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Cover: 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4S in all white, front left.jpg, Mr.choppers; CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia resize; otherwise unchanged. Editorial model illustration, not BBE inventory. Compact-delivery image resized and JPEG-compressed; no cropping or content edits.
The Porsche 991 Targa 4S looks most familiar when its roof is closed. The broad bar and curved rear glass recall an older 911 silhouette. Pressing the roof switch reveals how thoroughly Porsche reinterpreted that shape: the large rear window becomes part of the mechanism that clears space for the roof panel.
Porsche introduced this generation’s Targa in January 2014. The 2015 US example pictured here belongs to that early, naturally aspirated 991 period. Understanding its opening sequence is a useful starting point for deciding whether the Targa format fits your life.
A classic outline with a different routine
Porsche’s Targa history places the 991 after generations that used a large sliding glass roof. The recognizable roof bar returned, accompanied by an automatic system that stores the roof behind the rear seats.
The change affects what “open top” means in daily use. The rear glass and bar remain part of the car’s visual environment once the roof section is stowed. You should experience that arrangement from the driver’s seat rather than deciding entirely from an exterior photograph.
Think about the views and light you enjoy. A Targa can appeal to someone who wants sky overhead while retaining the characteristic rear-window enclosure. Someone seeking a fully exposed cabin should spend time in both body styles before setting a firm search brief.
Photo: 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4S in all white, rear left.jpg, Mr.choppers; CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia resize; otherwise unchanged. Editorial model illustration, not BBE inventory. Compact-delivery image resized and JPEG-compressed; no cropping or content edits.
Watch the entire movement
Porsche’s 60-year retrospective describes the rear glass lifting, the soft roof folding into a compact Z shape and the assembly stowing behind the seats. It identifies a roughly 19-second sequence carried out while stationary.
That is a moving assembly with a changing envelope. Parked dimensions alone do not tell you how much clear space surrounds the car while it operates. Arrange a demonstration in a clear area and watch from a safe distance before considering where you will use the mechanism at home.
Measure the relevant garage space, including shelving, stored equipment and anything hanging overhead. Give those measurements to a Porsche specialist and ask how the specific car’s operating instructions apply. Avoid inventing a universal clearance from an online photograph or testing the mechanism against a close obstruction.
A satisfactory routine may simply involve operating the roof outside the garage. Establish that routine before purchase, particularly if your usual arrival involves a narrow bay or a low overhead door.
Compare the cabin in both configurations
Take the same ordinary road route with the roof closed and open, following the operating instructions between drives. Keep the speed legal and pay attention to conversation, reflected sound and how the cabin feels in the weather you commonly encounter.
Use the climate controls and try the seating position you would choose for a longer journey. The goal is to learn whether you will genuinely use the opening roof, rather than treating it as an occasional demonstration for visitors.
For a specific purchase, ask the inspecting specialist to include roof operation, sealing and evidence of previous mechanism or glass work. Request an explanation of any interruption or warning instead of repeatedly cycling the system to see whether it disappears.
The early 991 Targa’s appeal is the combination of a recognizable silhouette and a modern operating ritual. Buy after that ritual has made sense in your garage, on your roads and from your seat. That is the difference between admiring the design and enjoying it regularly.
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