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2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 Luxury Sports Car Review

Benjamin Hunting
by Benjamin Hunting
October 24, 2014
9 min. Reading Time
2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 ・  Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Nostalgia isn’t just for muscle cars and Beetles – it’s also a useful tool for luxury brands like Porsche, who prefer to use nomenclature like ‘heritage’ when describing models like the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4.  Make no mistake, however: the 911 Targa 4, with its retractable fabric roof panel and clear nod to the 1965 911 Targa that made the name famous is definitely intended to stir memories encoded deep within the DNA of Porsche-philes.

It also happens to add yet another unique variant to a family of sports cars that already features a universe of variation in orbit around the 911 nameplate.  When you’re dedicated to refining a single concept ad infinitum, the devil is in the details, and with the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 you’ve got to have an appreciation for the mechanical majesty that the German automaker has baked into this flashy not-quite-convertible to justify its premium price.

Models and Prices

Just how much will the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 set you back?  In base trim – which I should note includes all-wheel drive, as confirmed by the numeral ‘4’ trailing the Targa on the order sheet – you’ll have to fork over $101,600.  This represents a $10,000 premium over the fixed-roof 911 Carrera 4, and roughly $1,500 in savings versus the Carrera 4 Cabriolet.  The sum nets you not just the unique targa top, but also 19-inch rims, a sport steering wheel, a touchscreen navigation system and infotainment system that also includes CD and DVD players, auto-leveling HID headlights, cruise control, a trip computer, power adjustable heated side mirrors, power windows and door locks, and leather seats.  You can also step up to the Targa 4S (MSRP $116,200) which comes with a larger, more powerful motor. 

The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 that I drove was packed with options, including 20-inch rims, natural leather interior in Garnet Red, Premium package (adaptive headlights, auto dimming mirrors, heated front seats with power adjustments and memory), Bose audio package, parking assistance, Porsche active suspension management (PASM), the Sport Chrono package (lap timer, dynamic engine mounts, Sport Plus vehicle setting, launch control for PDK-equipped cars, additional vehicle data displays), and a SportDesign steering wheel.  Altogether, this equipment raised the ceiling on the Targa 4’s price to $120,065.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Design

What’s New:

  • The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 is an all-new design for the current model year.
  • The Targa 4 model introduces a folding fabric roof panel and new exterior trim.

If you’re not familiar with what the ‘targa’ in the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4’s name means, here’s a quick history lesson: long ago, in a galaxy far, far across the Atlantic, there was a road race called the Targa Florio that was run in Italy.  When Porsche decided to build a version of the 911 in the mid-60s that featured a roof panel that could be manually removed and stored in the garage, it elected to pay homage to its participation in the Targa Florio with the new model’s appellation.  Since that time, the term has been genericized to refer to any number of models where the center of the roof can be lifted free and clear – except for T-tops, which of course have their own special place in the automotive annals.

The purpose of the original targa design was to offer a reasonable facsimile of open-air motoring while preserving the general body lines of the coupe the car in question was based on, as well as improve crash safety and hopefully keep federal regulators appeased.  The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 satisfies the spirit of its forbearer, but with a modern, look-at-me twist:  rather than force owners to engage in the laborious act of removing a lightweight roof panel by hand, there is instead an exceptionally spectacular, fully-automated mechanism that cracks open the rear hatch, dangles it high up in the air, and stuffs the folding fabric top into a crevice carved out in front of the rear-mounted engine.  It manages to do this without removing the 911’s extendable rear spoiler, which is a commendable piece of engineering prowess.

So massive is the rear clamshell that separates from the 911 Targa 4, and so great is the distance that it must travel, that it regularly set off the car’s own parking sensors in the process of going topless.  It’s a sight to behold, and it’s one that will draw a crowd no matter where you choose to invoke the 19-second process.  You won’t be able to escape onlookers, either, as the vehicle has to be completely stationary until everything is safely stowed – Porsche’s efforts to keep the weight of the mechanism down have rendered it too fragile to travel unfurled.

