Porsche Targa back, still with rollbar

Porsche launched the revived 911 Targa two weeks ago at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This iconic version of the classic 911 is recognised by its open canopy and the built-in rollbar, itself a vestige of statutory requirements in the USA before the 911 Cabriolet could be launched there in the sixties.

STUTTGART, Germany, PRNewswire – Safety legislation for automobiles forced Porsche to design a Porsche 911 with a rollbar before it was allowed to introduce its open canopy version of the 911 Cabriolet in the United States market, in the sixties. This has lead to the most striking design feature of the Targa, the prominent metallic rollbar, and has remained the signature of the Targa since. Based on its proven popularity, Porsche has decided to launch a modern Targa. This took place in Detroit, USA, very recently.

At the world premiere of the 911 Targa at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Porsche presented the latest generation of the extravagant 911 model to the public. This model is the first to combine the classic Targa concept with state-of-the-art roof technology. Just like the legendary original Targa model, the new model features the characteristic wide bar in place of the B-pillars, a movable roof section above the front seats and a wraparound rear window with no C-pillar. But unlike the classic models, the roof segment on the new Targa can be opened and closed at the push of a button. With these features, the new 911 Targa is presenting itself as a high-quality, innovative remake of the classic vehicle from 1965. The combination of the wide rear end that is typical of all-wheel drive models, the Targa bar and the dome-shaped rear window gives the latest 911 an extremely sporty appearance and a low-slung profile.
The 911 Targa 4 is powered by a 3.4-litre, 257 kW flat engine.