First of all, it is important to clarify one point: whether you choose a 2020 Porsche 911 Cabriolet or a 2021 Porsche 911 Targa, you will always enjoy the iconic design of the Porsche 911. Oval headlights framing a flat front bonnet, very curvy front wings, a muscular profile, a fastback-type roof and, for this generation, a light strip that extends across the entire rear and is reminiscent of the iconic 964 generation: the 911 Type 992 lives up to its lineage.
After that, it's all up to you: you can choose either the features of one of the oldest 911 variants with the 2021 Targa or the purity of lines that's unmatched by the current 2020 911 Cabriolet. The former plays the retro styling card with the iconic aluminium roll bar (like the original) and the rear window occupying the entire sloping roof area behind it. The 2020 Porsche 911 Cabriolet range, on the other hand, offers a sleek design with no fixed roof.
Two styles are thus in conflict: a design that highlights the historical features of one of the most legendary versions of the 911 (the Targa) on the one hand, and on the other, a design that brings the 911 concept back to its purest expression (the Cabriolet). It's up to you to decide, but one thing is certain: you'll turn every head your way from Laval on the North Shore to the rest of Greater Montreal, with the 2021 911 Targa as well as the 2020 911 Cabriolet!
Let's talk versatility in this 2021 Porsche 911 Targa vs 2020 Porsche 911 Cabriolet comparison. In this respect, the Targa version of the 911 Type 992 has one major advantage: its hardtop. Thanks to it, the Targa offers better sound and heat insulation. Indeed, a soft top will necessarily provide less protection from outside noise and will heat (in summer) or cool (in winter) faster than a hard top.
But the 911 Cabriolet range makes up for one essential point that strongly compensates for the few inconveniences mentioned above with a major advantage if you like to drive outdoors: there’s no more roof AT ALL once you open the top, which the Targa can't claim. Indeed, the new 2021 911 Targa cannot, whatever the variant, get rid of its fixed roll bar or rear window, whether you drive with the top up or not. As a result, some people will have the impression of never completely driving in the open air.
So it all depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for the ideal balance between the comfort of a coupe and driving with your hair up in the wind, the 2021 911 Targa is for you. If, on the other hand, you want the ultimate cabriolet experience with the top down, and you're willing to put up with a few extra decibels and less thermal insulation, the 2020 911 Targa Cabriolet is for you.
Finally, in terms of the number of models currently in the Cabriolet and Targa ranges, it is clearly the 2020 Porsche 911 Cabriolet that stands out as the winner. And with good reason: for the 992 model, no less than four 911 Carrera Cabriolet versions are available (Carrera Cabriolet, Carrera 4 Cabriolet, Carrera S Cabriolet and Carrera 4S Cabriolet), with two power output levels (2020 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet and 2020 911 Carrera Cabriolet: 379 hp, 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet and 2020 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet: 443 hp), and this with two-wheel and four-wheel drive. Add to this the all-new 911 Turbo Cabriolet Type 992 (572 hp) or the ultra-sporty 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (640 hp), and you have a range of power ratings and gears for an à la carte driving experience in the 911 Cabriolet lineup.
Faced with this countless number of versions, the 2021 911 Targa, which comes in two regular versions (2021 911 Targa 4 with 379 hp, 2021 Porsche 911 Targa 4S with 443 hp) and a special edition (2021 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design), cannot compete. Indeed, with fewer models, only one drive system available (all-wheel drive only), and only two power levels, the Targa range offers clearly less choice at the moment.
