There once was a time when roofs came in two forms: fixed or convertible. But these days, you can get a cloth-roof convertible, a hardtop convertible, partial convertibles like the Fiat 500C, flip-tops like the Renault Wind or Ferrari Superamerica… but one thing you don’t see much of anymore is the Targa top.
Although removable roof panels existed beforehand, it was Porsche that first coined the term ‘Targa’ to refer to the roof style. It was introduced on the 911 in 1966, when the fear was that the authorities were preparing to ban full convertibles due to safety concerns. That fear turned out to be unfounded, but the Targa became a fixture of the 911 lineup.
Porsche replaced the lift-off roof panel with a sliding glass panel in 1996, as it has continued since, but the latest product of the rumormill suggests that the German automaker could be preparing to bring back the old-school Targa with the next-generation 911.
Why would Porsche do this? Maybe the current Targa’s assembly is too heavy or too expensive. One way or another, it’ll be a good few years until the next Targa comes along, so we’ll just have to sit tight – with or without the wind in our hair – to find out.
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