Ferrari ‘Targa Top’
Firm files patent for new Porsche 911-style ‘Targa Top’ design; 488 could carry it first
488 could usher in new design
Ferrari has filed a patent with the European Patent Office for a new Targa-style convertible roof design. The move signals a return to the bodystyle for the car maker after a 20-year hiatus, with a potential debut in the 488.
The patent application refers to “a car with a ‘Targa Top’ body” that features a “coupé body with a rigid roof that is removable and is supported at the front by the upright of the windshield and at the rear by a robust, full-width roll bar”.
The Targa-style top Ferrari refers to is similar to that used by Porsche on the 911, but the new patent refers to the specific design and engineering involved. It proposes reducing the aerodynamic turbulence associated with Targa-style tops by increasing the height of the windscreen upright, with a possible false insert that is installed when the roof section is removed.
The additional windscreen height would ensure that passing air flows over the cabin space into the rear deck, or possibly through vents located behind the seats. This would, in theory, reduce wind turbulence and noise for passengers.
Ferrari claims that a Targastyle production car of this design would be “free from the aforementioned drawbacks” of the bodystyle as well as being “easy and inexpensive to manufacture”. However, it also admits that such a design would increase drag and have a negative effect on performance and economy.
While there is no official confirmation of which model Ferrari intends to launch the Targa-style roof with, the patent drawings that show an old F430 demonstrating it offer a big hint. That mid-engined V8 model is a predecessor to the 488 GTB, itself Ferrari’s biggest seller.
It’s a sign that Ferrari may be looking to expand the range of its core model, much like Porsche has with its rival 911. The Stuttgart-built sports car features coupé, convertible and Targa models in its range, with Targas becoming more popular in markets such as China and the US. Alternatively, Ferrari could save the Targa-style roof for the 488’s replacement, which wouldn’t arrive for at least another two or three years.
Porsche was first to introduce a Targa top into mass production in 1966 on the 911, and still owns the trademark to the name. However, Ferrari has a long history with the bodystyle, having used it in various models since the 1970s.
The 355 GTS of 1995-99 (again, a mid-engined V8 model) was the last Targa-style Ferrari in mass production, although limited-run models such as the 575 Superamerica and Laferrari Aperta have since been built.
The move signals a return to the bodystyle after a 20-year hiatus, with a potential debut in the 488