Porsche Targa – Origin and History

A few lines about the Porsche Targa

Targa, a rather nice car name for an unusual, beautiful line. It is the model of car that I prefer in the line of the old Porsche. In addition to that, we photographed some of them with the team of Cars and Roses.

Here is one of our latest photos of Porsche Targa, made in Pebble Beach. Everything is there, the line of the car, its curves, its open chest, and the Targa.

You can purchase and configure the photograph here: http://www.carsandroses.com/shop/decorative-photograph-porsche-classic/

Before briefly dwelling on the technical details of the car and especially its different model, why not first focus on the origin of the word “Targa”

But why is this Porsche model called “Targa” ?

A little flashback in the past, we are in the mid-fifties, specifically in 1956. It was on this date that Porsche won its first victory in Italy, at the famous Sicilian race car, the “Targa Florio “. This race took place every year, from 1906 to 1977. Motor racing took place in the Madonies, an assembly line in Sicily. This was created by Vincenzo Florio, a rich car enthusiast. The winner of the race received the “Targa d’oro”, in French, Targa means “plate”. This famous plate showed a car during a race with as background a landscape of the Sicilian mountain. The latter was engraved by the famous French artist René Lalique (1860-1945).

We come back to the fact. Porsche took part in this race from 1956 to 1973 and won it 11 times.

Porsche won its last 73 ‘victory with a 911 Carrera RSR driven by Herbert Müller, a Swiss and Gijs van Lennep, a Dutchman. Porsche therefore named “Targa” one of its models of 911, in tribute to the 11 victories at the Targa Florio.

Here is another photograph taken by Cars and Roses. An old Targa (69-71). You can find this photograph on our shop, here: http://www.carsandroses.com/shop/car-print-porsche-targa/

Targa, where do we start ?

The concept “Targa” was to be able to roll the hair to the wind while remaining protected. The idea is a kind of arch, fixed at the back of the box. The first Targa was presented in Frankfurt at the show. The first models were marketed a big year later, in the 67 years. On these, the back part of the Targa was a kind of plastic window that was lifted. It made the car almost convertible … almost because the arch did not rise. This rear was installed on the 911 2.0 (67-69) and on the 912 (67-69). The roof is made of plastic, it is rigid, it is ideally placed in the trunk.

This famous plastic window was soon forgotten, because the equipment was too vulnerable to the cold and especially to the possible flights. On the following models, Porsche replaced this plastic window with a glass pane.

Here is our photograph “Blue Soft Window” Representing a Porsche Targa Soft Window, first edition. You may configure this image here: http://www.carsandroses.com/shop/wall-photograph-targa-soft-window/

Here are briefly the models of Porsche Targa which followed those of 67-69.

From 69 to 71, the 2.2L, the model remains unchanged, only the engine and the techniques evolve It arrives on a 2.4L for the versions from 71 to 73.

One notices on these models that the retro his rectangle and that the inscription targa on the arch is written in black, whereas it is gilded on the previous models From 74 to 77 we pass on a 2.7L, more power, better engine.

In 76, the 3.0 are there with the famous “turbo look”

From 78 to 83, the 911 SC From 84 to 89, the 3.2L From 89 to 93, the Porsche type 964 available in targa version. The models produced during these years are the last ones provided with plastic roofs.

It comes with the 993, from 95 to 98. Finished the roof that is stored in the trunk or on the back seat.

The 993 is equipped with a panoramic roof, it brings a lot of light. From 2001 to 2005, the 996, always with the panoramic roof.

The 997, from 2006 to 2012. 2014, back to basic. With the 991, one finds the arch of epoch of the targa.

This car is just beautiful. Perfection in my eyes. The idea was to have the same style of roof, while avoiding having to open and close the one manually. I think Porsche has succeeded this model with flying colors. They have found a technique that opens and closes the roof automatically. It can be stored under the rear window.