Porsche celebrates 50 years of style with special 911 Targa
This has been a busy month for Porsche news. Firstly – and most excitingly – there’s a new 911: the Edition 50Y Porsche Design. Based on the Targa GTS and limited to 750 cars worldwide, it celebrates 50 years of Stuttgart’s design and styling department.
The £144,360 Edition 50Y is inspired by a 911T 2.4 Targa from 1972, when Porsche Design was founded. Engineers spent two years restoring the air-cooled classic in-house, upgrading its chassis and flat-six engine to 190hp ‘S’ spec.
The black and platinum colour scheme mirrors the Chronograph I watch designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – also in 1972.
Brand new retro
For the 911 Edition 50Y, an all-black exterior is combined with retro sill stripes and checked seats – the latter in grippy Sport-Tex fabric.
Power comes from a 480hp twin-turbo six (water-cooled this time), driving the rear wheels via a manual or PDK automatic transmission. Use launch control and it blasts to 62mph in 3.5 seconds.
Inevitably, owners can order a new edition of the classic Chronograph I watch, too.
Taycan things further
Also new this week is the Taycan Sport Turismo, now officially on sale and priced from £76,350.
Essentially, it is an estate version of Porsche’s class-leading EV, but without the lofty suspension and off-road attitude of the existing Cross Turismo. Options range from the 326hp rear-wheel-drive model to the 625hp Turbo S.
Britain is the second largest market worldwide for Taycan sales and it accounted for a third of Porsche GB’s volume in 2021. The practical Sport Turismo looks set to bolster that success – look out for the City PM review in early February.
Platinum jubilee
Finally, we should mention the new Cayenne Platinum Edition, which features unique satin paint and extra equipment.
Starting from £69,230, the petrol or plug-in hybrid SUV comes with 21-inch RS Spyder alloy wheels, sports exhaust tailpipes, eight-way adjustable leather seats, a Bose audio system and a panoramic sunroof.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research