Porsche is very good at coming up with new permutations of its classic 911, but at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, it revived one of the classics.
The Porsche 911 Targa debuted in 1965 as an attempt to combine the open-topped fun of a convertible with the practicality of a coupe. Its removable roof panel, roll bar, and fixed rear window became an icon for Porschephiles.
Recent Targa models traded the removable roof section for stationary glass, but the 2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4 and Targa 4S kick it old-school. Based on the current 991 chassis, they nonetheless look like something straight out of the ’60s.
Drivers in 2014 aren’t too keen on having to stop and manually open a car’s roof, though. So Porsche fitted the new Targa with an automatic folding system that stows the roof section behind the rear seats. No manual labor required.
Other than the trick roof, the 2014 Targa 4 and 4S are identical to the hardtop 911 Carrera 4 and 4S, featuring the same widened bodywork and enhanced mechanicals.
The Targa 4 is equipped with a 3.4-liter flat-six that produces 350 horsepower, while the 4S gets a 3.8-liter flat-six with 400 hp. Both models will be offered with either a seven-speed manual transmission or the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automated manual. Porsche will launch both Targa models exclusively with all-wheel drive.
Equipped with the PDK and optional Sport Chrono package, Porsche says the Targa 4 will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 174 mph (175 mph with the manual). Similarly equipped, the 4S will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 182 mph (183 mph with the manual).
The Targa 4 will carry a base price of $101,600, while the 4S will start at $116,200. That puts these semi-convertibles between the hardtop Carrera 4 and 4s ($91,030 and $105,630, respectively) and Carrera 4 and 4S Cabriolets ($102,930;$117,530) in Porsche’s lineup.
Deliveries begin this summer, which sounds like perfect timing.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.