Roof up or roof closed, the red, red, red ‘natural leather’ interior outfitted to my 2015 Porsche Targa 4 tester was impossible to ignore.  Somewhat of an acquired taste – I found it reminiscent of the cabins outfitted to 50s-vintage Ford convertibles, which always seemed to pair red leather with black paint – there’s no denying that the softness of the skins used to cover the seats, dash, and door panels was of the highest quality.  The SportDesign steering wheel, however, was devoid of buttons, forcing functionality such as the vehicle’s cruise control and driver information center controls to stalks behind it. I would have preferred buttons.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Comfort and Cargo

What’s New:

  • The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 does not introduce any new comfort or cargo features compared to the 911 Carrera coupe.

Despite the presence of two additional ‘seating positions’ in the rear, the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 is most definitely best enjoyed by a pair of passengers.  A child could conceivably squeeze into the back of the 911 Targa 4, and I know of friends who have successfully installed baby seats in this particular model of Porsche, but you’ll be better off using the area behind the front two positions as a storage cubby to compliment the deep, but narrow frunk that sits under the car’s hood.  There’s a bit of extra room to hide a few items from prying eyes under the rear deck with the roof up, but this space – which isn’t all that easy to get to – disappears once you’re in full targa mode.  I even had to keep my sunglasses in the glove compartment as the center console is just too shallow.  To the point: the 911 Targa 4 isn’t intended as a cargo mule, nor as a car pooler.

Driving quickly with the roof down sees the rear glass act as something of a scoop that reflects air back against your head in the form of noise and occasional buffeting (there’s an air deflector built into the windshield that you can pop up for more of the former and less of the latter).  Aside from occasional squeaks in the hatch area over rough pavement, with the top in place the Porsche presented a quiet cabin even at highway speeds.  The vehicle’s adjustable suspension also provided an insulated, although not overly-so, ride during normal driving (more on that later on).  The Targa 4 is a friendly car to live with every day and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend for commuting purposes on top of weekend toy status.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Features and Controls

What’s New:

  • The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 introduces a folding roof panel.

Much of the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 is standard-issue for the brand’s flagship coupe, which means no real surprises inside the cockpit from a features standpoint.  The roof panel is raised or lowered via a two-button control set into the center console, which is decorated with not quite as many buttons as you might have come to expect from the brand.  The vehicle’s touchscreen infotainment system is serviceable enough, and although it can be tough to find the right menu to make adjustments to either the car, the audio system, or the Bluetooth phone interface, there’s a fair amount of configuration that can be accomplished.  I didn’t particularly like the fact that in the absence of an instant connection with your Bluetooth-enabled smart phone on start-up, the 911 automatically defaults to the FM radio band and blasts you with music much louder than the volume you were streaming at – a hair-raising experience the first few times until you learn to automatically mute the stereo upon starting the car.

The Porsche 911 Targa 4’s ignition was the only other sore spot from the week I spent with the car.  I understand that the brand wants to preserve the racing lineage associated with its left-hand position of the key slot on the dash, but when you spend over $100k on a luxury car there should be a push button there instead so you don’t have to dig the fob out of your pocket, stick it in, and twist it.  You also shouldn’t have to use the remote to unlock the doors – if Hyundai can do keyless entry on affordable sedans, Porsche can do the same thing with the 911.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Safety and Ratings

What’s New:

  • The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 does not introduce any new safety equipment.

The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 comes with a plethora of airbags, including dual forward units and two side impact airbags for the driver and passenger.  Electronic stability control and traction control are standard, and the Targa 4’s unique roll hoop serves to offer more protection in a serious accident than the full-convertible Cabriolet model can offer.

Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS have crash tested the Porsche 911 Targa 4.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Engines and Fuel Economy

What’s New:

  • The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 carries over the Carrera 4’s engine options.

The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 comes with a 3.4-liter ‘flat’ six-cylinder engine mounted behind the vehicle’s rear axle.  Tuned to provide 350 horsepower and 287 lb-ft of torque, the engine also offers fuel mileage of 19-mpg city and 26-mpg highway when matched with its optional seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission (my car came with the standard seven-speed manual gearbox).  All-wheel drive comes free of charge with the Targa 4, and also with the next-step-up Targa 4S, which swaps in a 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine good for 400 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque (along with one less mile per gallon in both city and highway measures).

