Porsche 911 Targa to be launched early next year

The 911 Targa is one of the most recognisable body styles ever created within the 911 range. With its revolutionary styling and awe inspiring design elements, the newest generation 911 Targa, unveiled earlier this year will soon make its way to Indian shores very soon. Since its launch in 1965, the Targa has held a firmly established position within the Porsche 911 family as a worthy alternative to the cabriolet, representing about 13 percent of all 911 cars ever sold. The 911 Targa will join the coupe and the cabriolet bodystyles to extend the 911 range in the country.

The latest generation of the 911 Targa variant now combines the classic Targa concept with a highly advanced roof-activating mechanism. Just like the legendary original Targa, the new model has the characteristic wide bar instead of the B pillars, a moving roof part above the front seats and a wrap-around rear window without C pillars. Unlike in the older classic models, the roof panel is now opened and closed at the press of a button instead of being a separate piece as was always the case.

The roof system consists of two moving parts: a soft top and a glass rear window. At the press of a button, the glass rear window opens to the rear and tilts. At the same time, two flaps in the targa bar open and release the soft top. The soft top is unlatched, folds to the rear into a Z-shape during the opening movement and stows behind the rear seats. When the top is stowed, a wind deflector integrated in the cowl can be adjusted manually to prevent wind buffering inside the cabin. While the car is stationary, the roof can be opened or closed in about 19 seconds from controls on the centre console.

The Porsche 911 Targa will be available only with an all-wheel-drive drivetrain in the 4S guise and will be available with standard features like Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Torque Vectoring that makes it more agile than past generations. The Targa 4S will feature a 3.8-litre straight six engine giving it 400PS of peak power propelling it from 0-100kmph in 4.4-seconds. We think the Porsche 911 Targa 4S should be priced around the Rs 1.75 crore mark (ex-showroom).