2007 Porsche 911 Targa 4, 4S

Porsche 911 Targa 4 – 2007 Preview: So this is a hatchback. Nah – this is a , a fun to drive, sexy cat built on Porsche engineering – and a few innovations tossed in for good measure. Case in point: the Porsche 911 Targa now comes with a panoramic roof that opens, and also offers up all-wheel-drive and a choice in powertrains. Available now at a dealership near you, for a sticker price of $85,700 (911 Targa 4) and $95,900 for the Targa 4S.

Why it matters

Elegant, traditional and modern, it's a new variant on the 911 from which car shoppers can choose. Now, with the panoramic roof, powertrain choices and safety features like six airbags and all-wheel-drive, the Targa adds a new choice to the 911 line. As the only hatchback, it also adds functionality – which, when you add beauty, is a very nice combination.

What's under the Hood

Targa shoppers get to choose between two powertrains, the 325-horsepower, 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine in the 911 Targa 4 or the 355-horsepower 3.8-liter "boxer" six in the 911 Targa 4S. Performance-wise, you can count on 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds in the Targa 4, and just 4.9 in the Targa 4S. Both Targas come with the full array of Porsche technologies, such as Active Suspension Management technology (optional on the Targa 4), Porsche Stability Management and advanced braking systems.

What's Inside

The news inside is how to look outside, meaning the roof. The Targa's nice, as it's made from two glass panels and extends across virtually the entire width and length of the passenger compartment. Both panels are made to absorb "nearly all" ultraviolet rays. Or so says Porsche. For that wind in the hair feeling, the front part of the glass roof slides open.

What the Porsche Says

Porsche calls the new Targa an automotive icon, talks about its "evolution" and waxes poetic about the new, wider rear end and chrome "flyline," known to most as a roofline. They're most proud of the all-wheel-drive, the engine choices and the glass roof.

What We Think

With sales, and profits, up, this is the kind of car that an automaker such as Porsche can debut at an Auto Show, with a gleam in their eye and a jingle in their pocket. It's a Targa with a glass roof, and while some would say big deal to that, we say that's a fair thing better than another CUV with a glass roof.

Photos courtesy of Ron Perry, Porsche