Porsche People Aren’t Stupid…

Porsche Targa Heritage

So why treat them that way?

Hats off to Porsche for injecting nostalgia into their newest limited edition, all while figuring out how to lighten the wallets of owners by nearly $50k over the standard 4S Targa.

Let’s start with the why.  Money, without the unnecessary complication of thinking this through.  And while $50k times 992 cars is a bit, it doesn’t even add up to Porsche’s annual expenditure for “kaffee und kuchen klatsch” in the boardroom.  Instead, it points toward a rather unnecessary future where little is offered to upscale enthusiasts except a bit more tart.

In fairness, I’ve never owned a Porsche, but I’ve driven half a dozen. I have always found the owners a non-stop group willing to talk the good and bad of Porsche, and why they spend a lot of money on Stuttgart’s finest.  But I have friends, clients, and acquaintances that own Porsches and not one of them has mentioned enthusiasm for coughing up nearly $50K for stickers and decals.

2021 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Heritage photo courtesy PCA

No mistake, the Porsche 4S Targa is one of the most beautiful non-exotics available, and with a starting price of around $150,000, you get rock star performance, extreme comfort, and an instant “I’ve made it” status conferred.  But the Heritage Edition?

For a lot more money the Heritage Edition gives you:

• Cherry Metallic paint Retro color combination reminiscent of the 356 color
• individually numbered plaque
• 1963 Porsche crest on the front bumper
• gold Targa badges
• 20- and 21-inch Carrera Exclusive Design wheels
• black painted calipers

Perhaps the extra cost can be explained in the lighted tachometer and a Sport Chrono stopwatch, but Porsche didn’t return my calls.

Read More: Porsche Goes Retro With New 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition

If I controlled the Porsche brand, I might be tempted to follow in the footsteps of other upscale car manufacturers like Jaguar and Aston, and start building a limited amount of continuation cars.  You wouldn’t even have to be a Porsche fan to salivate over owning a factory produced 904/6, 550 RS, or gulp, a 917.