When introduced in its lineup, the Targa version of the Porsche 911 featured a removable roof panel and rear windscreen.
Over time, only the roof remained removable but enhanced.

While building a convertible adds more fun under the open sky, with a decrease in the driving experience due to a decrease in bodywork stiffness, the Targa solution seems to be a better option. It allowed a nice driving experience with the top wide open, but the same stiff construction, since the side pillars and the security B-pillar remained untouched. It added some weight to the roof, but it increased interior luminosity.

The Targa 4 facelifted body version was announced in June 2008 along with the rest of the range. It featured a new glass-roof, which blocked about two-thirds of the sunlight and took only about 17% of the thermal energy. Considering this, it was easier to drive with the glass-roof closed under the sun than in a convertible. An interior fabric roll cover increased the shade from 50 to 96%.

Inside, the Targa 4 featured a cabin better organized than its coupe sibling, due to the rear opening windscreen. That allowed an increase for the storage compartment behind the rear seats. With the seatbacks folded, the result was a storage compartment larger and more convenient than the trunk itself.

An important upgrade for the 2008 Targa 4 was underneath the car. It featured a 3.6-liter engine that cranked up 345 hp, 40 hp less than its 4S sibling, which had a 3.8-liter unit. A new, PDK 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox was installed on the car, replacing the older 6-speed automatic.