wintershade

I'd love to hear from some Targa owners. Any notable annoyances or ever regret not getting a coupe?

I'm considering trading in my C4S (options/build didn't come out quite as I expected) and am debating between a Targa 4S/GTS, another C4S/GTS, or possibly a Turbo. I'd like to stick with a manual and the TT styling is a bit over the top for a DD, so am leaning away from the Turbo.

The Targa checks a lot of boxes -- relatively rare/unique, an open-top experience with much improved styling (vs a cab, IMO). But the downsides are you lose top anchors for car seats (I have a toddler and baby on the way), backseat is smaller, and I would lose the ability to to transport a bike (to races a few times per year). Coupe wins on practicality and obtainability. Targa wins on style points.

If I buy the Coupe, I'll like pick up a Spyder also to satisfy the GT car + open top need. If I get a Targa, I'd probably lean toward complementing it with a GT3 or 993 WB.

Drew46

I was facing the same decision but add in the cab to the discussion. Having sat in all three and spent time drooling over all of them, I am just smitten with the Targa 4 GTS. Now I am desperately trying to get an allocation!

manual_laborer

It sounds like the actual debate then is Coupe + Spyder vs. Targa + ~$80-100k

if money is no object, coupe and Spyder is an amazing pair. My MT C2S is my daily and my Spyder is my weekend top-down car. Would consider a touring to replace the C2S if I didn’t need the backseat for my kids.

Friend has a 991.2 targa and I love the styling but wouldn’t trade him in a million years.

3rdpedal

Curious what aspects of your current build you regret?

detansinn

You're going to find that access to that backseat in the Targa is considerably more challenging than the Coupe. The Targa bar narrows the opening to the rear. If your kids are old enough and mobile to climb back there themselves and buckle in, the Targa is less of an issue, but if you're putting them back there and buckling them in, you'll immediately note how compromised the access is compared to the Coupe.

wintershade

This is my big worry. If the back seats are significantly compromised, it sort of defeats their purpose and swings me to the coupe. My toddler climbs in himself but needs help buckling in which is hard enough in the coupe.

I ordered the "free" Chalk stitching seats with Extended Leather Door and Dash. It annoys me that the chalk stitching doesn't carry through the extended leather items (which have black stitching). My SA didn't tell me I would have needed to check the $3.5K extended leather box to get the chalk stitching everywhere (which is what I was expecting/wanted). My C4S would have been perfect were it not for that, but I'm OCD and can't live with it being wrong.

JustGettingMilk

Love love love my Targa. I think it's the sexiest looking car Porsche offers....I've gotten tons of compliments. It's less about speed and performance and more about aesthetics and top down cruising vibe. 😎
I definitely went off the deep end on the build ($200K), but i guess it tells you how much I wanted that car vs. say even a 992 Turbo which would've been in similar price ballpark, albeit without all of the same options.
I don't expect to have a human being in the back seats....basically extra space for travel duffel and occasional grocery run.

c1pher

SMH, I have my second Targa and saving for a Spyder. I love the Coupe too but like the versatility and look of the Targa.

inthesticks

Thats interesting, I think I have a similar order - Truffle w/chalk stitching, extended leather dash and door. I didnt even think about the stitching not matching. Is it really that noticeable?

wintershade

Sorry to hear that. My wife says I’m crazy. But it really bothers me as there is no rhyme or reason to what has chalk vs tone-on-tone stitching. I would have spent the $3500 for the full deviated stitching (and will on my next 992) or scrapped the extended leather (if I had been building to a budget). If I had been local and seen the car before signing the P&S and wiring funds, I would have refused delivery of the car. Hopefully you’re less OCD / detail oriented.

The only silver lining is I’ve found that having a 500 mile MT 992 that I’m willing to pre-trade has improved my ability to get a more limited car (GTS, Targa, TTS, etc) without an ADM. It’s just an annoying middle step.

Richard_Wallace

I just traded my 992 C4S Manual Coupe for an allocation (December delivery) for a Targa 4S Manual. So I was in the same boat, but I also loved my build/options on the C4S coupe. This will be my 6 or 7th 911 and I have also had a few other porsche variants (968 convertible, Pana).

There really is nothing like a Porsche Targa (I bought my first one in the late 80's - it was a 1978 SC Targa). I have had 2 others, and would have gotten one originally with the 992, but when I bought my 992 Coupe, they were not announced. Now that I had mine for just about 2 years, decided to trade in when I got my allocation.

I think the body is unique on the Targa, same (if not close) feel as the coupe, but with a nice open air option. Never really like the 911 Cabs (even though the 991 and 992 both are very nice looking comparative to previous gens). For me the Targa is a perfect daily driver, open air if you want it, pretty much a hard top when you don't. Also love the styling and a bit more uniqueness to the rear window and targa look.

I debated waiting for a GTS Targa, but really the extra power is not needed (for a targa specifically), I also liked a few of the options better on the 4S than what you can get with the GTS (wheels and I wanted sport-tex seats with the palado wood trim).

wintershade

Thanks Richard. I agree the GTS options are a bit restrictive and I’d probably go with a Targa 4S myself which has some more retro/luxury options that better suit the vibe of the Targa. For a coupe, I think the Motorsport look of the GTS works and the HP bump, short shifter, and Turbo brakes seem like a good value (in Porsche land).

I guess on some level it comes down to the added optionality of the open top vs compromised use of back seats and inability to carry a roof rack whiz comes down to personal priorities and how I expect to use the car.

3rdpedal

Regarding the Stitching. The config does indicate for the Black Leather w Chalk Stitching that:

Includes with Chalk Stitching:

• Outer front seat stitching
• Upper section of the dashboard
• Upper section of the door panels
• Upper rear side panels
• Inner rear seat bolsters

The $3,650 Deviated Stitching says that it includes the following:

Deviated Stitching on:

• Dashboard upper section
• Center tunnel (front and rear)
• Gear lever boot (only in conjunction with manual transmission)
• Upper section of door panel
• Center door panel
• Door armrests
• Steering wheel
• Center storage compartment lid
• Seats (front and rear)
• Rear side panels

Note: In conjunction with the 930 Interior Package the quilting does not change to the selected deviated color.

And the Deviated part of the config includes an image for clarification:

Personally I do with my Manual boot, and steering wheel were deviated as well. Console, rear tunnel, etc. don't really mean as much.

If I sold my 500 mile C2S Manual I might go a totally different route, Chalk v Gentian, Deviated Guards Red stitching throughout, Guards Red Seat Belts, etc. But I'm also quite happy with my choices.

wintershade

Yeah, I’ve figured that out now. But at the time of ordered it’s not intuitive that if you pay $3200 for the extended leather door and dash that the stitching wouldn’t carry through to those pieces.

3rdpedal

And I agree, that considering the interior you chose was not deviated to a different color stitching but was included, the $3,650 is fairly steep for adding chalk stitching to the other areas. Porsche doesn't have a "complete the stitching" option.