DRIVING around Singapore was a breeze, thanks to the open top mechanical Targa roof.
When I first saw the first generation Porsche 911 Targa in the late 1970s, I immediately fell in love with the bended rear windshield, aluminum roll bar and the distinctive foldable fabric roof which one can remove and tuck away for an open-top driving experience.
Fast forward to this year (last week to be exact), this writer was handed the keys to the new generation 911 Targa in Singapore for a whole-day test drive around the island.
As Porsche expanded its current generation of the 911, dubbed as the 911 series, the new Targa 911 now joins the coupé and convertible in its the product lineup.
Currently, the Targa comes only in the Targa 4 and Targa 4 S variants.
Since 1965, with the introduction of the 911 model, the Targa has been a part of the 911 family, comprising about 13 percent of all Porsche 911s ever produced as of date.
But the classic “Targa” bar was last seen about 20 years ago, in the 964 series.
In 1996, while Porsche still continued the 911 Targa name in the 993 series, the Targa lost its classic flat roll bar and instead had an entire roof designed as a continuous glass panel.
The front glass sunroof can be lowered and stowed under the folding glass rear window. This design continued with the 996 and 997 series until 20 years later, when Porsche again revived the classic Targa look.
The total production run for the 911 as of date is estimated to be about 853,000 units since production started about 50 years ago. Last year, as Porsche celebrated the 50th birthday of the 911, more than 30,200 Porsche 911 cars were sold globally.
By combining the classic and distinctive aluminum roll bar and an ingenious and highly advanced motorized roof, the new Targa offers the convenience and drivability of the new 911 and classic retro look of the original Targa.
The new 911 Targa model retained its wide bar, replacing the B pillars of its coupé sibling and a wraparound rear window without any C pillars.
With the flick of a button, a fully automatic roof system tucks in the soft top in a mechanical- and origami-like fashion, without the hassle of manually removing the foldable soft top like in the older classic Targa.
The rear edge of the soft top terminates at the fixed Targa bar. The bar has an inner steel antiroll bar and outer elements made of painted diecast aluminum. The three gills (slits) on the bar and the “targa” badges, one on each side, pay tribute to the original 1965 Targa.
While the two variants of the new Targa come in the same all-wheel-drive platform, there are two engines choices.
The 911 Targa 4 has the 3.4-liter flat-six engine with a power output of 257 kW (350 HP), and can be fitted with the Porsche PDK and Sport Chrono package.
It accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 4.8 seconds and has a top speed of 282 kph with a manual transmission.
The high model variant which is the 911 Targa 4S develops 294 kW (400 HP) from a slightly bigger 3.8-liter engine.
With a top speed of 296 kph, it sprints to 100 kph in just 4.4 seconds when equipped with the PDK and the Sport Chrono package.
Cabin comfort and safety
Porsche spared no expense in designing the new Targa. The materials used in the roof shell is magnesium in a roof bow fashion that stretches its fabric hood very tightly. This is the same technology used in the panel bow roof of the 911 Carrera Cabriolet.
It also uses additional insulation under the soft top, providing thermal protection and reducing driving noise when the roof is up.
The 911 Targa body is loosely based on the structure of the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, providing additional weight savings because of its aluminum and steel construction combined with excellent structural rigidity.
Just like the first generation Targa, the fixed Targa bar provides exceptionally good protection in the unlikely event the car should roll over.
Porsche also uses the now-standard Porsche Side Impact Protection System (POSIP) with six full-size airbags that provide additional all-round protection to the driver and front passenger. This makes the 911 Targa one of the safest convertible sports cars in the world.
Driving impressions
Even at first glance, the new 911 Targa is visibly wider than the previous generation 997. But despite this added width, it is as nimble as the previous generation 911s.
When driving on open roads, turning up the sport exhaust system at the press of a button allows the exhaust system to be dethrottled, merging its two exhaust lines and giving it an even more throatier sound and improved performance.
The new fully variable, all-wheel-drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM) gave this writer the confidence and agility in some of the twisty backroads of Singapore.
For more information, contact Porsche Center Philippines at 727-0381 to 85, or visit its showroom located at 201 Edsa Mandaluyong City.
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