New Porsche 911 Targa 4 unveiled

The new Porsche 911 Targa has been revealed at the Detroit Motor Show 2014 – joining the standard Porsche 911 Carrera, lightweight 911 GT3 and super-quick 911 Turbo in the current sports car range.

It sits somewhere between the coupe and convertible versions of the 911 as a sort of half-way house – featuring a two-piece fabric roof that can be electronically folded and hidden behind the rear seats. What’s more, the rear windscreen wraps around the back of the car to cocoon the interior and give the cabin a light and airy feel.

Standard Porsche 911 Carrera models come with rear-wheel drive, while more expensive Carrera 4 and 4S models add four-wheel drive for added grip. However, the Targa will only be available with the latter – in an effort to pitch it as a more premium product.

That means the entry-level model will be badged as the Porsche 911 Targa 4, featuring a 345bhp, 3.4-litre engine – capable of 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 175mph. The more powerful Porsche 911 Targa 4S gets a 394bhp, 3.8-litre engine and will go from 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds. All quoted figures are for cars fitted with the optional PDK automatic gearbox and Sport Chrono Package, which adds more power and various sporty accessories to the standard car.

The Porsche 911 Targa 4 will do 32.5mpg and emit 204g/km of CO2 – identical to the 911 cabriolet – while the Targa 4S returns 30.4mpg and emits 214g/km. That puts both models on a par with the cheaper Jaguar F-Type V6, which does around 31mpg and emits between 209g/km and 213g/km of CO2.

New Porsche 911 Targa prices have also been revealed, and will start at £86,281 for the entry-level Targa 4 model. That’s around £8,000 more than a standard Porsche 911 Carrera 4 coupe, but around £650 less than the cabriolet. The more powerful 911 Targa 4S costs from £96,316, representing similar price differences over the standard 4S models.

All cars get leather sports seats, climate control and seven-inch touchscreen as standard, while Targa 4S model add 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive suspension and a system that helps with high-speed cornering.

The Porsche 911 Targa 4 and Targa 4S are available to order now, with first deliveries expected in May.

For the full Porsche range, visit the Carbuyer Porsche reviews page.