pap2828

Hi Folks,

Have I read somewhere that the extra weight when the Targa roof is down makes the car too back heavy and therefore effects performance to a car that is already back heavy?

Thanks in advance....

petee1997

The targa is the heaviest of the 911's. It's a convertible with a hardtop. That being said, when the roof is down, this should not add significant weight to the back end. Convertibles and Targas do not make good track cars.

If you are looking for a good driver's car with a lot of show, the targa is the best looking 911.

Grunty

I did get the chance to track a 991 targa and my unprofessional opinion is that it felt wierd. I definitely noticed extra weights being tossed around under accel and decel.

So yes it felt back heavy, especially under hard acceleration.

But you aren't buying a targa for track days...

LCW

I don't think it is the actual roof that adds significant weight, it is the whole mechanism and glass that adds the weight. As stated above, if you are planning to go to the track often, it might be best to consider a coupe...

pap2828

I most likely will not track it.

I have always loved the look of the targa but with the engine already in the back i have heard that the whole mechanism will be felt while cornering at higher speeds etc..??

Would love to hear from anyone who has driven or owned both cars and if they have noticed any differences...?

Gus_Smedstad

I've test-driven a 991 Targa 4S. I didn't notice any problems with cornering - keep in mind that Targas only come in all wheel drive, which softens the effect of the rear weight distribution when cornering, because the car can apply power to the front wheels to counteract oversteer.

The Targa felt a little slow in straight line acceleration compared to a 2S Cabriolet. Not a lot, but some. It may have been my imagination, since I was predisposed to think the extra weight would have an effect.

Rear visibility is better than a Cabriolet with the top up. It doesn't compare to a cabriolet with the top down, though, where there's absolutely nothing behind you. The roof-off experience with the Targa isn't really that great, it's akin to a coupe with the sunroof open.

I think you really need to test drive one. You shouldn't make a significant purchasing decision based on internet hearsay.

DerekS

I concur with other comments. It does feel weird (which I attribute to the AWD.) It does feel a bit slower than my C2 997.2 did.

That being said, I haven't timed it. It's just butt-dyno comparisons.

The car is an absolute joy on a great day and with the top down! When you have to have the top up, turn up the radio as you're going to get a lot of creaks and squeaks from the top.

DerekS

That's subjective, but I will disagree there. I used to tan half my face with the sunroof, now my whole head tans. It's a big improvement.

Larry Cable

agreed the weight of the targa panel and its movement to the back of the
car is probably less than that of the Cabriolet

I agree its the weight of the glass etc back there...

if anyone has some corner scales we can test this hypothesis

+1

its definitely the heaviest of the variants, and as I recall it also has custom spring rates that differ from the coupe and cabriolet.

drgek

Targa owners: Is this the general consensus?

DerekS

I can tell you right now that it's not - almost everyone on here I've asked said theirs is dead quiet. One other poster said he sold his and the noises were part of the reason.

My car, I feel, has been worse than most for noise. You can review my post history for numerous issues and a video showing the squeak/creak that I can't get rid of.

This could be because it was a launch car in 2014, one of the first off the line.
It could also be high miles, mine has 26k where most are nowhere near that.

I just wish I could silence it! I wanted this car to feel like a coupe with the top up!

drgek

Thanks for the input. I saw your video a while ago; I don't blame you for your dissatisfaction. Perhaps a "coupe with the top up" is too much to expect, but the noises recorded on that video are pretty unacceptable.

The potential for roof creaks almost held me back from placing my order. I have owned numerous convertibles whose roofs ranged from intolerably noisy (Ferrari F355 Spider) to extremely tight with minimal creaking (Jaguar F-Type, Aston Martin Virage Volante.) Creaks tend to drive me nuts, but I like the looks of the Targa so much I decided to just pull the trigger. Hopefully it won't be too much of an issue.

DerekS

While I am noisy about my noises (heh) I do love the car. The Targa bar gives the car a fresh unique look that people notice. And when the top is down...life is awesome!!!

Al.Fresco

I've got 6,100 miles on mine now and its currently creak free.

I did have one harmonic vibration when slowly accelerating at approx. 2K rpm's (think 7th gear at 70mph on highway) with the top up, but after a little "where is that coming from" investigation, I isolated it to an interior trim peace that supports the targa top when it is down that is just behind the Targa bar on the passenger side. I just pushed that down a bit to make sure it was properly seated and have not had the issue again, and that was a couple thousand miles ago.

Just got back from some $hitty *** NY state roads near Pleasantville and no creaks, rattles or other annoying sounds at all even on some punishing roads.

And I agree with DerekS....top down Targa driving is the ****.

thomnellie

I have 5700 miles on my Targa, and drive it year round, including in the snow and on some seriously rough roads. At around 2000 miles I had a very minor rattle that would occur occasionally on broken pavement. My wife never noticed it until I pointed it out. It sounded like a loose seatbelt or loose change. The dealer managed to solve the problem.

I disagree that the experience with the top down is the same as a coupe with a sun roof. Not as expansive as a convertible certainly, but wonderful nonetheless.

I've not noticed the driving experience to be substantially different than a C4. If you're not used to a rear engine all wheel drive, it is different from rear wheel drive. When pushed hard the awd can feel a bit "weird" compared to a 2, until you adjust your technique.