Neither Coupe Nor Cabriolet: The Story of the Porsche 911 Targa

By the early 1960s, Porsche was no longer the fragile, survival-mode company of the late 1940s.The Porsche 356 had matured into a reliable revenue stream especially the later B and C versions, were selling consistently, particularly in the United States. The German manufacturer had already launched the 911 and continued selling the 356 alongside it while motorsport was strengthening the brand’s reputation. 

In this context, a fixed roll bar convertible was first discussed as early as 1962, but shelved purely due to limited production capacity. But when tightening American safety regulations in the mid-1960s threatened to ban convertibles outright, Porsche had a ready-made solution already developed: The Targa bar, a fixed roll-over hoop positioned behind the front seats on a Porsche 911. Rather than compromise the Targa bar was invention. Now, 60 years later, that same bar is still the most recognizable silhouette in the 911 lineup.