Porsche 911 Targa review - why it's the best open-top 911 - Engine and Gearbox

The standard 7-speed manual is a significant improvement over the original fitted to the early 991s. Designed to offer the best of both worlds, it doesn't feel like the efficiency-led compromise that the old 'box did.

Based on the same concept as the PDK, the first examples of Porsche’s 7-speed manual felt compromised with a poor and unnatural shift quality.

Crucially, though, the ergonomics of the revised gearshift are spot-on, as is the action of the stick itself, which all serves to offer up better interaction with the free-revving engine. Cars with Sport Plus also provide a rev-match feature on downshifts, which does away with the need for heel and toe.

As for PDK, Porsche's current generation double-clutch gearbox is nothing short of sublime. Quick to shift and hard to catch out, it works just as well as a smooth gear-slurring city shifter as it does in manual mode while you're pushing on.