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The Targa was the half-convertible bodywork offered by Porsche for the 911. By removing only a part of the roof and leave the closed-coupe rigid structure. It was offered a better sensation than a sunroof and it wasn't as heavy as a convertible. Unlike the previous Targa generation, the 993 featured a glass panel over the front passengers instead of a fabric one. The rest of the bodywork looked similar to the Carrera. The engine was a completely reworked flat-six, with a 3.6-liter displacement with the VarioCam system, which offered 285 hp. It was mated either with a 6-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.
The 991.2 911 Targa 4S is powered by the latest water-cooled 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six from Porsche, producing 420 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. It can be optioned with a PDK seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (a seven-speed manual is standard) and all-wheel drive is standard. Whereas the two earlier generations of Targas were little more than 911 Carreras with large glass sunroofs, the 991-series Targa nailed the look and feel of the original.
The 991.2 Targa did get some mild design changes, but they are all inline with the rest of the 991.2 changes. Despite the mild styling revisions, it’s a dramatically different car in terms of its engine. The iconic and highly regarded naturally aspirated 3.4-litre flat-six engine has been ousted for a more environmentally friendly twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre. It keeps its all-wheel drive system and is still an all-weather 911. A sports car with all-wheel drive is the first choice for more than one in three Porsche 911 buyers. It is sporty and comfortable, the turbo engines more powerful and consume less, with the improved all-wheel drive.
The Targa 4 GTS gets Porsche’s a powerful non-turbo rear-mounted flat-six engine with 430 bhp @ 7500 rpm and 325 ft lbs of torque from 5750 rpm, driven to all four wheels via Porsche Traction Management. Performance is also enhanced via the standard Sport Chrono package, which provides faster throttle response and more aggressive shift mapping. In addition, the GTS benefits from Porsche Active Suspension Management - Porsche’s proprietary adaptive suspension system with continuously variable dampers. Mechanically, this is the perfect package for a daily 911 that is also performance focused when you need it to be.
This is the open-top model for those who don’t want the full convertible experience – and it’s only available in the wide-hipped four-wheel drive bodyshell. The new Targa is a striking design, echoing the 1965 original with its fixed rollover bar. The Targa 4S, gets you the more powerful 3.8 engine from the Carrera S. It mixes regular Carrera 4S go with a sense of style and everyday usability (those occasional rear seats, the real possibility of 30mpg in everyday driving). Great car.
For this 991 generation Targa, Porsche went back to the original Targa concept, albeit with an even sexier design and some very cool technical tricks to boot. Porsche wanted to resurrect its classic design, but the company feared that owners would not want to get out of the car, lift off the roof panel, and stow it in the trunk. The other issue was, in the words of 911 product line director Dr. Erhard Mossle, "that the manual solution was a little bit old-fashioned." The 911 Targa 4 gets the same 350 horsepower, 3.4-liter six-cylinder motor as its hardtop siblings.
The 911 Targa received the same upgrades during the switchover to the 997.2 generation, including a boost in power and performance. The expansive glass roof now featured increased UV protection. This is the point in Porsche 911 Targa history when the model re-established itself as the perfect halfway measure between a true coupe and a convertible. Porsche engineered a wildly complex power-retracting center roof piece and left the rear glass fixed in place. Beyond this fabulous roof mechanism, it’s the same Carrera 4.
The two 997 Targa 4 cars are both offered in only all-wheel-drive. Available with either a 3.6 litre flat 6 in the Targa 4, or with a more powerful 3.8 litre flat 6 in the Targa 4S, the new car offers almost all the fun of a convertible without sacrificing the dynamic abilities of a hardtop. The Targa 4S gets to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and tops out at 179 mph thanks to its 3.8 liter flat six pumping out 350 bhp and 295 ft lbs of torque. It has softer spring rates than the coupe, a more generous helping of leather in the cabin, a better tally of standard equipment, more storage space behind the front seats.
The 997 Targa design is the same as the 996s, with the power-operated panoramic sunroof and lifting rear window glass. The 997 Targa version's entire operation benefitted from thinner glass that cut approximately 4.2 pounds from its weight relative to the prior 996-series Targa. The 997 Targa 4 has softer spring rates than the coupe, a more generous helping of leather in the cabin, a better tally of standard equipment. The Targa 4 might therefore be all the 911 you ever want; not the fastest or the most visceral, but certainly the most complete car in a very impressive bunch. A great all-rounder.