The Porsche Targa 4S for sale is touted as being “more efficient and with greater sprinting power,” than the 4, showing the further refinement of the turbocharged engines and design. Ride height has been lowered by an additional 10 millimeters and fuel consumption is reduced by up to 12 percent in the car. Despite the decrease, power from the turbocharged 3.0- liter six-cylinder engine is increased to 420 horsepower. With electro-hydraulically controlled all-wheel-drive and the optional PDK and Sport Chrono packages, the 4 achieves 0-60 mph runs in just 4.2 seconds. The Targa is also equipped with a seven-speed manual transmission.

 

Just when you think you can’t be surprised by a Porsche 911, they reinvent the classic with a modern twist that makes you fall in love again. I am, of course, talking about the 911 Targa. I have always regarded it as a compromise in the lineup, neither one thing, nor the other, unmistakable, yet without its own true identity.

 

At this year’s Detroit auto show I saw this reincarnation of a classic up close and personal, and I was impressed. The exterior design has somehow brought a cool factor to the large B-pillar hoop by making it a design cue to be embraced, not hidden. I love the convex, wraparound rear window, which seamlessly connects the roof to the rear, and the huge rear tires give the 911 Targa 4S an enticing athletic stature.

 

While I am normally more about the driving experience than how a roof works, this power top is extraordinary when in action. It is so clever and complicated I actually looked around to make sure I had an audience to watch it transform from open, to closed, and back. As with the other all-wheel-drive 911s, the new Targa 4S has a wider track and rear bodywork, and a purposefully clean interior that is both nostalgic and current.

 

Of course, the whole roof assembly equals more weight, and at 240 pounds heavier than a 911 coupe, the suspension has been tuned to compensate accordingly. As I drove the sports car around it never felt harsh. In fact, such is the talent of the Porsche engineers. I really felt I had the best of both worlds. Even though the chassis is supposedly half as rigid as a coupe’s, I never felt it let me down, even when pushing hard. Loads of rubber on the road, AWD, and the exhilaration of ‘almost’ open-air driving meant every sense was occupied in a great way, so perhaps I didn’t notice and/or care anyway. Shifting gears using Porsche’s PDK is always fun, and in Sport mode the faster shifts and throttle response mean you drive the Targa with the same gusto as any other 911.

 

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