The 911 Cabriolet, like the one we featured yesterday, is a popular choice for those seeking a little bit of an edge to their open air motoring. Since 1983, Porsche has been offering up this variant to sun chasers, but one open air 911 has been with us even longer. That model is the Targa. Introduced early on in the 911’s history, the original model had a roll hoop with a removable hard roof over the driver and front passenger and a folding soft top rear section. This gave way to a fixed, wraparound glass rear window a few years down the road.
With the introduction of the 993, Porsche changed the Targa formula a bit and introduced a sliding glass roof panel that disappeared inside the cabin, lending a bit more structural rigidity to the package. Some buyers viewed it as a big sunroof, others saw it as an improvement in all-weather versatility over the outgoing Targa model. Not a lot of these 993 Targas were sold, as most favored either the Coupe or Cabriolet instead of this in between model. This Targa for sale in Alexandria, Virginia caught my eye, due in large part to the replica Porsche Cup wheels.
Year: 1997
Model: 911 Targa
Engine: 3.6 liter flat-6
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 52,469 miles
Price: $49,500 Buy It Now
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 Porsche 911 Targa on Rennlist
Hey Everybody –
Up for sale is a 6 speed 993 Targa.
Mileage – 52,5xx
Color: Arctic Silver – Simply the easiest color to keep looking good and the most stealth color to reduce one’s contact with the “authorities.”
Targa’s come with the delicious glass top and they come with the Varioram intake system which means more horsepower than a regular C2!!
Options/Aftermarket:
JRZ shocks/struts and a set of TRG sway bars keep this car glued to the road. (The new owner will get the OEM shocks and sway bars.)
18″ – 3 piece aluminum rims (Porsche Cup replica 8×8.5 & 18×10) w/ new Bridgestone speed rated radials.
Porsche Cup air intake/K&N filter
B&B stainless steel mufflers
B&M short throw shifter
The interior is the upgraded leather with the Porsche crest in the headrests. The dashboard looks new as does the entire cockpit of this awesome car.But don’t take my word for it,there was a pre-sales inspection that validates that the car is in great shape. Compression leak down #’s are consistent with a very strong motor. Adult driven, never tracked and clear title in hand.
Full Disclosure: Rock chip repair on hood by previous owner. Not perfectly done (are any of them perfectly done?) The guy at the paint shop said to leave it alone. He said it would be like refinishing an antique table, it would hurt the value. I’d be asking a lot more for the car if the paint was perfect – it’s not – it’s original and the car is 16 years old.
I had this car valued by the Porsche Club of America in 2009 for insurances purposes and that’s how I set the asking price. Car handles like a UFO on steroids and I hate to sell it, but the cash goes to pay for the kids college.
Last thing – please don’t hammer me for the dirty floor mats – they are clean now!
I never paid much attention to the Targa variant of the 993, probably because I’m not a fan of Panoramic sunroofs. I like sunroofs, but my MINI Cooper S (R53 variant) has the aforementioned variety and I could do without the fixed rear glass panel. It just makes the car heat up more in the summer months. I’m not sure if the sliding roof is worth the extra weight over a regular 911 with a sunroof, but it does lend to a more airy cabin. Targas of all generations can languish a bit behind Coupes and Cabriolets, but when it comes to the 993, prices for these variants are about on par with other models. For Targas that have about 75,000 miles and under, the sweet spot is around the low $40,000 range to the best glancing $50,000.
-Paul
Second the point of the panoramic roof. I thought they were really great until I bought my MINI Cooper S (in December). By the time summer in Georgia rolled around, I became acutely aware of their down side. Even so, I still like how Porsche’s Targa roof looks.
My bigger problem is that I don’t get the 993’s price premium over a 996. Yes, I have driven a 993. Yeah, I know… last of the air cooled engine… blah, blah, blah… For a little more than half of the asking price of this car, you can get a 996 Targa. Same targa roof. But it will be faster, quieter, get better fuel mileage, be easier to drive and have air conditioning that actually works. For the asking price you can probably get a 997 Targa.
All that being said, this car looks to be a very nice example. It has some nice equipment added to it but wouldn’t be too hard to return to stock condition if that matches the preferences of the new owner. As with any 911 of any generation, be sure to pay for a thorough PPI. I don’t often see 993 Targas for sale, but the asking price seems to be in line with what most people ask.
We had the same issue with my wife’s Cooper S–A/C just couldn’t keep up and she hated the glare. I had a tint place install limousine-dark tint on the whole moonroof and it really helped keep the car cooler.
Having had a 1975 Targa with the one piece removable top, I can appreciate the convenience of the sliding glass of the newer version. However, it doesn’t really seem like a targa anymore.
He will own that car for a long time at that price. The Targa glass roof is HEAVY and expensive to fix when the mechanicals break. I said when not if. There is a reason they didn’t sell a whole lot of them. The 993 in general has been a little soft as the prices on the 1978-83 SC’s and 84-89 Carrera’s have been very strong this year. Right now the market is putting a premium on those older cars. Even the universally un loved 964’s are seeing firm price increases. I am a 964 guy having owned just about every variation of the 964 sold in the US except the turbo 3.6. How I wish I still had my RSA or 94 Speedster. A good 964 C2 Manual Coupe could have been had for a song and a dance 18 months ago and now I regularly see them in the $30’s