Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS

Overview:

Hold the button for 20 seconds and the Car goes from a coupe to an alfresco ride as the back end in true transformers style rejoins the car into a very intriguing balley. The design brings two key pluses : First the body integrity is such that there is absolutely no cowl shape regardless of whether the top is up or down. Secondly the wraparound rear glass provide much better side lines than a traditional convertible top. Yes it is the Porsche’s 911 Targa 4 GTS. The Targa unmistakably resembles the design language of the classic Targa Florio race which Porsche have dominated in the 1960s. When Porsche launched its first open top 911, it called it Targa as a tribute to the company’s Targa Florio victories. Since then the company has tried to retain the authenticity of the design with a few modern touches. Porsche has been very successful in making the right balance of the original Targa race car design yet very modern and striking. The sporty design of the front is clear to see – yet pared down to the essentials. It’s a timeless icon with its stylish silvered finish roll bar, a revolutionary roof concept and the driving feel of an open top Porsche. So what sets apart the 911 Targa 4 GTS from a normal Porsche is that it has got a Sport Chrono Package which enables an even sportier tuning of the chassis, engine and transmission. Step into the cockpit and you will immediately be welcomed by a very functional yet impressive cabin quality. One thing you will immediately notice that the cockpit is very driver centric, everything you need is right where it should be. This 911 Targa 4 GTS has four seats, yes four seats, you’ve heard it right but the amount of space on the rear seats on offer is really not very practical. Even small children would not be able to sit properly. The roll bar intrudes in the back seat and only way you can sit is with your spine bend and a twisted neck. Definitely not the place to sit in this car. But this car is not meant to sit at the back, rather it tempts to you take control at the wheel and rocket out of the places at speeds where others would possibly dare.

Mileage and Fuel economy:

The Targa 4 GTS gets a 68 litres fuel tank. The Targa 4 GTS being a sportscar delivers a respectable mileage of 8km/l in the city which is good by sportscar standards. Hence it gives a range of 544km. However drive it with a hard foot and the fuel consumption increases.

Power:

The Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS is powered by a 3.8L naturally aspirated straight six engine which develops 430 horsepower at 7500rpm and max torque of 440Nm at 5750 rpm. The extraction of power from the engine is mainly at a higher rev range. This could be one of the last ever made naturally aspirated engines because these engines will not apply to the soon to be launch Euro 6 norms. Hence in the future we will see turbo engines with smaller capacity.

Acceleration & Pickup:

The Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS has four wheel drive up its sleeve which helps in accelerating the car without spinning the rear wheels. But what’s interesting is the way the car delivers its power, peak power comes at 7500rpm well above in the rev range which limits at 9000rpm. Anywhere between 2000 to 6000 rpm you don’t actually get that much grunt. Sure there is enough to mash up the hot hatch but it’s not as impressive by sports car standards. Put the car in sport+ mode and 0-100km/hr comes at 4.3 sec and 160km/hr comes at 9.3 sec. Find an open stretch of road and it can take you to the top speed of 301km/hr.

Exterior:

The Targa 4 GTS has a unique design element which distinguishes it from other Porsche’s is the roll bar in silver finish which not only looks beautiful but is also functional . Another striking design feature includes the rear quarter glass panels which has a smooth flowing design layout which blends right into the rear fenders. The Targa roof is a soft top roof and it takes 20sec to open or close the roof. The issue with this is that it can only be operated only when the car is stationary. The whole body is made of light weight aluminum to have a better power to weight ratio. It has everything a sports car should have: an aggressive front, a broad rear and sharp design. The front spoiler optimizes itself such that it has the right amount of air goes into the engine. The front design is characterized by the Bi-Xenon headlights including the Porsche dynamic light system (PDLS). The Porsche dynamic light system features the Bi Xenon as the main light source and halogen as an auxiliary light source. This system automatically adjusts the light by dynamic range control for more uniform illumination of road in low and high beam mode. The rear is much wider than other 911 models so it looks more muscular than others. Then you have the LED taillights and quad exhausts seamlessly blending into the design. And those massive 20 inch alloys do make a statement in itself. The whole design is extremely aerodynamic with a very low drag coefficient of 0.30Cd .

Exterior Measurements:

For a sports cars, the Targa 4 seems to be quite compact and that adds to its agility on the road. Targa 4 possesses a dimension of 4509mm of length and a width of 1852mm along with a height reaching upto 1291mm. With its long front and rear overhangs, wheelbase remains intact at 2450mm.

