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2014 Porsche 911 Targa takes its crop-top off in Motor City

Back in 1965, Porsche invented the 911 Targa as a matter necessity. Believing that a finicky National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was prepared to outlaw convertibles, the innovative automaker created the half-open car as a way to keep wind rushing through owners' hair. Though far removed from those formative days, it seems as though the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa has come to the Detroit Auto Show with a new-school version of some old-school tech.
While the last Targa featured a trick sliding glass roof at the touch of the button, the new car dramatically swallows a traditional-looking panel via an exceptionally complex-looking mechanical operation. The net result is "the same fun factor and freedom" that can be had with a complete convertible, though with slightly more open-driving protection while underway.
And, as is the case with all of the current 911 range, getting underway can be done with reasonable rapidity. The entry-level Targa 4 rocks a 350-horsepower, 3.4-liter flat-six engine just behind the rear axle, making that car good for 175 miles per hour at the top end (with the seven-speed manual, 174 mph with PDK) and a 0-to-60 sprint of 4.6 seconds. The Targa 4S, meanwhile, offers 400 horsepower from 3.8-liters of boxer six, runs to 60 in 4.2 seconds and hits a top "track speed" of 183 mph.

Porsche already considering even more hardcore Cayman GT4 RS?

We're not sure what kind of person would look at the new Porsche Cayman GT4 and say "that's not enough," but we're sure they're out there. And to satisfy just such a customer, Porsche could very well offer a GT4 RS version in the future. "This is just the beginning of the era. I would be interested in doing a Cayman GT4 RS version, but at the moment we didn't even talk about such a thing. If the customers call for something like this we could think about it." These are the words of Andreas Preuninger, speaking with Evo at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show this week. As head of Porsche's GT line, Preuninger and his team are responsible for creating hardcore track models like the 911 GT3, the new 911 GT3 RS and – for the first time – the new Cayman GT4. Clearly buoyed by the early success of the GT4, Prenuninger is already looking towards the next step. Considering that the existing model already packs a 3.8-liter flat six with 385 horsepower and the manual transmissions so many GT3 fans miss, we're not sure how much more they could get out of the Cayman – but we'll sure enjoy watching them try.

Watch a marksman go clay shooting from a Porsche 911

A Porsche 911 is exciting. Firing a shotgun at clay pigeons is also exciting. And when you combine the two? An amazing video. This video features British master marksman Phillip Thorrold as he takes on a very different form of competitive shooting, because traditional sporting clays, trap, and skeet must be too boring. By mounting a clay pigeon trap to the hood of a Porsche 911 Targa, Thorrold has melded driving and shooting in a way that hasn't been seen since James May and Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear tried to rethink the biathlon. The Brit makes short work of the clays with his over-under shotgun. Even as he runs form spot to spot to intercept the Porsche, he has no trouble downing the discs as they're launched unpredictably from the speeding, sliding 911. He then hops in the passenger seat and proceeds to take out the tiny, orange clays while zipping down a country road. If that's not awesome enough, the clays have been fitted with exploding discs, for that extra bit of excitement. We've posted the entire three-minute video at the top of the page. Even if you aren't into competitive shooting, this is a spectacle you aren't going to want to miss. Please don't try this at home. Related Video: