This article was taken from the November 2014 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Porsche has taken the lid off its first new Targa model in 18 years -- one which also debuts a fully automated glass roof system.
Unveiled in 1965, the 911 Targa was a response to a government threat. The US Department of Transportation was considering banning cabriolets because of concerns about the protection they offered in roll-over crashes. Porsche responded with a new kind of convertible, combining a fixed roll-over hoop with a lift-out panel, fusing the appeal of a soft-top with the safety of a coupe.
The name Targa was in homage to the famous Targa Florio road race in Sicily. Cabriolets were never outlawed, but the Targa went on to be a popular member of the 911 family. Of the 850,000 911s produced in the last 50 years, 13 per cent have been Targas.
Open-and-shut case The roof has two moving parts: a soft top and a glass rear window. At the press of a button, hydraulic rams open and tilt the window. Simultaneously, flaps in the Targa bar open to release the soft-top kinematics. The Teflon-coated roof is supported by magnesium bows and folds behind the rear seats.
Window on the world Porsche's suppliers faced a challenge to create a rear window that combined a 911's rigidity with the curvature requested by stylists. The solution was a lightweight laminated safety glass consisting of two layers of semi-tempered glass.
Ultra-fine heating elements cover almost the entire area, maximising the visibility.
Targa Bar The design of the Targa bar harks back to the 1965 original. The construction this time, though, is thoroughly modern with outer sections of painted, die-cast aluminium hiding a huge moulded-steel roll bar. The pillar is built from micro-alloyed high-strength steel with a thickness of 1mm.
Collision avoidance The Targa uses sensors from the 911's ParkAssist system -- normally used to help you park safely -- to monitor the area around the rear of the car. If the sensors detect an obstacle within a range of 40cm, a warning sounds and the roof system shuts down to prevent collision.
The Performance The 911 Targa is available only as a four-wheel drive, but there's a choice of engines. The Targa 4 has a 3.4-litre flat-six, developing 350PS. The Targa 4S has 400hp and 3.8l. With a PDK sequential transmission and Porsche's Sport Plus, the 4S does 0-100kph in 4.4sec.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
