2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
The Porsche 911 Targa 4 is more than just a vehicle for outspoken fresh air fanatics. The all-wheel drive impressively bridges the gap between the 911 Coupé and the 911 Cabrio.
By Marc Leimann
The success story began over 40 years ago in 1965 at the IAA in Frankfurt. Porsche celebrated its premiere there with the first Targa. The model was shaped by the then conspicuous Targa bar, which in its original version was supposed to protect the occupants in the event of rollover. Today, 40 years and around 100,000 models sold later, the bracket has given way to an elaborate, 52 kilogram glass construction. The roof module supplied by our partner CTS gives the driver and front passenger a clear view through almost 1.5 square meters of glass.
The new Porsche 911 Targa 4, says Anton Hunger, Head of Public Relations and Press, is the only car that “conveys the security of a winter garden”. And he is right, as the first few meters show, in which the model is still moved closed. Visually a feast for the eyes, so that Porsche is definitely in a positive mood when it comes to sales estimates. While the previous model was delivered almost 5,000 times, today we are confident that the 5,000 units will be broken with the 911 Targa 4 of the 997 series.
New motto: all-time all-wheel drive
And there is a good reason for this confidence, as the lettering with the addition "4" suggests. The Targa 4 and Targa 4S versions of the new Targa will be equipped with permanent all-wheel drive. A viscous multi-plate clutch is responsible for the central power distribution. It ensures that the all-wheel drive, depending on the driving situation, brings between five and 40 percent of the drive force onto the asphalt via the front wheels. Customer requirements were decisive for this change in the basic equipment of the Targa, according to August Achleitner, head of the Targa series.
With the previous model, it was noticeable that the majority of customers were extremely safety-conscious and also ordered the Targa with all-wheel drive. Nevertheless, according to Achleitner, this does not result in any real price increase for the new model. In the basic version, the 3.6 liter boxer with 325 hp, the Targa costs 91,843 euros, the 3.8 liter boxer with 355 hp costs 102,167 euros.
Sales strategy bears fruit
Certainly not a bargain, but the sales figures for the past fiscal year also prove Porsche right in terms of pricing policy. The North America region achieved an increase of seven percent with 36,669 vehicles delivered, while Germany also contributed to significant growth with 17,207 models sold.
And in the current booming markets, Russia and China, Porsche even posted three-digit growth rates. You see yourself well armed to do more than just aim for 100,000 units in the new financial year.
Completely independent
But back to the “mobile winter garden”, which has been widened by 82 millimeters, the body shape of which is heavily based on the coupé, although Porsche insists and says that the Targa is completely independent, neither a convertible nor a coupé. Whether convertible, coupé or just Targa, the units of the current 997 series are well-known companions and also do their job with passion in the Targa.
The 325 hp of the Targa 4 do the sprint to 100 km / h in 5.3 seconds, the propulsion only ends at an impressive 280 kilometers per hour. The Targa 4S can go one better here, an acceleration of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 288 km / h speak for themselves. The average consumption is given by the manufacturer as 11.3 or 11.8 liters.
Who is looking back?
But the agile, albeit not aggressively hanging on the gas, the Targa is not designed to be driven under full load; it is more important to celebrate and enjoy the benefits of the double sliding roof that can be opened up to 50 centimeters. The panoramic glass roof can be steplessly moved backwards at any speed, and conversations beyond the 100 km / h mark are then still possible without any problems. Only at 150 kilometers per hour are discussions of the inmates put to a severe test. By closing the roof, the noise level can be reduced to that of a 911 Coupé. However, the sonorous sound of the two or four tailpipes of the Targa 4 or 4S can only be enjoyed to a limited extent and is recommended for both low-speed and high-speed areas.
On the other hand, the view to the rear is only possible to a limited extent when the roof is completely open; here you are dependent on the two exterior mirrors. But who in a Porsche 911 Targa 4 is actually interested in looking back? The eyes are always straight ahead, the gaze wanders over the clearly arranged fittings. The leather steering wheel, which lies comfortably in the hand and provides a secure grip in every speed range, is noticeably thin, although very grippy. The view continues beyond the newly designed interior paneling, the cowl frame and the modified sun visors, so that ease of use and the noise level could be optimized again. The view ends at the elongated front hood, which gives a trunk volume of 105 liters. The rear trunk offers a further 230 liters with the rear seats folded down, 25 liters more than in the coupé.
Always optimal contact with the road
To ensure that the driver always maintains optimal contact with the road, the new Targa initially has an optimized chassis. The standard Porsche Active Suspension Management in the Targa 4S, which can be ordered as an option for the Targa 4 at a price of 1508 euros, offers more driving fun, agility and safety.
The tires make an important contribution to safety and agility. The Targa 4 will be available as standard with 18 inchers in the dimensions 235/40 at the front and 295/35 at the rear. The Targa 4S, on the other hand, rolls on 19-inch tires measuring 235/40 at the front and 305/30 at the rear. A perfectly working braking system is always important in the context of safety. The aluminum monobloc parking brake with four pistons and perforated, internally ventilated disks is standard. A more than good solution when it comes to braking performance. If you still want to take advantage of a weight advantage, you can optionally order the 50 percent lighter ceramic composite brake discs for 7830 euros.
The gap between coupé and convertible is closed
Speaking of investments: Porsche has done it again and has put an extremely attractive sports car investment on the road. Fresh air fanatics should be told, however, that the convertible with almost identical performance is only 2100 euros more expensive, while the coupé is a whopping 6800 euros cheaper. It is clear that only a true Targa fan will fall back on the new Targa and its advantages, so that the conservative sales estimates from 1800 to 2000 annual Targa have their justification.
Nevertheless, the car is a perfect symbiosis of convertible and coupé, both model advantages can be used with the Targa depending on the weather and mood. The way to the dealer makes a decisive contribution to opinion-forming, and it will be worthwhile from the beginning of November. The new Targa will be available at German dealerships on November 4th and a few weeks later in the USA.
