Porsche history · 1965–present

Porsche 911 Targa: History, Specs & What to Know

By CarWhere Research · Updated

The Porsche 911 Targa was introduced at the Frankfurt show in September 1965 as a 'safety cabriolet' with a fixed roll bar and a removable roof panel. Porsche built 87,663 Targas in the first three 911 generations. The 993, 996 and 997 used sliding glass roofs instead, and the 991 brought back the bar in 2014.

Porsche created the Targa in response to tightening safety requirements for open cars in the American market, and filed a patent for the concept in August 1965. The roll bar, about 20 cm wide, became a design signature. The name comes from the Targa Florio road race in Sicily, which Porsche had won four times.

The original roof combined a removable panel with a fold-down plastic rear window; a fixed, heated glass rear window became optional in 1967 and standard about a year later. That layout ran until 1993. The 993 replaced it with a large glass roof that slid beneath the rear window, the 996 and 997 kept glass roofs, and since January 2014 the Targa has again used a roll bar with a roof that opens at the push of a button.

911 Targa history: what changed, year by year

  1. Sept. 1965 — 911 Targa presented at the Frankfurt IAA; patent filed the month before.[1],[2]
  2. Autumn 1966 — Production begins, for the 911, 911 S and 912.[1]
  3. 1967–1968 — Fixed, heated glass rear window becomes optional, then standard.[1]
  4. 1988–1993 — 964 Carrera 4 and Carrera 2 Targa; classic roll-bar Targa production ends in 1993. 87,663 Targas built across the first three generations.[1]
  5. 1995–1996 — 993 Targa with an electric glass roof that slides under the rear window.[1],[3]
  6. Dec. 2001 — 996 Targa: more than 1.5 m² of glass and an opening rear window with up to 230 liters of storage.[1]
  7. Sept. 2006 — 997 Targa 4 and 4S, all-wheel drive only.[1]
  8. Jan. 2014 — 991 Targa returns with a roll bar and a fully automatic roof, shown at the Detroit auto show.[1],[4]
  9. May 2020 — 992 Targa premieres as the third body style of the eighth-generation 911; a 992-unit Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition follows.[1],[5]

How many 911 Targas were made?

Porsche 911 Targa production figures (units). ≈ marks a figure Porsche gives as approximate.
Model / variantYearsUnitsWhat the figure counts
9922020992[5]limited to 992 units worldwide
Targa, first three 911 generations1966–199387,663[1]original 911, G-model and 964

More model-by-model totals: Porsche production numbers.

911 Targa variants and engines

Key Porsche 911 Targa variants. Power in PS (metric horsepower) as Porsche quotes it, or hp where marked.
VariantYearsEnginePowerNotes
964 Targa1989–19933.6 L air-cooled flat-6250 PS[1],[6]Last classic roll-bar Targa.
993 TargaMY1996–19983.6 L air-cooled flat-6285 PS[3],[7]Sliding glass roof; US MSRP $70,750 (1996).
996 TargaMY2002–20053.6 L water-cooled flat-6315 hp (US)[1],[7]Rear-drive; opening rear glass.
997 Targa 4 / 4SMY2007–20123.6 / 3.8 L flat-6325–345 / 355–385 hp (US)[1],[7]All-wheel drive only.
991 Targa 4 / 4S / 4 GTSMY2014–20193.4/3.8 L, then 3.0 L twin-turbo350–450 hp (US)[1],[7]Roll bar returns; automatic roof.
992 Targa 4 / 4S / 4 GTSMY2021–3.0 L twin-turbo; 3.6 L T-Hybrid (992.2 GTS)379–532 hp (US)[7]

Full trim-by-trim figures (US hp, torque, 0–60, weight, launch MSRP): Porsche 911 specs by generation.

911 Targa engine and drivetrain facts

  • Every Targa from the 997 onward is all-wheel drive.[1],[7]
  • The 996 Targa's glass roof covered more than 1.5 m², and its rear window opened to a luggage area of up to 230 liters.[1]
  • The 997 Targa's special glass saved 1.9 kg.[1]

What to check before you buy a 911 Targa

  • Roof first: open and close the roof several times and check seals, drains and headliner for leaks. On the 991 and 992 the automatic mechanism should run smoothly and without warnings.
  • On classic Targas, check the soft or glass rear window and the condition of the roll-bar trim and seals.
  • Confirm the car left the factory as a Targa; the VIN or chassis number and factory record identify the body style.
  • For 993–997 glass roofs, check that the sliding glass and its sunshade work; repairs are specialist jobs.

Documented problems, recalls and pre-purchase checks: Porsche 911 known issues by generation.

How to verify a 911 Targa's factory options

For Targas with 17-character VINs (1981 and later), a build sheet shows the factory paint, interior and options recorded for the car. Earlier Targas use short chassis numbers; Porsche's Certificate of Authenticity is the record for those.

Earlier cars with short chassis numbers are covered by Porsche's own record instead — see the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity guide.

See a 911 Targa's factory options from its VIN.

For US-market cars with a 17-character VIN (1981 and later), the CarWhere build sheet lists the factory paint, interior and option codes recorded for that VIN. $9.99, and the free availability check shows whether build data exists before you pay.

Porsche build sheet by VIN

Porsche 911 Targa FAQ

When did the Porsche 911 Targa come out?

Porsche presented the 911 Targa at the Frankfurt IAA in September 1965, and production began in autumn 1966.

Why is it called Targa?

After the Targa Florio road race in Sicily, which Porsche had won four times by 1965. Porsche described the car as a 'safety cabriolet'.

Which 911 Targas have a glass roof?

The 993, 996 and 997 generations used a large glass roof without the classic roll bar. The 991 (from 2014) and 992 returned to a roll bar with an automatic roof panel.

Is the 911 Targa all-wheel drive?

Since the 997 generation, every 911 Targa has been all-wheel drive (Targa 4, 4S or 4 GTS). Earlier Targas, including the 993 and 996, were rear-wheel drive.

How many 911 Targas were made?

Porsche counts 87,663 Targas across the first three 911 generations (1966–1993). It does not publish a single figure for later generations.

Related Porsche history

Specs, production and buying research

Sources

Production counts, power outputs and dates on this page come from the sources below. Where sources disagree, the page says so or uses Porsche's own figure.

  1. History of the Porsche Targa — Porsche Newsroom
  2. The original 911: the masterpiece from Zuffenhausen (Seven generations of the 911, part 1) — Porsche Newsroom
  3. The 993: Pinnacle of the air-cooled era and the last of its kind (part 4) — Porsche Newsroom
  4. Porsche Historical Background: 1948-2025 — Porsche Cars North America (Porsche Newsroom)
  5. Paying tribute to tradition: the 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition (Porsche Newsroom USA) — Porsche Newsroom
  6. The type 964: a new start with this 911 (part 3) — Porsche Newsroom
  7. Porsche 911 specs by generation (US-market figures, each sourced on the page) — CarWhere Research

Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Porsche, 911, Carrera, Targa and Boxster are trademarks of their owner.