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Driving Impressions

The 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 isn’t so much a driver’s car as it is a comfortable and sporting grand tourer.  In contrast to the base 911 Carrera coupe with which it shares its engine, the Targa 4 sees its performance hampered by nearly 250 lbs of additional mass (all-wheel drive plus the removable top’s oily bits), along with torsional rigidity that checks in at half that of the fixed-roof model (and only slightly stiffer than the Cabriolet).  With a modest 287 lb-ft of torque on tap, the Targa 4’s acceleration is far from blistering, although with the top down the engine makes all of the right sounds (and even more so if the optional sport exhaust system is installed).  Around corners, the Porsche demonstrates a strong willingness to commit to an apex and good steering feel, but this is tempered by a feeling of mass that one doesn’t have to contend with in the Carrera coupe.  Changing the adaptive suspension system to its most aggressive setting via the Sport Plus button (or the individual suspension control) does tighten things up, but at the expense of the car’s ability to smooth over cracks in the pavement.

The seven-speed manual transmission that came with my test vehicle offered the novelty of shifting down into sixth gear from seventh (auto rev-matched in Sport Plus), and although each of those cogs felt like they were intended exclusively for fuel miserly highway cruising the first two ratios are tall enough to get you up past highway speeds without the need to grab third.  Braking was confident in the 911 Targa 4, and the all-wheel drive system was imperceptible unless the wheels were cranked at an extreme angle causing the car’s wide rubber crabbed while leaving a parking spot.  Plenty of wet driving revealed Porsche’s torque management technology to be adept at its game, with power effortlessly shuttled back and forth between axles as needed (with 100 percent available to the front, and a nominal near-100 percent split to the rear under ideal conditions).

Where is it written that all Porsches must be dedicated sports cars, and that all sports cars must rip your face off?  I couldn’t tell you either.  It’s certainly no crime to produce a vehicle that’s meant to be enjoyed rather than raced, and that’s the case with the Targa 4.  Whereas hardcore track fans will be disappointed with the car’s sans-roof dynamics, the majority of Porsche’s customers will be satisfied with its power delivery and handling, especially given that it can be wrung out a bit on public roads without having to worry too much about losing your license.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Final Thoughts

There are two ways to look at the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4’s place in the 911 family.  The first is to ignore its modest performance completely, buy the more powerful Targa 4S, and call it day.  The more rational, and less expensive attitude is to simply enjoy the car for what it is: a fun, four-seasons friendly semi-convertible that is pleasing enough behind the wheel to be enjoyable, and stylish enough to attract admiring stares from just about every onlooker.

I said ‘less expensive,’ but let’s not kid ourselves here - the Targa 4 is definitely not a bargain.  Spending six figures on an automobile opens up a wide array of options, and there are certainly other open air rides that are more fun to drive and equally comfortable, like the Jaguar F-TYPE S, at or below the Targa 4’s price point.  You could also simply buy a well-equipped Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which offers a standard targa roof panel that is light enough and small enough to stow in the trunk without requiring any mechanical assistance.  What the Porsche offers that its rivals do not, however, is that word that I used in the opening sentence of this review: heritage.  The link between the modern Targa and its historical antecedent is palpable, and for a cadre of well-moneyed buyers who had the O.G. poster on their bedroom walls, that’s more than enough of a sales pitch.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Open air driving in the spring/summer/fall, near-hardtop protection in the winter.
  • Complex roof mechanism is mesmerizing to watch.
  • Silver ‘targa’ roll hoop evocative of original 911 Targa models.
  • Well-appointed, very comfortable interior.
  • Standard all-wheel drive.
  • Standard manual transmission. 

Cons:

  • Considerably more expensive than base 911 Carrera coupe.
  • Heavier chassis with more flex deadens driving dynamics in comparison to all-wheel drive 911 Carrera coupe and competitive models.
  • Weight also affects acceleration.
  • Frightening specter of targa top repair bills remains a constant rear-seat passenger.
  • Options cascade into a torrent of costly additions to the car’s sticker price.

Porsche Canada supplied the vehicle for this review

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting


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