Rear-wheel and all-wheel drive 911 Targa 4 Models

For 911 fans it’s a question of faith, for tech lovers it’s an issue of performance: rear or all-wheel drive?

The answer may turn out differently on either side, but neither would be wrong. Those who recognise the rear-driven variant as being the one true 911 should consider that the all-wheel drive setup goes back to the legendary Paris–Dakar Rally of 1984, when the Porsche 953 based on the 911 wrote its own chapter in sport – and engineering – history. Fun in the corners, by the way, is guaranteed by both drive layouts.

Two irreconcilable philosophies? Let’s discuss a third: the design. The all-wheel drive 911 models have a 44 mm wider body, letting it rest more firmly on the road. The impression that is emphasised mainly when it is dark, by the continuous light strip.

Another hallmark of the all-wheel drive models: sheer supremacy. In every corner and at any time of year. Porsche Traction Management (PTM), the active all-wheel drive system, varies the drive force transmitted to all four wheels as the situation demands. This helps to ensure solid roadholding and even better performance. Simultaneously, of course. In winter. Day in, day out. At the limits of dynamic driving performance.

Fair-weather cars? The 911 Targa 4 models are anything but. Here, the all-wheel drive marries excellent traction with excellent aesthetics.

Rear or all-wheel drive? Whatever stance you take, the most fascinating philosophy of life is and shall remain the practical one. At Porsche, this philosophy has been about the road for well over 60 years.