There’s not much to report about the new Porsche 911 Targa in terms of differences to the previous 991-gen car. It’s still only available in four-wheel-drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S guises, it’s still heavier than both its coupé and cabriolet counterparts (1,675kg plays 1,565kg and 1,635kg) and it’s still got a fancy automatic fabric roof system, albeit optimised to be lighter and quicker (it now takes just 19 seconds to raise and lower).
The familiar 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six kicks out 385HP in Targa 4 and 450HP in Targa 4S forms, and while the eight-speed PDK transmission is offered as standard across both models, the latter can be specified with the new seven-speed manual gearbox (and accompanying Sport Chrono package) at no extra cost. Porsche says the car combines “the advantages of open-top driving in a cabriolet with the comfort and safety of an all-wheel-drive coupé,” which pretty much sums up it up.
Except little of this will matter to prospective buyers – the 911 Targa has always been a car for the more style-conscious enthusiast, ever since it was introduced back in 1965, and this one certainly fits the bill. Anyone who’s wandered around London on a government-prescribed, socially distant walk in recent weeks will understand just how popular the quasi-convertible Targa is. There’s something about that silver anti-roll hoop that just screams sun-drenched California nonchalance, and probably always will. Early adopters of the eighth-generation Porsche 911 Targa will receive their cars in August. Prices for the Targa 4 and Targa 4S begin at 128,400 euros and 143,960 euros respectively.
Photos courtesy of Porsche © 2020
