Targa 4s: is this the world’s most desirable Porsche 911?

Porsche’s Targa 4s, a halfway house between coupé and drop-top, is an attractive proposition. Daré Mustapha reports.

The Porsche Targa, when it first appeared in 1965, was “cutting edge”, says Curtis Moldrich in Car magazine. The original idea was to design a safer version of the drop-top. Rather than stripping the roof off completely, the Targa had a removable roof panel. The result was a stiffer and safer car. Now that drop-tops are routinely much safer and sturdier, the Targa would now seem only to combine all the drawbacks of a cabriolet and a coupé. Still, it remains “one of the most desirable” 911s you can buy, even if only for the looks. 

The latest model, the Targa 4s, combines a comfortable ride with an almost instantaneous throttle response and signature constant linear acceleration. It produces 443bhp from a six-cylinder, three-litre engine with twin turbochargers and “puts it to the road” via a refined all-wheel-drive system. “As in the vanilla 4S, Porsche’s four-wheel system is a non-intrusive wonder, quietly diverting power between the axles for the perfect blend of grip and driver engagement.”

That four-wheel-drive system will put off purists looking for a classic 911 driving experience, says Stuart Gallagher in Evo. Still, the all-weather traction and security it brings makes it an attractive proposition for most users and it means that, “when opportunities allow and speeds climb”, it feels “as planted and sure-footed as you would both want and expect”. And the removable roof is stashed away under the rear seats by a slick automatic mechanism in only 19 seconds, making it ideal for English stop-start rainy weather.

The Targa “rides with plenty of purpose”, says Simon Davis in Autocar, but it’s “not so firm that you’d think twice” about using it as a long-legged grand tourer too. This is a sports car in which you could “quite happily endure big-mile schleps”. The rear-driven coupé may be the better driver’s car. The Carrera S Cabriolet is £5,600 cheaper. But the Targa remains an attractive option for those after an all-wheel-drive drop-top. True, much of its draw is its “poser appeal”. “But there’s more driver appeal to go along with that than ever before.” 

Price: £109,725. Top speed: 189mph. 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds. 

Recommended

Government expected to delay increase in state pension age to 68
Pensions

Government expected to delay increase in state pension age to 68

The increase in state pensions age to age 68 could be shelved amid concerns over falling life expectancy.
22 Mar 2023
Bank bailouts are bullish for bitcoin and gold
Investments

Bank bailouts are bullish for bitcoin and gold

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse has shaken investor confidence in the global financial system. Dominic Frisby explains what this…
22 Mar 2023
What is happening to house prices?
Personal finance

What is happening to house prices?

House prices may have been slowing down, but asking prices are on the rise. We look at the latest on what is happening to house prices as ONS releases…
22 Mar 2023
Five changes to state pensions coming next month
Pensions

Five changes to state pensions coming next month

There are several changes happening to state pensions in April. We explain what’s happening.
22 Mar 2023

Most Popular

Rightmove: UK house prices up £3,000 as property market rebounds
House prices

Rightmove: UK house prices up £3,000 as property market rebounds

Rightmove’s latest house price index shows the property market has been resilient despite an economic downturn
20 Mar 2023
Can I avoid IHT by stuffing all my money into a pension?
Personal finance

Can I avoid IHT by stuffing all my money into a pension?

The ditching of the lifetime allowance could enable millions of pension savers to avoid inheritance tax. We explain how.
20 Mar 2023
Will energy prices go down in 2023?
Personal finance

Will energy prices go down in 2023?

Ofgem’s price cap is now predicted to fall below £2,000, based on average typical use, from July, for the first time since 2022. We have all the detai…
21 Mar 2023