Porsche has made strides to enhance the profile of the 992 droptop, however it still looks frumpy and strangely proportioned, the fabric roofing messing up the classic lines. And thats just visual appeals. 911 Cabriolet motorists have co-opted this brilliant open-top drivers cars and truck and turned it into an indulgent style statement.
First things first: Theres no useful factor to buy the 2021 Porsche 911 Targa over a 911 Cabriolet. The roofing system mechanism is slower to operate and more complex, and it only works while sitting still. The entire assembly is heavier too, and when the roof is open, the body isnt any stiffer than a top-down 911 Cabrio.
The 911 Targa is indulgent without being apparent. It sacrifices efficiency relative to the Coupe and convenience relative to the Cabriolet, but the oddness inherent in the style makes it cool. If youre dead set on an al fresco 911, the Targa is the only way you should go.
You cant buy a 911 Cabrio. You simply cant.
The Roof Is On Fire
As the heaviest non-Turbo 911, its affordable to expect some efficiency loss in the all-wheel-drive-only Targa, at least relative to the Coupe. At 3,658 pounds, its more than 200 pounds much heavier. The general efficiency character is largely in line with the Cabriolet, which is a simple 44 pounds lighter than the Targa.
You can feel that difference on the road. The Targa feels company enough– we didnt experience any cowl shake or other bad convertible good manners– however its less eager to change instructions and feels more easily disrupted by flaws and bumps. Press hard and it still provides a 911-worthy handling experience, though. There are high levels of lateral grip and a lot of feedback through the chassis. The steering is quick and well weighted, too. Really, the Targa is a hoot to toss around, even if its outright limitations drag the Coupe.
The 911 Targas managing character resembles the Cabriolet too, which is to say the Coupe is more agile and rigid and the ideal choice for individuals who value dealing with a lot of. The new roofing system adds weight for a start, however it likewise raises the center of mass and moves the weight balance a little bit towards the rear– you most likely will not notice these things outside of a race course. Whats more obvious, though, is that lack of rigidity. The Coupe is the most resistant to twisting movements. Keep the roofing system up and the Targa can be found in 2nd and the Convertible 3rd. Drop the tops on the latter 2, though, and the levels of torsional rigidity equal.
Where the Carrera Cab drops the ball with its fabric roofing system, the wraparound glass on the Targa retains the basic 911 shape and looks damn excellent doing it. The back window, the lack of C-pillars, and the high tail make the Targa the most appealing member of the 911 household, full stop. And from the rear three-quarter, this might be among the most fist-bitingly quite automobiles around.
Like the Cabrio, the Targa is offered in base and S variations with twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-sixes packaging 379 horse power and 331 pound-feet or 443 hp and 390 lb-ft. The result equals zero-to-60-mph sprints of 4.2 seconds for the base and 3.6 seconds for the 4S (subtract two-tenths off each number for cars and trucks with the Sport Chrono pack).
As for the real open-air experience, its difficult to tell the difference from behind the wheel in between the true convertible and this. The Targa lets in just as much sunshine as a correct convertible, although wind sound is less noticeable at greater speeds. The Targa appears to let in less engine sound than the convertible, although its worth noting we were driving a Euro-market car with a sound-stealing gas particle filter and without the sport exhaust system. Its possible when we lastly drive a US-market Targa, its noise will be more prominent.
The 911 Targa may include a similar profile to the 911 Coupe, however the standard body itself– i.e. everything however the roofing structure– comes from the Cabriolet. While the percentages of the convertible are a bit wonky, theyre that way since the material roof cant imitate the 911s shape.
Still A 911
Thats partially down to the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. Porsche will offer a seven-speed manual on the Targa four, but the base model makes do with the two-pedal rig. We d normally lament this truth, but Porsches twin-clutch transmissions are arguably the very best on earth, ripping off quick 100-millisecond equipment modifications when set for optimum attack while doing their task completely in regular travelling. Get the seven-speed if you can, but dont feel too bad about opting for the car, either.
Our Targa 4 tester felt spritely, however unlike the Carrera 4 Coupe we evaluated a few weeks earlier, a little bit more power would assist.
It doesnt hold a candle to the Cabriolet in terms of practicality. The Cabriolets folding soft leading fluctuates in just 12 seconds and works listed below 30 miles per hour. The Targas roof takes 19 seconds to run and youll require to remain fixed as the mechanical ballet plays out. And its quite the efficiency, with the whole back window lifting up and vacating past the tail of the automobile. Thankfully, the 911s rear parking sensors avoid the top from operating if youre too close to a challenge.
Our Targa 4 tester felt spritely, however unlike the Carrera 4 Coupe we evaluated a few weeks back, a little more power would assist. The Targa, owing to its additional weight, is slower in a straight line, but the engine stays a super star with ultra-linear torque and a determination to rev. This is still a very satisfying vehicle to wind out to redline.
Cost? What Cost?
Things first: Theres no practical factor to buy the 2021 Porsche 911 Targa over a 911 Cabriolet. The 911 Targa may include a comparable profile to the 911 Coupe, but the fundamental body itself– i.e. everything but the roofing system structure– comes from the Cabriolet. Where the Carrera Cab drops the ball with its material roof, the wraparound glass on the Targa maintains the basic 911 shape and looks damn great doing it. The 911 Targas managing character is similar to the Cabriolet too, which is to say the Coupe is more agile and stiff and the ideal choice for individuals who value handling most. Perhaps our preferred thing about the 911 Targa is that it does not cost any more than a Carrera 4 or 4S Cabriolet.
Rivals
Perhaps our preferred aspect of the 911 Targa is that it doesnt cost any more than a Carrera 4 or Four Cabriolet. Thats right, youll be investing the same for a complete material roofing or the more intricate design. Rates on both cars begin at $119,300 for the 4 and $135,200 for the 4S. Props to Porsche for not charging additional for the cooler body style.
The Targa costs the exact same as the convertible, is simply as fast and probably a bit more agile, is more elegant, and perhaps has better convertible manners. In the last generation, just 15 percent of all 911s included this special leading system– Porsche would not speculate on take rates for the 992 Targa, but we d wager a big chunk of change that 15 percent is likely.
