The new Porsche 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition oozes retro cool

Porsche on Tuesday whipped the covers off its racy new 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition. A product of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and limited to just 992 examples worldwide (form an orderly queue, folks), this drool-worthy addition to the current 911 range pays homage to design elements used by Porsche back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Its exterior is particularly striking, with that gorgeous Cherry Metallic paintwork tastefully offset by contrasting white spear-shaped graphics running down the front wings. You also get white "Porsche" script above the rocker panels – a feature that found its way onto many of the Stuttgart firm's racing cars back in those halcyon days of motorsport.

So far, so good - but we wonder if the white "meatballs" emblazoned with the number 50 might be taking the track vibes a little too far? If it were me I'd probably omit, if possible.

Let your eyes run over the Heritage Design Edition a little longer and you will also notice subtle touches such as a Porsche Heritage badge atop the engine compartment, as well as a 1963 Porsche Crest on the bonnet. The latter also makes an appearance on the wheel centres, steering wheel and vehicle key.

Carrera Exclusive Design wheels come fitted as standard (20-inch front, 21-inch rear), as do classic-look brake callipers finished in black. 

But the retro feels don't stop there. Indeed, the cabin of the Heritage Design Edition also pays tribute to the past with period cool two-tone upholstery. You can pick between Bordeaux Red leather with OLEA club leather in Atacama Beige or Black leather with OLEA club leather in Atacama Beige. Porsche also made use of corduroy – a material used in its legendary 356 that ruled the roost in the 1950s.

Other old-school throwbacks come in the form of a green-illuminated rev counter and stopwatch, as well as a perforated roofliner. A gold metal badge on the trim panel of the dashboard records the individual limited edition number. You could be forgiven for wanting to wear it around your neck – it's that cool. 

Mechanically speaking, the Heritage Design Edition is under the skin identical to the new 331kW 911 Targa 4S that was unveiled a few weeks earlier. You can follow this link to read more about that model's performance, chassis and specification.

At the time of writing, Porsche South Africa was unable to supply me with any pricing for the new 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition or confirm whether any units are destined for our shores.