The recently refreshed 997-series Porsche 911 family has just grown by two models. You can now add the glass-roof Targas to the roster.
Along with subtle visual tweaks front and rear, the Targa 4 and Targa 4S feature a sliding glass roof panel and glass tailgate that combine for a surface area of 16.5 square feet. Once opened, the hole in the roof measures 4.8 square feet and there's an electric sunshade for when the light gets too bright.
The Targa line benefits from the two new engines 911 engines, a 3.6-liter and a 3.8-liter flat-six, which use direct fuel injection to boost power and fuel economy compared to their predecessors. The Targas also offer the same choice between a six-speed manual transmission and Porsche's new PDK dual-clutch gearbox. The quickest of the Targa bunch is the 4S with PDK transmission - it makes the sprint to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds.
As the 4 suggests, both models feature Porsche's new all-wheel-drive system. Porsche Traction Management uses an electronically controlled multiple-plate clutch to meter torque front to rear.
Targa models, and the rest of the updated 911s, will go on sale in the fall of 2008.