Porsche is expanding the 992-generation 911 lineup so fast, it's hard to keep up. It recently unveiled the Turbo and Turbo S model, the latter of which has also received India-specific pricing, and now it has released a teaser for the upcoming 911 Targa. The Targa variant of the 911 sits in a niche spot. If you want a fixed roof car, you’d end up buying the standard coupe. If you want a convertible, you’d be looking at a cabriolet. Right? Well, the Targa is a clever choice in the sense that it provides all the fun of open top motoring, and while you’re out to dinner, you won’t be worried about a passerby taking a knife to your cabriolet’s cloth roof. The majestic operation of the roof is an added benefit. The teaser video Porsche has put doesn’t actually mention what variant is being revealed, but the peculiar shape of the rear screen and support structure is a dead giveaway that it is indeed the Targa.
Recent iterations of the Targa variant have been offered with all-wheel-drive as standard, and get the same specifications as the Carrera 4 or Carrera 4S under the hood. This means that there will likely be a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer engine producing 373bhp and 448Nm of torque in the Targa and 436bhp and 528Nm of torque in the Targa S. if the 991-generation car is anything to go by, there should be a spicier Targa GTS coming later.
The reveal of the new Targa will happen via Porsche’s very own 9:11 Magazine’s website on May 18. There is another premiere planned for June 2. There is no information on what that model will be but interestingly, Porsche says it will be “an exclusive, limited edition”. An exclusive run of Carreras with a special paintjob? The 718 GT4 RS we've been waiting for? It's anyone's guess at this point.
While Targa’s are fairly popular in international markets, they haven’t done too well in India in the past. There are only a handful of them around in our country and the added cost over the cabriolet, and lesser performance thanks to the heavy roof mechanism, means the Targa model is only for those Porsche aficionados that prioritise the driving experience over the numbers on paper. I personally love the Targa, the large glass area, unique shape and roof mechanism make this such a cool model in the iconic 911 lineup. Can’t wait to see it in the flesh!