Many purists will have you believe the only Porsche worth buying is a 911. However, even if you do narrow down your options to this class, these days there are many 911s from which to choose. Much like in days gone by, if your favourite chocolate was plain old Dairy Milk you were fine. But now you've got Dairy Milk with caramel, nuts and even popping candy! Who would have thought of such an exotic variant? Well, meet the motoring equivalent and we think it's brilliant.

Same driving experience
It's a 911, after all, what did you think it was going to be like to drive? A superb chassis and Star Trek Warp Speed performance makes every ride out in the Targa 4 GTS more fun than nipping to the Delta Quadrant. Low to the ground, you really feel all of those 450 horses straining to get you to your destination as soon as possible.

Best looks ever? You decide
We're merely putting this out there, so please don't bite our heads off. In our humble opinion this is the best looking 911 to date (cue the hate mail). We received the hot red version you see before you and we couldn't take our eyes off it. That taut sporty look, those front air intakes, those 20-inch Turbo S wheels... sorry, dribbling again.

Why you can dive into corners
Depending on your trim package this little rocket has rear-axle steering and GT sport steering. Day-to-day this may not appear useful, but out on those Masafi mountain roads it is a dream. Even the tight bend approaching home became part of Interlagos' Senna S corner we had to get through as quick, and safely, as we could.

The noise, the lovely noise!
Turn the motor over and you're not greeted by the devastating blow of a muscle car. With the Taarga 4 GTS you are elegantly and vigorously serenaded by the tenor of that flat-six engine. Put your foot down and it transforms into a hearty roar, the turbo chargers providing your own Greek Chorus urging you to: "go faster, go faster."

Drop-top day dreaming  
One of the Targa 4 GTS' premium features is its roof, or should that be the lack thereof? The 'Targa Top' is perfect for this time of year, cleverly dropping in about 20 seconds, leaving the driver and passenger exposed to the elements, though cocooned by the gorgeous curved glass rear windscreen. With the lid down the car looks sublime.

Specs

. Engine: Flat 6, twin turbochargers
. Power: 450hp
. Top speed: 306km/h
. 0-100km/h: 3.7 seconds
. Starting price Dhs537,900
. Price of car driven: Dhs640,730

Source: Khaleej Times