Test Porsche 911 Targa 4S: The bar to happiness
Money can't buy happiness? True, but it does buy a Porsche 911 - and that's almost the same for people with gasoline in their blood. A bow to the freshly facelifted icon.
The emergency solution is called «Shadegreenmetallic». Honestly? Great color! A 911 can do that: if you're confident in yourself, you can wear any fashion, and we're always well-dressed in a 911. But wait - why an emergency solution? Our test car is a Targa, and the Targa was only born two years after the 911 in 1965 because the USA wanted to ban convertibles without a roll bar. The law was never passed, but the bar remained. Since then, the 911 and Targa have been constantly reinventing themselves in order to remain true to themselves. The eighth 911 generation was recently given a facelift (for fans: 992.2): Light cosmetics, a new start button (instead of a rotating lever), digital instead of analog rev counter - done.
So off we go. Other sports cars make us sweat at speed bumps or in the parking garage. The 911 masters fetching bread rolls as easily as the Nürburgring. Everything sits and fits, the seating position is perfect, the controls are logical throughout. Fine seats and the suspension, which is not soft but supple, mean that even over 50s will never call for a chiropractor. High sidewalk? Button to raise the front! Perfection is boring? No, simply perfect.
Cream engine in a party mood
Quiet and cultivated, the three-liter turbo boxer engine pushes a lush «whistle» to all four wheels when cruising and sounds discreetly grandiose. But the «911» can also be completely different. The cornering line hits this 4.54-meter flounder as if our arms were bolted to the wheels, and the cream engine is always in a party mood. Reach for «Sport» mode and manual shifting: Now the beast bursts out of the «911»: first-class driving machine, over 7000 rpm, cornering speeds and fun factor beyond reason. In figures: 353 kW/480 hp and 530 Nm plus 8-speed DCG and all-wheel drive result in a rapid 3.7 seconds to 100 km/h and a top speed of 308 km/h at 1770 kilograms. The test consumption: a fair 10.4 l/100 km.
The perfect dream car
Disadvantages? Difficult. Yes, the rear seats are unsuitable for sitting. Yes, if you open the Targa roof in a fascinating opening choreography, you get more storms and hair ruffles than in the convertible; almost a little too much. Yes, the Targa is a touch louder on the highway than the coupé (but still quiet). But even the touchscreen and assistance are so domesticated and practical that there is no need to complain. A flawless dream car.
A dream at a nightmare price. Everyone is getting more expensive, the 911 is getting even more «expensive». The base model costs from CHF 153,300, the Targa 4S from CHF 206,400. And that's without all the wonderful useless features that suck money out of the ribs of the rich. Leather-covered air vents for an extra 1750 francs? Absolutely! The test car ended up costing a crazy 243,780 francs with options. Too expensive for us. But a dream come true would somehow no longer be a dream at all.
Expert opinion
Porsche 911 Targa 4S
Other sports cars focus on more spectacle. The «911», on the other hand, perfects the balancing act of being fun even in everyday life and still being sporty without limits: it remains the measure of all things in its league.
Advantages
+ breathtaking chassis
+ a drive to kneel down on
+ amazingly suitable for everyday use
Disadvantages
- frightening price
- it does not belong to us
