Targa design

[caliber60]

What's the design philosophy behind 911 Targa? How did Porsche came up with the idea? It's really a acquired taste especially the thick black bar. I have not seen any other car with similar design.

[klaucke]

I have seen many new cars with a Targa like roll bar. Mustang Saleens or Cobra R's, PT Cruiser convertable, even the new Carrera GT. Its much like the T-tops on a Camaro or Firebird too, without the bar across the middle.

I'm not in the least an expert, but I always assumed that the Targa was a Cabriolet compromise. The roof of a car adds a huge amount of strength, so convertables need a lot of extra bracing [and weight] to compensate. Using the Targa roll bar, you could help to keep the body from folding in half like a taco at the tunnel, but without an ubsurd amount of structure beneith. However, you could still have the open top like a convertable. I've seen on the Porsche website the Targa referred to as a Cabriolet. After all, open top motoring is the essence of driving a sports car, isn't it?

[HarryD]

I had always heard that Prosche introduced the Targa to be able to offer top off motoring in spite of US regulator attempts to do away with convertibles.

[Jdub]

The Targa came after Triumph's Sebring top, used on the TR4 circa '64 and later. The Triumph featured a rear windshield section and used either a cloth top using struts or a solid piece to mate the front windshield section to the rear.

Porsche decided on an open top a few years later and Butzi designed it (I believe?). With convertibles squarely in the sites of the Nadar crowd who saved us from pointy toggle switches in XKEs, it was a natural design move to come up with a roll bar that protected in a roll but still permitted the open top.

A beautiful compromise. The rear quarter appearance of a Targa with the top off is really quite striking. The cloth rear window variety is also beautiful. I also prefer the brushed stainless and matching chrome trim to the all-black models. However, the roll bar/Fuchs center color-matched cars stand out as well.

Lots you can do with a Targa!

John

[seqcgr]

Even though I own a Targa, visually it's not my favorite design. I love driving it though! Wind in your hair fun with the security of a roll bar.

[masraum]

HarryD is correct. According to several books Porsche thought the US was going to put certain safety criteria into effect which would affect convertibles, the targa was meant to act as a rollbar so it would meet those safety requirements. The US never put those requirements into affect, but the targa stayed. Originally the targas had a soft zip down back window, so you could drive with the backwindow down but the top on, the top off, but the back window up, or both gone.

Yes, there are several cars currently made or have been made in the last 20 years that were "targa" style removeable roofs, and there have been several cars that were real convertibles that had a targa type rollbar behind the driver's heads.

[JeremyD]

I think the Targa is the best of both worlds. #1 it's a Porsche. #2 it's open air. #3 it's safe. It's the perfect combination of form and function. That's what makes it beautiful.

of course, and my beautiful wife

[svandamme]

hardly any wind turbulence, even at high speeds
even at 200km/h i don't find the wind annoying

[Bill Verburg]

Harry and Steve hit the nail squarely

Targas are the best for the street

[JeremyD]

Originally posted by Jdub
The Targa came after Triumph's Sebring top, used on the TR4 circa '64 and later. The Triumph featured a rear windshield section and used either a cloth top using struts or a solid piece to mate the front windshield section to the rear.

Porsche decided on an open top a few years later and Butzi designed it (I believe?). With convertibles squarely in the sites of the Nadar crowd who saved us from pointy toggle switches in XKEs, it was a natural design move to come up with a roll bar that protected in a roll but still permitted the open top.

A beautiful compromise. The rear quarter appearance of a Targa with the top off is really quite striking. The cloth rear window variety is also beautiful. I also prefer the brushed stainless and matching chrome trim to the all-black models. However, the roll bar/Fuchs center color-matched cars stand out as well.

Lots you can do with a Targa!

John

Actually think it was called the "Surrey" top

[Gary J]

Hopefully not to far off topic , but can a silver Targa rollbar be effectively painted to black?

[Markus33]

Bill,

I noticed your targa is without it's tail. Looks great either way - just curious about the switch.

Regards,

Markus

[Mike Kast]

Originally posted by Markus33
Bill,

I noticed your targa is without it's tail. Looks great either way - just curious about the switch.

Regards,

Markus

What caught my eye was the rear lense. What is up with that?
I think we have a code violation!

[targa80]

Originally posted by caliber60
What's the design philosophy behind 911 Targa? How did Porsche came up with the idea? It's really a acquired taste especially the thick black bar. I have not seen any other car with similar design.

Yes it is an acquired taste and a mighty fine taste too!

[tangerine69s]

Hi,

the Targa was introduced inspired in the Targa Florio race, where the cars where equiped with a security roll bar.

Check this brochure, on the 3rd. photo there's an explanation in english about it's philosophy:

http://www.oldautoradio.com/MANUALS/MAN42/index.htm

Josep
1968 911L soft window targa

[targa88]

Jeremy has it right. I would add that the car works well as a daily driver and is a reasonable compromise for some spirited driving around a track.
Not the best choice for a dedicated track car, but still a lot of fun.

[gumba]

We used our '73 for street & track. Racing against similarly prepped coupes our times were within 1-11/2 sec., this with the top out. Not a bad trade off.
'73 targa w/3.2

[Thack]

I read in a book where it said Butzi Porsche wanted a cabriolet version for the 911. He was foeced tio keep production costs as low as posible. So the Targa was the open air alternative. Very nice in my opinion. Oh yeah, Targa means "shield" in Italian.

Mike

[1973911s]

Did someone say TARGA.


I am working to get my car to look this way.

Michael

[svandamme]

michael, i think Carrera decals would look more period correct