Natalie Stratos London, UK
My Targa has been back to the garage to fix the stalling issue, but not before I took a long, hard look at the interior that I’ve become accustomed to. Mostly to draw up a list of must-do repairs, but it also made me study all the features that make my Targa the classic it is.
I came from a design aesthetic when choosing my forever car back in 1994. It was always about the design. So when I decided to look more into it, it was wonderful to see why the whole 1982 model resonated so well with me. So much craftsmanship was put into all aspects of the simple yet pure perfection of the interior.
My favourite thing about my Targa is the speed dial. It’s magnificent. The spec ratio of the dashboard to the dials is so pleasing to the eye. When I started my driving life I had a Mini 850, followed by a Mini GT. Both cars had the huge, round dials that remind me of my car. The
Targa is all about its curves, which are repeated all over the car: from the gear stick, to the seat adjuster dial, to the petrol cap releaser, to the heating and ventilation controls, all the way through to the curve of the Targa’s back window. The finish and edges are smooth and aesthetically pleasing. The whole dashboard is self-explanatory: no fancy frills, just clean and precise. It does what it says on the tin, so to speak. I have the original Porsche driver’s manual that illustrates the whole dashboard so beautifully. I’ll actually make a print of it and frame it for prosperity.
Porsche introduced the 911 Targa at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September 1965, which I found out while doing research for this piece. For me this is serendipitous because we were both born in the same month and year! It’s a huge sign. We were meant for each other, soul mates.
The Targa’s origins date back to the 1965 MY Porsche 911 Targa. Porsche got the name from the Targa Florio – the road race in Sicily where Porsche was very successful. Targa actually means ‘number plate’ in Italian! According to Porsche, “The Targa was the first safety cabriolet in the world with a fixed safety or roll bar, which was a new concept in reaction to the increased safety requirements for open-top cars on the
American market.” So I guess it was a happy necessity from a design point of view, because the concept continued into many future models.
I’m hoping that she’ll be up and running soon for the spring drives with her roof off. To me, it’s the best way to drive a Targa!