The Targa model of Porsche’s lineup is turning 50 years old soon. To celebrate, Porsche decided to launch an all new higher-performance version of the 991 generation Targa model.
Porsche’s 991 Targa is a pretty trick piece of machinery with that interesting and complex folding hard top that retracts down below the rear window. The brushed finish “targa bar” gives the car a look that harkens back to the good old days of the first Porsche Targas. Porsche 991 GTS is also a pretty trick piece of machinery, looking sporty with wide bulging arches, center lock wheels, an exceptional interior, and a whole lot of standard performance features that help get your heart racing. What could be better than merging the two together? This car has everything you loved about the GTS, as well as everything you loved about the Targa. It’s the best of both worlds.
Introducing the brand new Targa 4 GTS, Porsche’s highest performance Targa model, just launched Monday at the Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS). If you love the Targa, but wanted a little bit more go, the GTS carries an extra 30 horsepower (the same engine as the Targa 4S ‘Powerkit’ would have).
One thing is for certain, this Targa is as gorgeous as any of the other GTS models we were introduced to last year. Those little GTS details, like the black wheels, black headlamp surrounds, and black exhaust tips, really do make all the difference. For the purposes of this car, I do wish they had given the ‘targa bar’ that same blackout treatment, as I think that would make it look just right. As it sits, though, it’s a tough looking open-topper. Tougher, certainly, than the delicately gorgeous cabriolet version. Given the choice, I think the Targa might just win out.
Porsche Targa 4 GTS Pricing
You can expect this car to hit showrooms in late-April with a starting price in the U.S. of $132,800 and $151,500 in Canada.
The new 911 Targa 4 GTS: More powerful, dynamic and exquisitely styled
To mark the 50th anniversary of the 911 Targa, Porsche is offering this very popular model in the more powerful and dynamic GTS version for the first time. The targa concept of the 911 Targa 4 GTS delivers very safe driving enjoyment with all-wheel drive and a rollover protection bar; it also delivers open-air fun with a targa top that stows fully automatically. Contributing to a boost in dynamic performance are the 430 hp (316 kW) GTS engine together with the standard Sport Chrono package, PASM chassis, 20-inch wheels and a sport exhaust system.
Despite its significantly extended features, the weight-to-power ratio with the 430-hp engine was improved from 3.9 kg to just 3.6 kg per horsepower compared to the S model. This lets the Targa 4 GTS reach a top speed of over 300 km/h (186 mph) with a PDK transmission, and the stopwatch records 4.3 seconds for the sprint from zero to 100 km/h (0 – 60 mph in 4.1 seconds). Although the engine produces an additional 30 hp (22 kW), its combined fuel consumption – which ranges from 9.2 to 10.0 l/100 km, depending on the type of transmission – is exactly the same as for the 911 Targa 4S.
The latest Targa can be made out at first glance as a GTS model with all-wheel drive, because – compared to the two-wheel drive 911 Carrera models – the rear wheel arches are flared an additional 22 millimeters, and the rear tires are ten millimeters wider. The front view is defined by the sport design of the car’s front end with an opening for the auxiliary middle radiator and the smoked bi-xenon headlights that feature the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS). In a side view, characteristic GTS attributes are the silky gloss black 20-inch 911 Turbo S wheels with central locks, the sport design door mirrors and “GTS” signatures on the doors. The “targa” logo on the silver rollover protection bar is also painted in silky gloss black. Black accents at the rear are the glossy trim on the air inlet screen, the model logo and the chrome tailpipes.
GTS DNA also defines the interior of the 911 Targa 4 GTS. Integrated at the center of the instrument panel is the stopwatch of the Sport Chrono package. In the front, the four-way adjustable Sport Plus seats – with their black GTS logo on the head restraints – provide additional lateral support and long-distance cruising comfort for driver and passenger. The dominant interior material is black Alcantara, which is just half the weight of leather.
The targa has been an established member of the 911 lineup since it made its debut back in 1965. Around one out of eight 911 cars ever sold was a targa. The market share of the latest generation of this exquisitely styled 911 with its characteristic rollover protection bar is 13 percent – and it is growing. With the 911 Targa 4 GTS, Porsche is extending its lineup of the modern classic by adding a top model whose extensive package of standard features and price are appealing.
The Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS will be launched in Germany from mid-March 2015. The price is 137,422 Euro including value added tax and country-specific features.
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Check Out The Mechanical Magic Porsche Uses To Open And Close The New Targa’s Top
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