‘Quiet Family Sports Car vs Extreme Driving Fun’ What Is Your Choice? [Taboleo]

Comparing Porsche Taycan GTS and 911 Targa
Similar Driving Performance
Taycan with Quiet Cabin and Spacious Rear Seats
Thrilling Exhaust Sound... 'Driving Fun' Targa
Drawbacks Include No HUD and Basic Navigation Performance

There are only two cars left in the world. One stands out with a red color close to red wine. It has four doors and offers a quiet high-speed ride for passengers. The other vehicle reminds one of the ‘Tumbler’ from the Batman movie. With a sleek impression and an engine sound that resonates deeply, which car would you choose? Both are sports cars, but their characteristics are completely different: the Porsche Taycan GTS and the 911 Targa.

Porsche Taycan GTS [Photo by Porsche Korea]

The Taycan GTS is a derivative model of Porsche’s first electric car, the Taycan. The news of a ‘sports car specialist’ releasing an electric vehicle sparked a strong consumer response. Last year, 1,128 units were sold domestically, making it the best-selling electric car priced over 100 million won. The GTS is positioned between the base model Taycan 4S and the Turbo.

911 Edition 50th Anniversary Porsche Design
[Photo by Porsche Korea]

The Targa I drove this time is the ‘911 Edition 50th Anniversary Porsche Design.’ It is based on the 911 Targa 4 GTS and inherits the Chronograph 1, the first product designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1972. It is also a limited edition with only 750 units produced worldwide.

The left side shows the rear view of the Taycan GTS. The right side features the unique characteristics of the 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]

- How are the driving performance and feel of the two vehicles?

▲As expected from Porsche, both boast excellent performance. From a standstill to 100 km/h, the Taycan GTS takes 3.7 seconds, and the Targa takes 3.5 seconds. I tested this by passing through a toll booth on the highway late at night when traffic was light. After confirming no cars in the other lanes, I pressed the accelerator. Although I am somewhat cautious and pressed lightly, the Taycan accelerated quietly, while the Targa roared and reached 100 km/h in an instant. It takes only 1 to 2 seconds to go from 50 km/h to 100 km/h. The Taycan offers very smooth acceleration, while the Targa proudly displayed its 6-cylinder engine sound.

(From the left) The front seats of the Taycan GTS and the 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design.
Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@

The driving feel was very different, naturally due to the difference between an electric vehicle and an internal combustion engine. For the driving feel test, I drove both vehicles on the highway in ‘Sport Plus’ mode, the mode that offers the most driving enjoyment.

In terms of stability, the Taycan GTS excelled. When pressing the accelerator and checking the speed, I thought, ‘When did it accelerate this much?’ Even at high speeds, the vehicle shook very little. Passengers in the front passenger and rear seats felt so comfortable that they could hardly tell acceleration was happening. It handled curves without any problems.

The Taycan’s curb weight (2,315 kg) is similar to Porsche’s mid-large SUV, the Cayenne, making it quite heavy. Despite this, such driving is possible thanks to Porsche’s unique ‘Adaptive Air Suspension.’ The air suspension filters rough road surfaces well, providing excellent ride comfort. However, if the suspension is set up improperly for the vehicle, the ride comfort could be worse than traditional steel spring suspensions.

The curb weight of the Taycan (2315 kg) is as heavy as the Porsche mid-large SUV Cayenne.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]

The Taycan seemed to have appropriate settings. Despite its low body, it smoothly passed over speed bumps that appeared somewhat high. Even over five consecutive speed bumps, the vehicle’s underside never scraped the road. The artificial sound was also impressive. When the ‘Electric Sport Sound’ is turned on, it sounds like a spaceship accelerating. It reminded me of the ‘Hyperloop,’ a futuristic mode of transportation.

The driving fun was superior in the 911 Targa. I initially planned to test drive for just an hour after work with a tired body. However, I ended up driving for three hours. The reason was the exhaust sound. Unlike the Taycan, my heart raced when driving this vehicle. Especially on the highway, if you select ‘Sport Response,’ you can experience an engine that responds as much as you press the pedal.

Pressing the round button in the center of the drive mode wheel reaches the maximum RPM in about 15 to 20 seconds.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]

Pressing the round button in the middle of the drive mode wheel revs the engine to maximum RPM for about 15 to 20 seconds. Accelerating during this time produces an incredible engine sound even with the windows closed. I even opened the windows to hear the sound louder. This offers a different charm from the Taycan. When the road surface is rough, the vehicle bounces, giving a roller coaster-like feeling.

- Are there any downsides?

▲The pros and cons of all vehicles must be considered along with their price. Both of these cars cost over 150 million won. While they provide driving enjoyment, convenience features are somewhat lacking. Neither vehicle comes standard with a head-up display (HUD). The basic navigation performance was disappointing. Voice recognition was almost non-existent. In testing, it never accurately understood what I said even once.

The Taycan lacked in infotainment. It has three displays including the instrument cluster extending to the passenger side. However, the passenger cannot watch videos or similar content. Climate control operation was also inconvenient. The Targa allows manual adjustment of airflow direction by hand. But the Taycan requires adjusting airflow direction through a display located on the center fascia. It was not intuitive, and I had to stop the car to adjust it.

The Targa, focused on driving enjoyment, lacks quietness. When driving at high speed on irregular road surfaces, the vehicle sometimes bounced. It may not be suitable when carrying many passengers.

- Who would you recommend these two vehicles to?

▲If you frequently drive in the city and occasionally enjoy high-speed driving, I recommend the Taycan. Especially if you have children and need quietness during low-speed weekday driving. On weekends, you can relieve stress through high-speed driving, so you get the best of both worlds. If you enjoy driving alone or with passengers who like driving, the Targa is perfect. Enjoying high-speed driving with the exhaust sound means you don’t even need to go to an amusement park.

Design preferences will vary individually. The Taycan I test drove was a dark shade of red. It is a color that is not overwhelming but can attract attention on the road. The 911 Edition 50th Anniversary Porsche Design is black. The color called ‘Jet Black Metallic’ makes the vehicle look neat overall. In this test drive, I did not consider the driving assistance systems, fuel efficiency, or electric efficiency of the two vehicles. Since these cars prioritize driving pleasure, I believe these factors will not be a major consideration for consumers.

The red of the Taycan GTS exuded elegance, while the black of the 911 Edition 50th Anniversary Porsche Design conveyed a sense of neatness.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]