Porsche 911 Targa: German Glass Top

Motoring Channel Staff - 30/July/2008

Stuttgart, Germany — When Porsche's updated 2009 model 911 Carrera broke cover, the world didn't exactly go wild.

That's because the changes weren't overly obvious. There were updates to the way the car looks, but they were subtle.

The biggest changes were under the skin and involved, for the first time, a dual clutch automatic Doppelkupplungsgetriebe gearbox (nicknamed PDK).

Porsche's second facelifted model, the 911 Targa which will also make its public debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, has now emerged and adds things like a retractable glass roof and AWD to the equation.

The glass roof is an interesting design feature, covering more than one-and-a-half square metres that stretches from the top of the windscreen to the boot. 

The roof is made from anti-glare UV resistant glass and also slides open at the touch of a button, providing an open-air feeling, and is fitted with a sunblind for good measure.

Other new measures for the Porsche Targa models include an updated AWD system that is electronically controlled by PTM, or Porsche Traction Management, which "replaces the former all-wheel drive with its viscous multiple-plate clutch" says Porsche. 

The new system is expected to improve roadholding but the Porsche 911 Targa models are also heavier than the rear-wheel drive Carrera models and hence are not as quick to accelerate.

For example, the 911 Carrera and the 911 Targa 4 share the same 3.6-litre 6-cylinder boxer engine. 

This engine outputs 254 kilowatts (345hp) and propels the Carrera from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, but it takes the entry-level Targa 5.0 seconds.

Fitted with a larger and more powerful 3.8-litre boxer engine is the Porsche Targa 4S, which can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds. 

It should be mentioned however that these acceleration times are an improvement on previous models, thanks in large part to the new 7-speed PDK dual clutch gearbox.

This newly developed gearbox improves fuel efficiency somewhat and also has an aggressive launch control system.

Both the Porsche Targa 4 and Targa 4S boxer engines now feature direct gasoline injection, which is chiefly how the power gains were met. The Targa 4S gets a power boost of 22kW (30hp) which takes taking peak power 283kW (385hp). 

Porsche 911 Targa 4
Power: 254kW @ 6500rpm
Torque: 390Nm @ 4400rpm
Engine: 3.6-litre, 6-cylinder boxer
0-100km/h: 5.0 seconds (PDK)
Top speed: 283km/h
Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 7-speed PDK 

Porsche 911 Targa 4S
 Power: 283kW @ 6500rpm
Torque: 420Nm @ 4400rpm
Engine: 3.8-litre 6-cylinder boxer
0-100km/h: 4.7 seconds (PDK)
Top Speed: 296km/h
Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 7-speed PDK

Like the updated 911 Carrera models, the Targa cars get a tweaked new look that includes LED driving lights and brake lights, subtle new changes to the front end and also a long strip of polished chrome along the windowline to highlight it's glass-roofed appeal.

The car's interior has also been changed, first and foremost benefitting from the new Porsche Communication Management 3.0 system. 

This adds an LCD touchscreen that can be optioned with a new hard drive satellite navigation system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, iPod and USBconnectivity.

The new 2009 Porsche 911 Targa range will begin sales after its Paris Motor Show debut in October, and should be arriving in Australia in 2009.

Related Links:
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- Porsche Hatchback (2012)
- Porsche Panamera (2010)
- Porsche Cayenne Turbo S (2008)
- Rich Britons Prefer Porsche (2007)
- Cayman S Porsche Design Edition 1 (2007)
- Porsche 911 GT2 (2007)
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