Porsche 911 TARGA 4 -, User Handbook Manual

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10 13 Iconic style
| The 911 Targa evolution
Over the course of a lifetime, we gather
a lot of memories, some of which play
out in our minds like films. With emotion
in stereo and Technicolor images of
forms and role models which have left
a lasting impression on us.
One of these films features the
911 Targa. It begins in 1965 in Zuffen-
hausen – where else? It was here that
the original Targa with roll-over bars
and removable folding roof – Porsche’s
ingenious solution to American safety
regulations – was created. Derived
from the 911 Coupé, the 911 Targa was
developed in response to increasing
demand for an open-top version of the
911 which could also offer the same
levels of comfort and safety as a
closed-top model.
The Targa name alone is the stuff of
legends. It originates from the famous
endurance race held in Sicily, the Targa
Florio. The course was notorious for
its tight bends which the comparatively
compact Porsche race cars of the 60s
were able to use to their advantage,
Never restrain the yearnings of time travel.
The 911 Targa evolution.
chalking up a number of victories
in the process. ‘Targa’ means ‘shield’
in Italian and thus the name also
became symbolic of the ‘protective
shield’ provided by the innovative
safety concept of the 911 Targa.
The most distinctive, style-defining
feature of the Targa is its aluminium bar
with three fins and ‘targa’ logo. Over
the years, this design has left a lasting
impression on the car’s drivers and
fans.
In 1975, the silver bar was replaced
with a black one for the ‘G-series’
version of the 911 Targa, whilst the
subsequent 964 series saw the launch
of the first all-wheel drive 911 Targa. In
1995, for the fourth generation of the
911, the Targa got a completely new
roof concept: an electrically operated
glass roof with aluminium trim strips
running along the sides. Even though
this form of the 911 Targa underwent
further evolutionary development in
subsequent generations, its stylistic
integrity was maintained, resulting in an award-winning design which conveyed
a feeling of open-top driving, even with
the roof closed.
The captivating saga of the 911 Targa
continues, even today. This current
episode features the return of the iconic
Targa bar, innovative roof technology,
that very special open-air driving
sensation and an exceptional level of
comfort. Once again, it is being played
out on the road. And the ending? Well,
that’s been left open, of course.