The recently launched Porsche 911 Targa is likely to divide opinion. The one side will dislike it because it isn’t a ‘proper Porsche’ and why bother with a half-arsed, removable middle part of the roof when the final result is hardly the last word in convertible motoring and it theoretically compromises body rigidity?
The other side will like it because the Porsche 911 Convertible was always a bit of a funny looking old Hector with its engine all the way at the back, a ragged soft top, and the four-seater sized hole in front of it only making that more obvious. The option of a t-top 911 looks better balanced now (a bit like the old Corvettes of t-top fame) and gives the occupants some respite from prevailing weather conditions.
But whatever, because Porsche unveiled the 911 Targa in Carrera 4 and 4S form and unlike traditional t-tops that needed to roof piece to be removed manually; the new roof is fully automatic and very impressive in the 19 seconds it requires to open and close. Two models will be available from launch: the 3.4-litre, and then the top of the range 295 kW 3.8-litre Targa 4S which if specced with the Sports Chrono package will do 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds.
