911 Targa gets refresh as well

STUTTGART, Germany — Porsche has finally revealed the upgraded look for the glass-roofed Porsche 911 Targa — and given details about new power options.

Two new engines are offered for the four-wheel-drive sports car, including a 3.6-liter flat-6 putting out 345 horsepower on the Targa 4 and a 385-hp 3.8-liter for the Targa 4S. The smaller unit will power the car to a top speed of 176 mph, while the bigger engine in the 4S tops out at 185 mph.

As on all the other revamped 911s, Porsche's new seven-speed double-clutch transmission will be an option. The Targa 4 will accelerate to 62 mph in 5.0 seconds with the seven-speed automatic and 5.2 seconds with the manual, while the Targa 4S makes it there in 4.7 and 4.9 seconds, respectively.

The visual highlight of the 911 Targa is the 16.5-square-foot glass roof made of two segments: tailgate and sliding front. In just 7 seconds the roof can be opened completely, offering a space up above of about 5 square feet.

Pricing and market launch info should be released somewhere around its October public debut at the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

What this means to you: Porsche gives the Targa a little more power and a few luxury goodies for the 2009 model year. — Mike Lysaght, Correspondent