For the past couple decades, every new generation of the Porsche 911 has followed a simple rollout template. First come the “basic” versions — the Carreras, both in S and non-S, rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive, coupe and cabriolet forms. Then come the rest of the lot: your more powerful Turbos, your racier GT3s — and, of course, your Targas.
And the 992-generation 911 is no exception: while we still haven’t (officially) met the new 911 GT3, the new Targa models have now rolled onto the scene.
Like the previous generation, all of the 2021 Porsche 911 Targas come with all-wheel-drive, and with two different levels of power: there’s the 911 Targa 4 and the 911 Targa 4S. Those powertrains are identical to the ones found in the 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Carrera 4S: the Targa 4’s version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat six makes 379 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, while the Targa 4S’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo makes 443 hp and 390 lb-ft. The Targa 4S is, unsurprisingly, faster, vaulting from 0 to 60 mph in a claimed (and likely conservative) 3.4 seconds on the way to a 188 mph top speed, but the Targa 4 is no slouch, doing the 0-60 in a claimed four seconds flat and topping out at 179 mph.
But 911 Targas have long been more about style than absolute speed (at least, by Porsche standards). The 992-generation versions continue that trend by once again bringing a retro-inspired roll bar and fixed rear glass, providing the elegant looks of a coupe with the open-air joie de conduire of a convertible. Should the skies open up, a fixed fabric roof panel on flat magnesium elements deploys from beneath the glass, dropping into place above the occupants.
Style is rarely cheap, of course. The Targa 4 and Targa 4 S each costs the same as their Carrera 4 Cabriolet and Carrera 4S Cabriolet siblings: $119,300 and $135,200, respectively, before the $1,350 delivery fee. That’s $12,800 more than their coupe equivalents — a not-insignificant sum, even in 911-world. Still, if you’re looking for the timeless appeal of a 911 coupe and the wind-in-your-hair feel of a convertible at the same time, the Targa is the only way you’ll find it at your Porsche dealer.
Oh, and did we mention that the Targa 4S can be optioned with a seven-speed manual gearbox? Because it can.
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