Targa trans-mania for Porsche's 911

FRESH from releasing the facelifted Coupe and Cabriolet versions of the venerable 911, Porsche has now turned its attention to the Targa.

Priced from $258,600 for the ‘entry-level’ six-speed manual Targa 4 – which is exactly what Porsche charges for the equivalent Carrera 4 Cabriolet – the glass-roof ‘hatchback’ version of the long-lived German rear-engined 2+2-seater sportscar is an eye-watering $21,600 more expensive than the model it usurps.

However, the new 33 per cent luxury car tax contributes around half of that difference, while Porsche is offering a palpably improved 911 experience for the extra outlay.

The latter is underscored by a new-generation horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine family with direct injection, the option of Porsche’s “Doppelkupplungsgetriebe” (PDK) seven-speed double-clutch transmission in lieu of the old five-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox, revised suspension tuning, an interior upgrade that includes a new centre console layout, and subtly different nose and tail treatments.

Plus, being an all-wheel drive-only proposition once again, the latest Targa joins its fellow facelifted 4WD 911s in adopting a new electronically controlled 4WD set-up, sitting beneath the wider-track coupe body that has become a hallmark of the all-paw Porsche sportscars.

But this car’s existence centres on its unique bodystyle.

Like the outgoing Targa, the new one’s side DLO (daylight opening) is more tapered than in the regular 911 Coupe, and is now distinguished by a metallic garnish (or “high-gloss polished and eloxy-plated aluminium trim bars”, according to the press blurb) running along the upper-edge of the glass area from the A-pillar to the base of the C-pillar.

Underneath these pillars are extra reinforcements to help redress the loss of rigidity compared to a Carrera 4 Coupe, resulting in body stiffness that is actually almost on a par despite the absence of a B-pillar.

Of course, the inevitable upshot is increased weight, in the region of 60kg. The lightest is 1530kg (Targa 4 manual), some 40kg below the mass of a Targa 4S PDK.

The Targa’s glazed roof sits within a module made by Magna Car Top Systems, spanning from the top of the windscreen to the top of the engine-bay lid. Covering an area of 1.54 square metres, it consists of two segments, with the front half electronically sliding first down and then beneath the rear window section sandwich-style to reveal a 45cm square aperture. This takes just seven seconds to complete.

The rear glass includes a wiper and jet-wash, is heated, employs tinted single-layer security glass, and opens just like a hatch at an angle of 60 degrees with the aid of two struts. This allows easy access to the 230-litre storage area behind the front seats with the rear pair folded. The Targa also offers an additional 25 litres of luggage space over its Coupe sibling.

An electronic latch seals the tailgate shut again with a gentle push.

A headline roof-related innovation is the use of ‘Sundim’ UV ultra-violet radiation-resisting glass, which keeps the cabin temperature tolerably low even when the car is exposed to direct sunlight during a 30-degree Celsius-plus day. How? It lets in around one-third of the available sunlight but only about 17 per cent of the thermal energy.

If this sun protection is still insufficient, an improved insulating roll cover has also been devised, upping the degree of shade protection from 50 to 96 per cent, which is the equivalent to reducing brightness from 1400 to 600 lux – or normal room illumination.

Also electronically-controlled, the fabric blind whirrs to the rear of the sliding glass portion regardless of its open position, and – like the rest of the roof functions – is controlled by a revised set of push and pull buttons located in the centre console.

Opening the roof prompts an automatically controlled multi-plate wind deflector, to help keep draughts from entering the cabin, enabling minimal turbulence and buffeting inside. Meanwhile, when the hatch is open, integrated guttering prevents rain from dripping onto the rear-seat/luggage area. For safety and durability reasons, you cannot use the sunroof with the tailgate hatch open, or vice-versa.

Like all the latest 997 911 Carrera 4 on offer, the Targa resurrects the 1998-2004 996 C4’s full-length rear reflector situated between the tail-lights. A big ‘Targa4’ or ‘Targa 4S’ badge gives the game away, too – with the ‘S’ denoting the larger of the two new engines on offer.

Leading the charge is a pair of new direct fuel injection units sparkling with improved efficiency. Available in 3.6- and 3.8-litre guises, both feature an aluminium engine block (contributing to a 5kg lighter engine than before), four overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing (known as VarioCam Plus), and dry-sump lubrication with an on-demand oil pump.

To recap, the new engine family is significantly more compact, has a much lower centre of gravity, is highly flexible for future capacity requirements ranging from 2.5 to about 4.0 litres, and has 40 per cent fewer moving parts and so is cheaper to build than before despite the expensive direct-injection technology.

