Photo: original image by autoevolution
We recently took Porsche’s 2015 Targa for a spin and aside from enjoying its open-air motoring charms, we came to the conclusion that the model is a good measure of just how hypocritical the world of car aficionados is.
The 991-generation Targa came to the world at the beginning of the year in Detroit and many were happy Porsche dropped the sliding glass roof design of the past three Targa generations, returning to the look of the original 1960s Targa. So far so good, but there are the same people that complain the 911’s design hasn’t changed too much over half a century of market presence.
A similar thing happened when Porsche expanded the circular design of the 911’s headlights with the 996 generation. Many protested, determining the Germans to return to the classic styling with the 997 incarnation of the rear-engined coupe. Then people complained some more about Porsche being too conservative with the design. Amusing.
As for the aforementioned open-air delights, we experiences this in a test car that is what we’d call technically gifted. The list of optional tech goodies on our Targa 4S was topped by the PDCC (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control). In English, these are active stabilizer bars.
This takes the PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) adaptive suspension’s game to a whole new level. The 911 is already a truly practical proposal, but the dual personality enrichment brought by the PDCC refines this even further.
What the Targa does for the 911 is to accentuate the Grand Tourer side of its character. The result is a sportscar that fits the “everyday driver” label like a glove. Sure, the package is not without its downsides and we’re referring to the extra weight here. At 3,472 lbs (1,575 kg), the Targa 4S is 88 lbs (40 kg) heavier than the Cabriolet and 242 lbs (110 kg) heavier compared to the Coupe, which is why we recommend going for the S, not the standard model. The 400 horses sort things out in a manner that allows you to enjoy the acceleration process in almost any traffic conditions.
In fact, we even went though a pretty tangled up detour during our review. How did the car handle such circumstances? Find out in our 2015 Porsche 911 Targa review.
A similar thing happened when Porsche expanded the circular design of the 911’s headlights with the 996 generation. Many protested, determining the Germans to return to the classic styling with the 997 incarnation of the rear-engined coupe. Then people complained some more about Porsche being too conservative with the design. Amusing.
As for the aforementioned open-air delights, we experiences this in a test car that is what we’d call technically gifted. The list of optional tech goodies on our Targa 4S was topped by the PDCC (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control). In English, these are active stabilizer bars.
This takes the PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) adaptive suspension’s game to a whole new level. The 911 is already a truly practical proposal, but the dual personality enrichment brought by the PDCC refines this even further.
What the Targa does for the 911 is to accentuate the Grand Tourer side of its character. The result is a sportscar that fits the “everyday driver” label like a glove. Sure, the package is not without its downsides and we’re referring to the extra weight here. At 3,472 lbs (1,575 kg), the Targa 4S is 88 lbs (40 kg) heavier than the Cabriolet and 242 lbs (110 kg) heavier compared to the Coupe, which is why we recommend going for the S, not the standard model. The 400 horses sort things out in a manner that allows you to enjoy the acceleration process in almost any traffic conditions.
In fact, we even went though a pretty tangled up detour during our review. How did the car handle such circumstances? Find out in our 2015 Porsche 911 Targa review.
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