As it has done with past generations, Porsche is expanding its 911 family with the newest Carrera 4S’ debut in Targa, coupé and cabriolet forms. This doubles the current number of AWD 911 models, significantly expanding the iconic sports car’s standard model range. An extensively revised powertrain provides more emotive driving over previous iterations, with the overall package rounded out with greater scope for individualisation and more standard equipment than ever before.
With all-wheel drive ensuring maximum traction in regions with poor weather & challenging road conditions, around half of all 911 S customers specify this powertrain for the greater confidence it inspires behind the wheel. Driving dynamics are rear-biased as they are on the non-S AWD 911s, with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) channeling more drive torque to the front axle for increased traction & stability when needed. The front differential’s clutch assembly is still water-cooled as it has been on previous models, with an optimized gear ratio.
Power comes from the Carrera S’ uprated 3 liter twin-turbo boxer-6 engine producing 480 PS, with a 30 PS increase over the outgoing model thanks to an optimized 911 Turbo-derived intercooler system. With power going to all four wheels via the 8-speed PDK, the 911 Carrera 4S Coupé with Sport Chrono Package hits 100 km/h from rest in 3.3 seconds on its way to a 308 km/h maximum speed.
As it has been since 2006, all-wheel drive is the only powertrain available on the 911 Targa, which now celebrates 60 years of combining open convertible driving pleasures with a coupé’s uncompromised all-season comfort & usability. The original version was in fact Porsche’s response to US market concerns regarding the safety of soft-top convertibles, and was colloquially dubbed the ‘safety cabriolet’ upon its debut at September 1965’s IAA motor show in Frankfurt am Main.
A long-standing 911 Targa visual signature, its wide & elegant roll bar was inspired by motorsport like many of Porsche’s other innovations; even its moniker was derived from Sicily’s famous Targa Florio endurance race. With a removable roof panel & folding rear window, the system gave drivers the soulfully free-spirited sensations of driving a topless convertible while still providing a sense of safe security.
With over six decades of design & engineering evolution, the 911 Targa has rightfully become every inch an automotive cultural icon. 1993’s 993-generation 911 Targa introduced an electrically sliding glass roof panel, meaning owners no longer had to manually remove or install their roof when weather conditions took less appealing turns. Furthermore, the 2014 model debuted a fully automatic roof mechanism that transitions into its open setting with a spectacularly choreographed sequence; this has become another aesthetic trademark in its own right.
The glass rear window folds backwards, enabling the roof segment to retract elegantly and nestle in beneath it. Clear tributes to the original Targa’s visual elements are embodied in the new model’s wide roll bar & wraparound rear window, while the roof module can be specified in a choice of red, black, blue or brown colours.
992.2 generation AWD 911s will now get a greater standard equipment range than previous models, including a sports exhaust system, updated 20 & 21-inch Carrera S wheels, and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+). They will also get the GTS models’ braking system with red brake callipers, 408 mm front discs & 380 mm rear discs. Rear-wheel steering features as standard on the 911 Targa 4S, aiding agility & handling prowess. Across all 3 models, buyers will now have access to extensive individualisation options on request, including widely varied colour and material combinations alongside sound, assistance & roof systems.
