It has been 52 years since the first Porsche 911 and the 2+2 high-performance sports car has successfully established itself as a design and performance icon in the annals of motoring history.
But amongst the 911 family, the drop-top Targa has been the one car that ably distinguishes itself from the others with its free-spirited wind-in-your hair driving experience coupled with the relative safety of a roll hoop that protects occupants in the unlikely event of the car turning turtle.
And when you combine Porsche's distinct GTS brand of performance, design and emotion into an icon such as the 911 Targa, it results in a car that, quite literally, stirs the soul.
Driving the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS during Porsche's GTS Experience in Malaga, down in the South of Spain, we got to enjoy the fresh Spring sunshine behind the wheel of a strikingly stylish drop-top that's completed by a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine, four-wheel drive, race car-like handling and a level of comfort that's no less comfortable than a Business-class seat on your favourite airline.
Exterior
Picturesque highland roads make up the Porsche 911 Targa's natural habitat. And in GTS guise, like the 'Carmine Red' colour that you see here, the 911 Targa 4 GTS shone bright like a ray of sunlight through a swathe of clouds.
But amongst the 911 family, the drop-top Targa has been the one car that ably distinguishes itself from the others with its free-spirited wind-in-your hair driving experience coupled with the relative safety of a roll hoop that protects occupants in the unlikely event of the car turning turtle.
And when you combine Porsche's distinct GTS brand of performance, design and emotion into an icon such as the 911 Targa, it results in a car that, quite literally, stirs the soul.
Driving the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS during Porsche's GTS Experience in Malaga, down in the South of Spain, we got to enjoy the fresh Spring sunshine behind the wheel of a strikingly stylish drop-top that's completed by a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine, four-wheel drive, race car-like handling and a level of comfort that's no less comfortable than a Business-class seat on your favourite airline.
Exterior
Picturesque highland roads make up the Porsche 911 Targa's natural habitat. And in GTS guise, like the 'Carmine Red' colour that you see here, the 911 Targa 4 GTS shone bright like a ray of sunlight through a swathe of clouds.
Immediately noticeable on the Targa 4 GTS are the blacked out badges and Targa name on the aluminium hoop. The black accents underscore the car's enhanced sportiness and GTS heritage, extending from the head light rims all the way to the ventilation screen on the rear boot lid.
In between, you'd find large 20-inch Turbo S design wheels (complete with central locks) and black chrome sports exhaust pipes. Topping off the aesthetic appeal of the car are smoked out taillights and a ride height that's 10mm lower than the 'regular' 911 Targa.
Interior
In keeping with its performance-orientated appearance, the inside of the Targa 4 GTS is replete with materials from that vein. You'd find touch points in the car, like the steering wheel, gear knob, side door panels and the centre section of the racing seats upholstered in alcantara. And where alcantara isn't used, you'd find contrast-stitched leather or carbon fibre panels.
In motion, the car proved to be an exceedingly comfortable machine to be in. It might be specified with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) dynamics for nifty handling round corners, but in terms of comfort, it surprised us by being supple enough to make bumpy cobblestone roads, speed bumps and blocky road humps disappear from notice.
In keeping with its performance-orientated appearance, the inside of the Targa 4 GTS is replete with materials from that vein. You'd find touch points in the car, like the steering wheel, gear knob, side door panels and the centre section of the racing seats upholstered in alcantara. And where alcantara isn't used, you'd find contrast-stitched leather or carbon fibre panels.
In motion, the car proved to be an exceedingly comfortable machine to be in. It might be specified with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) dynamics for nifty handling round corners, but in terms of comfort, it surprised us by being supple enough to make bumpy cobblestone roads, speed bumps and blocky road humps disappear from notice.
Perhaps the only quibble we had with the car was that with the roof down, the minimal insulation allowed a fair bit of wind noise to permeate the cabin. But as we preferred to drive it with the roof folded in the crisp Spring air, and the wind in our hair, we hardly noticed this insignificant fault.
The Drive
On the country roads that snaked in between charming Spanish villages, the Targa 4 GTS proved to be nothing less than exhilarating. It may have been our first time driving on the route, but like an agile mountain goat, the car was able to negotiate every sweeping corner and blind turn with poise, balance and speed.
When the need arose to take advantage of the brief window to overtake on the narrow single-lane roads, the seven-speed PDK was always ready to jump down a gear and harness the entirety of the naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine's 430bhp (30bhp more than the 4S) and 440Nm of torque to complete the overtaking manoeuvre.
Make no doubts about it, the Targa 4 GTS will easily make 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds with the seven-speed PDK automatic, but the best and, perhaps, the most memorable part about pushing the car all the way to its 301km/h top speed was the angry growl of the sports exhausts system that gurgled and popped as the revs changed.
On the country roads that snaked in between charming Spanish villages, the Targa 4 GTS proved to be nothing less than exhilarating. It may have been our first time driving on the route, but like an agile mountain goat, the car was able to negotiate every sweeping corner and blind turn with poise, balance and speed.
When the need arose to take advantage of the brief window to overtake on the narrow single-lane roads, the seven-speed PDK was always ready to jump down a gear and harness the entirety of the naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine's 430bhp (30bhp more than the 4S) and 440Nm of torque to complete the overtaking manoeuvre.
Make no doubts about it, the Targa 4 GTS will easily make 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds with the seven-speed PDK automatic, but the best and, perhaps, the most memorable part about pushing the car all the way to its 301km/h top speed was the angry growl of the sports exhausts system that gurgled and popped as the revs changed.
Put through its paces on the track, we got to enjoy the breadth of the Targa 4 GTS's abilities. While it feels a little heftier than its 911 siblings, the car still demonstrates an ability to flow through the 5.4km long Ascari circuit and its 26 corners with precise gracefulness. Driving on a circuit is always a challenging experience, but the car's composure puts any anxieties to rest, allowing this driver to focus his efforts on challenging himself to drive a clean line.
Conclusion
Harmonising performance, design and emotion, the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS has proved itself to be an outstandingly enjoyable car that is as adept on the daily commute as it is on the racetrack. And if long drives out of the city are your way of relaxing, the degree of comfort in the car will ensure that it'll be as comfortable a drive as it is relaxing.
So now, please excuse us as we go out for that one last spin before the long road home as it won't be till the third quarter of this year that we'll see the car make an appearance in Singapore.
Conclusion
Harmonising performance, design and emotion, the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS has proved itself to be an outstandingly enjoyable car that is as adept on the daily commute as it is on the racetrack. And if long drives out of the city are your way of relaxing, the degree of comfort in the car will ensure that it'll be as comfortable a drive as it is relaxing.
So now, please excuse us as we go out for that one last spin before the long road home as it won't be till the third quarter of this year that we'll see the car make an appearance in Singapore.
