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Tag: Porsche

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Feature Listing: 1978 Porsche 928

Is it possible that the early 928 is an even more futuristic looking car than the later models? Typically we’d probably consider the inverse where a model evolves and advances as it gets older. The 928 surely did advance and its evolution is clear, but I still think the earlier models look farther ahead than the later models. Some of that surely is down to their look relative to other options available at the time, but I think there’s more to it than that. Their spaceshippyness (that’s definitely not a real word) seems more pronounced. The round-in-the-back and pointy-in-the-front design is more apparent. The interior…well as soon as we take a look inside this one I think that part becomes obvious. It all seems like it’s looking farther into the future and then with its evolution Porsche dialed it back some and smoothed all of the rough edges.

This forward looking design is a testament to Porsche’s ideas and it really makes me wish the model had continued to live on so that we could see where it might have gone next. The Panamera isn’t it.

These were my thoughts as I looked over this 928. It comes from early in the model’s production so it showcases those early design cues and its black-white pascha interior is something few marques would ever consider utilizing outside of the ’70s. This is very much a period-correct 928 and its restoration looks top notch.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1978 Porsche 928 on 928 Classics

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Double Take: Grand Prix White Carrera Targas – Which 5-speed Will You Have?

If you find yourself desiring a classic 911 from the ’80s you’re immediately presented with a few decisions. The first of which, while seemingly the most straightforward, can actually present the biggest quandary: which model do you get, the 911SC or the 3.2 Carrera? Both are great and their similarities in design and performance are such that either model should fulfill your desires. But let’s say you’re set on the 3.2 Carrera. You want the improved performance and slightly more refined feel. You still have one more decision to make: would you rather find one of the earlier models (1984-1986) utilizing the long-standing 915 5-speed transmission or a later model (1987-1989) with the newer G50 5-speed transmission? It seems a minor detail, but the transmissions do make a difference. Most drivers find the G50 to be the nicer shifting of the two and it is a more stout transmission to begin with, a point that certainly could make a difference 30 years from new. However, the G50 also is heavier and typically the prices for the later Carreras, in part because of that transmission, tend to be higher. If you’re thinking strictly about adding one to a collection the G50 probably is the one to get. For a driver? It’s not so straightforward.

Generally speaking, unless you’re very patient most of these decisions will be made for you since you’re typically best off by buying the best available option from these years. A well sorted 911SC is likely to bring you more joy and fewer headaches than a 3.2 Carrera with some issues. Sometimes, however, the options are such that you really can have your choice and, in fact, in our case here your choice really is distilled down almost completely to the different transmissions.

Here we have two Grand Prix White 3.2 Carrera Targas with pretty similar mileage, pretty similar asking prices, and seemingly very similar condition. Both also are located in the same general region of the country. The only real differences are the interior color and the model year. Let’s proceed in chronological order and begin with this 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa, located in Miami, with Burgundy interior and 103,000 miles on it.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa on eBay

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1981 Porsche 911SC Coupe

The 911SC remains one of my favorite Porsche models. It played an important role in the 911 establishing itself as the premier sports car in the Porsche lineup and without it this iconic rear-engine performer may have gone the way of Porsche’s many other former models. It also presents good value among the air-cooled line. While they played an important historical role, their relative simplicity has kept values down compared with some of the other models. So you can still get a good classic 911 in original condition without spending too much.

Or those values can allow you to follow another route. The 911SC becomes a canvas to build the 911 of your own. Along with the 3.2 Carrera these are the most commonly modified Porsches we see. However, unlike the Carrera, which builders tend to use as their foundation for building pretty highly priced back-dated 911s attempting to replicate the heroic Carrera RS of the past, the 911SC can be found in a wider variety of builds and generally much lower prices. It seems regardless of where they end up the 911SC keeps those values lower.

That’s more or less the situation with this 911SC. The owner bought it a couple years ago and began to transform it. The overall look is quite different, but it still maintains the basics that make it identifiable as one of these ’80s 911s. I’m not sure the price is quite right, but it’s not nearly as egregiously high as many of the Carrera builds we see. I think it provides a point we can work with.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1981 Porsche 911SC Coupe on eBay

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Viper Green 2017 Porsche 911 Targa 4S

Anyone who has been reading these pages for a while will know that I am a huge fan of the 911 Targa. My first experiences with a Porsche of any kind were in a Targa and I guess that first love has remained with me. I love the aesthetics and the versatility. I even love Porsche’s initial forays into the model’s development with the kind-of-crazy Soft-window Targa. I loved them right up until 1996 when the design was modified for the 993. The Targa basically had become a giant sunroof.

Thankfully that all changed in 2014 when Porsche returned the Targa to its true form. It wasn’t all roses. At its release the Targa was only available as either a 4 or 4S, i.e. no rear-drive Targa, but the Targa was back and it looked great! It fit the design of the 991 well. The new Targa allowed electronics to do all of the work so the top could be removed without too much fuss. You do have to come to a stop though. The horror.

Even with the Targa’s return I have seen very few of them on the road. So I guess the least loved of the 911s will remain that way. Maybe buyers aren’t sure what it is? I doubt anyone would fail to stop and look at this one: a Viper Green 2017 Porsche 911 Targa 4S, located in New York, with 7-speed manual transmission and 6,396 miles on it.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: Viper Green 2017 Porsche 911 Targa 4S on eBay

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1988 Porsche 930 Targa

We’ve seen a couple of Turbolook Carrera Targas come up for sale recently. Lovely cars and very rare. What we haven’t seen are actual turbocharged Targas for sale. The last time I featured one was almost two years ago. The feature before that takes us back almost another two years. While it’s extremely unlikely I would have seen and featured every 930 Targa to come up for sale over those four years, that tiny number of posts stands in stark contrast to the abundance of 930 Coupes and Cabriolets that grace our pages. In any given week I can almost always find a beautiful 930 Coupe to write about if I so choose. To some degree the same goes for the Cabriolet. The Targa, not so much.

In part this rarity comes down to production time – the 930 Targa only was available for three years, though that’s also true of the Cabriolet and we still see many more of those – and numbers: the Targa was produced in far fewer numbers relative to Coupes and Cabriolets. Why? Presumably they were less desirable. Porsche produced fewer 911 Targas in general. Still the 930 Targa remains a relatively more rare machine.

Anyway, here is one! A 1988 Porsche 930 Targa, located in New Jersey, with 68,100 miles on it:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 Porsche 930 Targa on Rennlist

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