For the record, I don't much like cars with sunroofs. My head is a bald as a newborn bowling ball and the scalp's epidermis, so long protected from the sun's UV rays becomes tremendously (and painfully!) sensitive to sunlight in one's tender years. Having sunburnt my bald spot (cue only slightly self-conscious "why waste hormones on hair?" self-deprecation) just shy of the need for skin grafts on too many occasions, my brain now has an automated sun avoidance function. Like a vampire, I try to avoid all direct sunlight unless clothed in multiple layers of black sackcloth or swaddled in SPF 72. I don't care how many consecutive days the sun shines in the Emirates; as far as I am concerned, pasty white is the very picture of health.
So assiduous have been my sun avoidance manouevres that I no longer enjoy even indirect contact with the sun. Oh sure, I love looking at a pastoral California coastline. But always from the shade of a rooftop restaurant parasol or the UV-protected confines of a sporting automobile. Convertibles are not for me and, even though glass sunroofs generally offer some protection against the ravages of the sun, just the heat signals my inner cave dweller that it's time to beat a hasty retreat behind some form of protective cloth top.
Melanoma-inspired paranoia aside, if I had to own a car with a sunroof, I think this would be it. The Targa concept somehow works for the 911. It fairly invented, or at least popularised, the concept, the execution is extraordinary and the 911, in any guise, is just so much fun to drive.
My tester was the lesser of the Targas, lacking the S's extra 0.2 litres of displacement and slightly less obvious body. Indeed, it was even equipped with the six-speed manual transmission (instead of the new-fangled, seven-speed, dual-clutch PDK) making it the most affordable of the Targas, if it's politically correct in these post-recessionary, populist times to consider Dh355,000 affordable.
That affordability (and, again, it's all very relative) does not make the Targa 4 a lesser car. Indeed, except for bragging rights, there's precious little reason to opt for the S. For nearly Dh50,000 more, those extra 186 cubic centimetres of displacement accelerate it to 100kph but a mere 0.3 seconds quicker than the Targa 4. Other than a side-by-each comparison, it would be very difficult to tell the two apart. Even the smaller 3.6L version of Porsche's six cylinder is now directly fuel injected (carrying with it a stratospheric 12.5:1 compression ratio and an attendant increase in fuel economy), and fairly sings at high rpm for the addition. The way Porsche incrementally increases horsepower every few years makes model-to-model comparisons rather difficult, but this new version of the iconic boxer motor also gets an edgier exhaust note (aided, as well, by the optional sport exhaust system). It's not quite the difference between listening to Mick Jagger and Tim Urban sing Under My Thumb (and am I the only one that wishes those American Idol contestants would just strangle their own songs rather than my classic faves?), but it is quite noticeable.
As much as I may come across as an old curmudgeon, I think I would eschew the tradition of depressing my own clutch for the techno-wonders of Porsche's new PDK. Just as it revolutionised the concept of the sporting automatic transmission with its Tiptronic paddle-shifter, the PDK is the very best of the latest generation of fully automated manual gearboxes.
The Targa's interior is, of course, dominated by the honkingly huge glass sunroof and equally translucent rear hatch. And though I may not be sun-worshipping, that 0.45 square metres of overhead glass is excellent for star gazing on moonlit nights (and you thought I wasn't romantic). That openness, as Porsche intended, dominates the feel of the Targa's interior and makes it somehow feel roomier than other Porsches, especially the Cabriolet on which the Targa's shell is based.
Of course, purists might complain that, since the Cabrio is the basis for the Targa (the roof is actually inserted into the body from below), its chassis will not be as structurally rigid as the sportier Carrera. Be that as it may, it's extremely unlikely that normal or even spirited street use is going to reveal any difference. Hammering through Yas Marina's incredibly fast Turn Three might reveal some weaknesses, but unless you're going to spend a lot of timing hooning around racetracks, you're unlikely to need more performance or handling than the 911 Targa offers.
One very pleasant surprise is just how much luggage the Targa can carry. While the rear seats could well serve as a medieval torture rack to anyone more than 12 years old, they do fold down and, combined with that large rear hatch opening, I found I could ferry all my motorcycle racing gear, workout duffel and spare undies to the airport without having to cram my carry-on bag onto the front passenger's seat. That may not sound like much, but try it in a Boxster sometime.
If I sound like I'm surprised that I liked the Targa you've read this review well. Of course, I would personally opt for a Turbo and its heart-stopping acceleration were it my choice. But, having driven the Targa for the first time in many a year, I now understand why it maintains a key place in Porsche's lineup. That's high praise indeed coming from an avowed night owl.
motoring@thenational.ae
Match info:
Wolves 1
Boly (57')
Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')
FIXTURES
UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Greatest Royal Rumble card
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Manchester United v Young Boys, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.
Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.
