Porsche 911 Targa (991, 2014-2016) review - Ride and Handling

Ride and Handling

The Targa definitely shows its added heft over a 911 coupe. That 1540kg kerb weight (in the Targa 4), 110kg over the coupe, is the same as having a fully grown adult and child on board.

Recalibrated suspension settings give the Targa a more laid-back feel over the standard 911. The car is softer, but it's not lost any of the driver involvement found in the rest of the model range.

The GTS does quite a lot to rectify this, with stiffer dampers settings over the regular Targa 4 and 4S, but it feels slightly at odds with what the Targa is about. 

Ultimately, you still get 911 levels of grip, but just a touch more body roll and less precision than you’ll get with a coupe.

Unlike the convertible, the extra weight of the Targa roof doesn’t impact on the handling to anywhere near the same level as it does the soft top. The Targa feels a more rigid and hunkered down car and as such, a better driver's car for it.

All Targa models are only available with four-wheel drive. The car still very much feels rear-wheel drive when it needs to thanks to the active four wheel drive system diverting torque to the front axle as and when it needs it.

Clever, (but optional on the Targa 4 and 4S) torque vectoring does nothing but to improve grip.

For those interested in getting the best possible driving experience in their 911, but still wanting to have the option of open-air motoring, we'd recommend the Targa over the convertible.