CHRIS LANSBURY
For many years, Targas lived in the shadow of their coupe stablemates, but a shift in attitude — partly driven by the steadily rising cost of entry into air-cooled 911 ownership — has seen renewed enthusiasm for this distinctive body style, which offers a huge amount of fun in the sun...
One 911 of buyers the many should questions be considering. I get asked Most is which of the air-cooled time it comes down to budget — I always recommend buying the best Porsche you can afford! The next question is almost always whether a coupe or Targa is best. History proves a classic 911 Targa will always be the cheaper of the two body styles, but don’t be fooled into thinking this automatically makes semi-open-top styling the coupe’s ‘poor relation’.
The classic Porsche scene has seen prices fluctuate during the past few years, but 964 Targa values have now strengthened, reducing what was a significant gap to the cost of a coupe. News flash: I think the Targa is just as good as the hard-top. Granted, there’s scuttle shake to consider and, I concede, the Targa’s roof produces a fair amount of wind noise, but let’s be honest, on fine sunny days, these cars are utterly fantastic. And what better choice of vehicle could you be in? Driving a distinctively styled air-cooled Porsche, the wind in your hair and a symphony of flat-six engine tones roaring behind your ears with every gear change. Why wouldn’t a 911 Targa be your first choice?!
I’ve owned several 964 coupes, but if I was about to purchase a 964 today, my first choice would be a Targa. This once overlooked variant has now become a respected classic, not least thanks to the popularity of the 991 Targa, which pays tribute to classic Targa styling with the reintroduction of the iconic rollover hoop.
Porsche produced around 34,000 964 Carrera 2 and Carrera 4 coupes, but only a smidge over 4,000 Targas of the same configuration. Exclusivity now makes the model an attractive choice, not to mention the fact it’s not searching unusual classifieds. to find very The low-mileage 964 Targa examples has, somewhat at reasonable unexpectedly, cost when become a sound investment. It’s also worth considering how purists consider the 964 Targa the last ‘true’ air-cooled Targa, thanks to its 993-generation successor moving to a sliding glass roof. I’ll admit, older Targa tops can be a pain to remove and, when stowed, you lose any real capacity to carry luggage. Over time, old-school Targa roof panels can also require restoration, but there’s charm to the system’s simplicity.
Add ABS, power steering and the removal of torsion bar suspension in favour of coil springs, and it quickly becomes clear how the 964 is a real driver-focused car easy to live with day to day. The altered suspension setup can be firm — even more so if you’re behind the wheel of a 964 wearing an RS or Turbo badge — but these changes transformed the 911 for the better, opening the model to a much wider audience than Porsche had catered for in the past. The exhaust note helped, of course. In stock trim, the 3.6-litre flat-six sound is good, but with a few considered alterations to airflow, the soundtrack to your drive can be one of the best Porsche has ever produced. Having said all this, it’s important to be careful when you start your search for a Targa. A professional inspection is a must for any Porsche, but buy a duff 964 and you can expect hefty bills. Take a small oil leak, for example — what might look an easy fix can quickly generate a mountain of ones and zeros.
If you decide to take the plunge and buy a Targa (any generation 911), I’m confident you won’t regret doing so. Add a minor exhaust upgrade, drop the roof and head out into the sunshine. Your own little bit of Porsche heaven!
TARGA ROOF PANELS CAN REQUIRE RESTORATION, BUT THERE’S CHARM TO THE SYSTEM’S SIMPLICITY