retro-inspired touches like the thick B-pillars (with the obligatory ‘‘Targa’’ script on them) and that fantastic wrap-around rear window, both of which have been design hallmarks of the 911 Targa since its inception.
So is it still like an ordinary 911 to drive?
Of course it is. Which is quite impressive when you consider it is the heftiest of all 911s, clocking in at 40kg more than a 911 Carrera Cabrio 4S, but a rather porky 170kg more than a basic 2WD 911 Carrera.
It is more powerful than the entry Carrera, clocking in with 331kW compared to ‘‘just’’ 283kW, so will also scamper to the open road legal speed limit quicker than the 2WD car – 3.8 seconds versus 4.2 seconds, which is more than enough, really. And if it’s not, the optional $4950 ‘‘Sports Chrono’’ package will crank it down to 3.6 seconds anyway.
Opening that elaborate top also means you get to enjoy the 3.0-litre twin turbo flat six’s brilliantly gravelly idle that rises through a silky shriek to a full-throated roar as you accelerate. And you will accelerate.
The extra weight rarely makes itself apparent in the Targa 4S (it still only weighs 1675kg, after all), but what is noticeable is the addition of AWD to the classic 911 formula.
I have never been a fan of AWD 911s, as the sheer purity of a RWD 911 is still one of the single-most wonderful driving experiences on the planet today, so why mess it up by putting power through the wheels that do the steering, and with additional weight?
Indeed. Why would you do that?
I dunno. And I still hold firm on my belief that the best, most enjoyable 911 is still the basic RWD entry Carrera, but the two AWD 911s I have driven recently do have me wavering a little on that.
They were, of course, the utterly feral 911 Turbo and this rather wonderful Targa 4S. The Turbo is rather selfexplanatory – anything with 427kW and the engine hanging out the back not only effortlessly overcomes any weight penalty complaints, but also really needs to be AWD – and the way the Turbo’s AWD system was set up means that the front wheels really only come into play to keep you pointed somewhere generally in the right direction.
In the Targa, however, it took on a totally different effect – that of an effortlessly controlled and superbly comfortable Grand Tourer that could also leave most other cars for dead down a winding back road.
Sure, it may lack that ultimate edge of purity that a RWD 911 packs, but the open top also brings more of that Grand Tourer feel to the 911 anyway, making the advantages of AWD more important than the downsides.
So are you changing you mind on AWD 911s now?
Not exactly, but it does depend on why you are buying a 911. If you want a delightfully pure, unfiltered driving experience, then a RWD 911 is still the only way to go.
If you want mind-melting acceleration at any speed and the kind of visceral gutpunch that only truly excessive power can give, then the AWD 911 Turbo is you car (albeit an excitingly more expensive one). But if you want effortless power, superb comfort, open-top touring and, let’s be honest, still utterly wonderful turn of handling and responsiveness, then the AWD Targa is a hard thing to go past.
Quite how Porsche manages to blend a superbly controlled and comfortable ride with such accurate and utterly tied down handling is a mystery to a lot of other manufacturers, and whatever black magic the Wizards of Weissach use to achieve it works amazingly well here.
Any other cars to consider?
While $288,600 is a hefty sum of money, there is actually little that matches what the Targa offers in a similar price range. BMW has the big M850i convertible that offers AWD, a monstrous 390kW V8 and topless fun for $287,400, but is very much planted in the Grand Tourer segment by weighing in at a hefty 1965kg.
Then there are things like the cheaper Aston Martin Vantage roadster or the more expensive Mercedes-AMG GT C, but they are full-on convertibles and RWD, so don’t really line up, leaving the 911 Targa 4S literally in a class of its own in offering open-top sports car thrills with a GT ride.