The 992 was first revealed to us 21 months ago (time's flown, right?), but the 911 line-up is still missing several key favourites. Obviously that includes the Porsche Motorsport stuff which gets everyone really excited, but we've also got the GTS cars to look forward to, including the Targa 4 GTS. Which, conveniently, has just been papped by our spy photographers in Germany wearing no camouflage.
Aside from the now familiar changes to the nose and tail that come with the 992 by default, the GTS Targa doesn’t exactly fall far from its predecessor’s tree. No surprise there. The rollover hoop is black like the old GTS, it bears three vertical slats and the Targa lettering beneath like the other variants, ahead of that signature sculpted rear screen. And thanks to the slightly flatter 992 rear, the glass sits at a more horizontal angle. It’s business as usual.
It’s easy to see why the 991 Targa sales were strong. When the ‘new’ look and its clever lift-and-tuck mechanism was introduced back in 2014, Targa sales rocketed. One in four Carrera 4 buyers were said to have gone for the bodystyle. It looks great, provides better insulation than the cabriolet but still leaves your extremities exposed to the rays. The GTS just turns it all up a notch or two.
The 2021 car – and yes, despite the lack of disguise, we’re not expecting the GTS models to land until spring next year – mixes the most driver-centric (until the motorsport department stuff lands) 911 setup into the Targa skin. The GTS settings will essentially build on the just-tested Targa 4S with firmer suspension, likely 10mm lower than the S and 20mm lower than the regular Carrera as was the case on the 991. It'll get lighter wheels too, so expect tighter body control and sharper handling.
There’s normally more power, too, with the last GTS producing 450hp from its turbocharged flat-six. The 992 S now has that output, so our Targa 4 GTS will almost certainly deliver upward of 470hp. Targas are the heaviest models in the 911 line-up, thanks to the mechanism required to lift the rear screen over the soft top that slides beneath it, although the 992 has a broader footprint and better weight distribution than its predecessor, so it's likely to conceal its extra mass with minimal fuss.
Of course the average Targa buyer won't be distracted by that minor detail; the model has always been primarily about stating a design preference. The purist will always side with the coupe, and that fact won't change in 2021. But the latest Targa is already shaping up to be the best ever - expect the GTS to further cement its reputation when it finally makes it from prototype to production.
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