With a more efficient exhaust system helping to achieve a Euro 5 emissions rating, the Targa 4’s 3.6-litre engine now delivers 254kW of power at 6500rpm (up 15kW) while the 4S’s 3.8-litre ‘six’ secures 283kW at 6000rpm instead of 216kW. Peak torque, meanwhile, rises by 20Nm in both cases – to 390Nm at 4400rpm and 420Nm at 4400rpm for the 3.6 and 3.8 respectively.

Two gearboxes are available – an Aisin six-speed manual with a higher third-gear ratio than before, and the ZF-built PDK comprising two clutches that activate two separate sets of pre-selected gear ratios. The results are quicker acceleration times but a lower top speed (3.6: 284km/h 3.8: 297km/h).

A Targa 4 packing PDK blasts to 100km/h in a claimed five seconds, while the 4S version does it in 4.7 seconds – in both cases 0.2 seconds sooner than the six-speed manual. Another 0.2 seconds is shaved off on either model with PDK if you choose the optional Sports Chrono Package Plus incorporating launch control for optimum acceleration from standstill.

Similarly, fuel consumption for the Targa 4 manual (10.6L/100km) and 4S manual (11.0L/100km) are 0.3L/100km worse than the PDK-equipped vehicles, while the manual-equipped 4 and 4S’s respective 249g/km and 259g/km CO2 emissions ratings are 7 and 8g/km shy of the PDK cars’ efforts.

These figures highlight the fact that the equivalent C4 Coupes are slightly better than the Targa in all areas.

As with the Coupe and Cabriolet, the Targa includes modified suspension and brakes compared to before, with revised springs, dampers and anti-roll bars across the range, with the latter tweaked specifically on the Targa to offset the effects of the extra mass.

A mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD) with a 22 per cent locking action under power and 27 per cent locking action in overrun, improves traction and stability through trickier corners or over rough surfaces.

Optional on the Targa 4 but standard on all 4S cars is a refined version of Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (PASM), which enhances smoothness, dynamic performance and response thanks to the inclusion of new adaptive dampers.

It is available in PASM Normal (alternating from standard comfort to a firmer set-up according to how hard the car is being driven) or PASM Sport (hardest-setting dampers, with the entire car dropped by 10mm). There is also a ‘special variant’ PASM Sport package available with unique active sports suspension, a 20mm ride-height drop and a mechanical LSD.

Meanwhile, the new electronically controlled Porsche Traction Management (PTM) AWD system replaces the viscous multi-plate clutch AWD set-up in the outgoing Targa. It continuously shifts torque from up to 100 per cent rearwards to 100 per cent forwards in extreme conditions, compared to the old car’s fixed 60:40 split.

Like the C4, the Targa is 44mm wider in the rear compared to the rear-wheel drive Carrera 2.

Porsche has developed a new hill-hold device called Start-off Assistant, to keep the Targa from rolling backwards at launch speeds.

Larger (now 330mm) disc brakes mean greater stopping ability than before, with improved ventilation and stiffness properties in the front for greater and more consistent responses, while the rear wheels now come with cross-drilled and inner-vented brake discs. On the 3.6 the callipers are black red on the 3.8 and yellow for Targas fitted with Porsche’s optional ceramic composite brakes.

Visually the 997’s transition to Series II is subtle, with redesigned front and rear bumpers, revised headlights incorporating bi-Xenon headlights with washers and daytime LED running lights, and reshaped tail-lights being the most obvious.

Look more carefully and you may notice the newly designed wheel, exhaust outlets, door mirrors (which are now larger and double armed) and front air intakes, with the latter’s shape now more in harmony with the lighting/indicator panel above. Other range-wide upgrades include a third-generation PCM3 version of the Porsche Communications Management (PCM) system, comprising a bigger new 6.5-inch touch-screen. It can be optioned with satellite-navigation including a 40GB hard drive, plus voice control and a TV tuner.

Further changes run to larger and more ergonomically user-friendly buttons in the console, and the option of ventilated front seats.

With the Targa only representing about 10 per cent of total mainstream 911 output (excluding Turbo, GT2 and GT3 specialist models), Porsche expects to sell around 40 cars next year. Most will be the PDK-equipped 4S range-topper.

And that the latest instalment in the 997 Series II story, told in “record time” (according to Porsche) so soon after the Coupe and Cabriolet versions have come on stream. The next chapters in the facelifted 911 tale will be titled ‘Turbo’ and ‘GT’ and are due soon.

Watch this space from Friday for GoAuto's first drive of Porsche's new 911 Targa.

Porsche 911 Targa pricing:
Targa 4	$258,600
Targa 4 (PDK)	$265,600
Targa 4S	$287,400
Targa 4S (PDK)	$294,400

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