Interior:

The interior of the Targa 4 GTS is a typical Porsche, the cockpit is very driver centric, everything you will need is right where it should be. It has the near perfect ergonomics the seats are comfortable, there is alcantara fabric on offer for that motorsport spirit and it has got some clever bits of technology under its sleeve. The dash is uncluttered , there is the 7 speed PDK gearbox and the buttons to controls the driving modes. The steering is finished in brushed aluminum with great feel to it. You also have paddle shifters which precise and quick to use. The Targa roof even when closed, there is a lot of wind noise filtering in through the cabin. There is also an option of the GTS interior package that highlights sports performance. The interior is enhanced by accents in carmine red or platinum silver whichever you may choose. The package also includes various decorative stitching elements with the Porsche Logo on floor Mats and edges of the seat belts. The rev counter dial is also finished in the contrasting colour. This particular lightweight material is used on the dashboard trim strips and doors as well as on the central console.

Interior Comfort:

Step into the seat of the Targa and you will be surprised by how comfortable the front seats are: they hold you better, the steering feels nice to hold. The seat are finished in smooth leather with alcantara inserts and come with electric height adjust and backrest adjustment. The side bolsters and padding offers excellent lateral support. The rev counter in the centre takes all the attention and the dash is minimal yet very functional. The instrument cluster with a high resolution 4.6 inch screen provides a continuous stream of data from the on board computer. On the steering wheel an additional display in the left and right hand spokes indicates the SPORT, SPORT+ and launch control functions. The grip moldings on the steering wheel are nice to hold and ensures full control even on the sportiest of drives.

Engine and Performance:

The Porsche 911 Targa is powered by a 3.8 litre naturally aspirated straight six engine with direct fuel injection (DFI) and VarioCam plus as Porsche calls it develops a mighty 430 horsepower at 7500 rpm and achieves a maximum torque of 440Nm at 5750rpm. The engine when coupled with the Porsche’s optional PDK (Porsche Doppelkuppling) gearbox takes a mere 4.3 seconds to sprint from 0-100 km/hr and 9.3 sec to reach 160km/hr and delivers a top speed of 301km/hr. This PDK gearbox is a derived from Le Mans racing. The gear shifts are quick with no interruption in the flow of power. The first six gears are sporty and the seventh gear is a long ratio for better fuel consumption. It is the high revving nature of this engine that is a joy to use and it tempts you to go even faster than probably you would think of. Kick your foot in plant the throttle,hit seven and a half thousand rpm and suddenly it’s a different animal altogether. This is mainly because the peak power comes at a high rev range of 7500rpm and it is at this point where the glory of this engine really shines. Another thing that need S mentioning is the sport exhaust system which delivers a racing sport sound at a press of a button.

Stereo and Accessories:

This Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS comes with a CDR audio system which comes with a 7 inch touchscreen as standard. It features an integrated CD player and FM with twin tuner and RDS function, 30 memory presets, dynamic autostore and speed sensitive volume control which increases the volume of the car depending upon the speed of the car. An AUX port is also integrated in the glove compartment. It car comes standard with a nine speaker system with seven amplifier channels and a separate amplifier with total output of 235 watts. You also have an option of BOSE surround sound system or a high end Burmester sound system.

Wheels:

The Targa 4 GTS are fitted with 20 inch turbo S wheels fitted as standard in satin black finish. It also features a central locking device. The five spoke 20 inch Carrera S alloy wheels are also available as an option. These wheels look really gorgeous and they really shine on this car. These are made of forged magnesium which is inspired from the wheels used in Le Mans racing. It uses 245/35 ZR 20 summer tyres from Pirelli.

Braking and Handling:

The Targa 4 GTS comprises of a 340mm disc brake at the front and 330mm at the rear. These brakes are made of Ceramic Composites which too have been derived from motorsports . These brakes have about 50% weight of the normal disc brakes which help in enhancing the performance and fuel economy. A little tab at the brake pedal and the car has the ability to come to a standstill in no time. With Porsche’s EBD and ABS it ensures that the brake pressure is applied on all the four wheels to have a great stopping power without locking any wheel. The Porsche has a very neutral handling and is a joy to use . With adaptive suspension the car itself adjusts the suspension according to the tarmac and driving style. The ride quality is near perfect whether it is in the city or on the racetrack. It soaks most of the undulations of the urban road yet having great composure at a racetrack.

Safety and Security:

The Targa 4 GTS is equipped with Anti lock braking system(ABS) and an electronic brake distribution(EBD). It has carbon ceramic brakes on all four wheels which have a great bite during emergency braking. Moreover the body shell is made stiffer and stronger to protect its occupants in case of a crash. Moreover it comes with eight airbags, three point seat belts at the front and rear. It has Porsche’s side impact protection system with side impact absorbing elements on each door.

Pros

1.
Naturally aspirated engine is a real icon 2.
Superb ride and handling 3.
Weighted responsive steering

Cons

1.
Narrow trunk space with limited storing capacity 2.
Claustrophobic rear seats , not even suitable for children 3.
Expensive optional packages