Porsche AG is celebrating 50 years of Porsche Design with a very special 911 Targa.

    The Porsche Design brand doesn’t usually design Porsche cars. Instead, it’s a studio which does everything from reading glasses to leather jackets, with expensive watches, televisions, and tote bags in between.

    Founded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the man who designed the first 911, the studio released its first product – the Chronograph 1 watch – in 1972. Now, 50 years later, Porsche is celebrating with the special 911 Targa 4 GTS you see here.

    The 911 Porsche Design 50th Anniversary Edition is finished in Black or Jet Black Metallic, a nod to the black face of the Chronograph 1 watch. The black paint contrasts with platinum trim highlights, and the Targa roll bar and wheels are finished in platinum to match.

    Those wheels measure up at 20 inches front and 21 inches rear, and have been lifted from the 911 Turbo, albeit with the central crest painted in colour instead of black-and-white.

    Porsche Design stripes in platinum and a smattering of special badges, including one on the rear air intake, round out the exterior package.

    Inside, the seats have chequered inserts in black and white, while the Sport Chrono clock on the dashboard is a special Porsche Design unit with a red second hand. The steering wheel has its 12 o’clock marker finished in slate grey to match the seatbelts, and the headrests have the Porsche Design 50th Anniversary logo stamped in them.

    That same crest features on the door sills, while the F.A. Porsche signature is embossed on the central armrest.

    Along with the car, Porsche is offering a 911 Porsche Design 50th Anniversary Edition take on the Chronograph 1 watch. Offered to buyers of the car, the watch has the same limited edition number as the car engraved on its case.

    Power in the Carrera GTS model comes from a 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six making 353kW of power and 570Nm of torque. It’s all-wheel drive, and mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

    The special edition rides on Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, and features the brakes from the range-topping 911 Turbo.

    Just 750 examples will be built worldwide, of which a “limited number” will be available in Australia. Pricing kicks off at $426,900 before on-road costs, and the car will arrive in the middle of 2022.

    MORE: Everything Porsche 911

    Scott Collie

    Scott Collie is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. Scott studied journalism at RMIT University and, after a lifelong obsession with everything automotive, started covering the car industry shortly afterwards. He has a passion for travel, and is an avid Melbourne Demons supporter.

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