Classic roof for new Porsche 911 Targa

Porsche has taken inspiration from the past for the styling of the latest 911 Targa, mixing classic design elements that evoke the 1967 original with the modern-day convenience of open-top motoring at the push of a button.

Revealed at the Detroit motor show today, the new 911 Targa is based around the same bodyshell as the 911 Carrera 4 cabriolet and shares the same four-wheel drive mechanical package. 

Key among the classic styling cues is a fixed B-pillar hoop that extends over the cockpit, boosting structural integrity. As with the original, it sports a matt chrome finish.

A further throwback design feature is the new car’s convex rear screen. The one-piece glass structure is attached to the rear bodywork and mimics the dome shape of the rear of the Porsche 911 cabriolet’s fabric roof.

While the original 911 Targa boasted a roof panel that could be removed and manually stowed in the front luggage compartment, the new model receives a fully automatic structure that operates at the press of a button.

In a process similar to that of the 911 cabriolet, the rear bodywork, complete with the rear screen and engine lid, motors rearwards, while the fabric-covered roof panel motors backwards before stowing behind the rear seats, preserving the 2+2 seating layout and 125-litre luggage capacity up front.

The 911 Targa is due in the UK in May with the same choice of naturally aspirated flat six petrol engines as other regular 911 models. Included is a 345bhp 3.4-litre engine in the 911 Targa 4 and a more powerful 395bhp 3.8-litre unit in the 911 Targa 4S. They come with a seven-speed manual or optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Four-wheel drive is standard.

Performance figures for manual-equipped models are yet to be made official. However, Porsche claims that the 911 Targa 4 fitted with the PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono package has a 0-62mph time of 4.8sec, a top speed of 175mph, combined fuel economy of 32.5mpg and average CO2 emissions of 204g/km. A similarly specified 911 Targa 4S posts 0-62mph in 4.4sec, 184mph, 30.7mpg and 214g/km.

In the UK, the Targa 4 is priced from £86,281 and the Targa 4S from £96,316.