SPY PICS: 991 Series Porsche 911 Targa

Porsche’s lauded 991 Series 911 Cabriolet landed here three months ago, and now in the works is a Targa sibling that bridges the gap between coupe and convertible.

Captured here by the Carparazzi lenses while pounding around the Nürburgring, the next-gen Targa is expected to ditch the sliding glass roof worn by the outgoing 997 Series in favour of the centre roll-bar arrangement used by older generations of the model.

The Porsche boffins have attempted to lead onlookers up the garden path with what looks like a rear quarter window on the test mule, but take a closer look and you’ll see it’s nothing more than a crudely painted-on fake.

Don’t read too much into the test mule’s canvas roof either, as that’s also there to throw observers off the scent.

The Targa may not match the sales volumes of its coupe and ragtop siblings, but it’s a key model in the 911 line-up, having been around since the late 1960s – in fact, Porsche even owns the trademark on the ‘Targa’ moniker.

Earlier Targas featured a removable metal roof section that could be detached and stowed away, but from 1996 onwards (993, 996 and 997 Series) the model featured a sliding glass roof that slid rearwards.

Exactly what lurks beneath the canvas roof disguise of this test mule isn’t clear, but it’s believed it will be a huge glass panel that allows light into the cabin even when in situ.

Other than the roof system, the new Porsche 911 Targa should essentially be the same as the 3.4-litre 911 Carrera and 3.8-litre Carrera S, which crank out 257kW and 294kW respectively.
A seven-speed manual will come as standard, with Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission offered as an option.

It remains to be seen whether the next-gen Targa will be offered only in all-paw form – as is the case with the 997 Series that comes in Targa 4 or Targa 4S guises – or whether a rear-drive variant will also be available.

As for timeframe, it’s believed the new 911 Targa will debut at next March’s Geneva motor show, enabling it to hit the market in time for the northern summer.

– with Carparazzi

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