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911 Targa

911 Targa

1996–1998Targa

The 993 Targa, launched for model year 1996, reinvented the badge. Instead of a removable roof panel and a wide roll-over hoop, a large electrically operated laminated-glass panel slid beneath the steeply raked rear screen, leaving the Carrera profile untouched and flooding the cabin with light. The old B-pillar hoop disappeared entirely, though the mechanism added weight high up and proved more complex than a simple lift-off panel. Built on the Cabriolet structure and identified by distinctive two-piece 17-inch wheels, it used the 285 PS VarioRam engine with rear-wheel drive and optional Tiptronic S. About 4,600 were made.

SpecificationsSound: Porsche 911 R (1967)Edvvc · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons (opens in a new tab)

Unofficial fan showcase · media licensed per asset

Specification plate

Numbers as published

Every figure below is quoted from the sources listed at the foot of the page. A dash means the number was never published — it is never estimated.

Engine

3.6 L

M64 air-cooled flat-six with VarioRam

Power

285 PS

0–100 km/h

0–97 km/h (60 mph) 5.3 s

Top speed

275 km/h

171 mph)

Weight

1,420 kg

3,130 lb)

Drivetrain

Rear-wheel drive

Transmission

6-speed manual; 4-speed Tiptronic S (optional)

Production

4,583

Wikipedia table; article text also cites 4,619)

Body styles

Targa

Torque

340 Nm

251 lb-ft) @ 5,250 rpm

3D viewer

Look closer

Parallax pan of one photograph · no multi-angle 360° exists under a free licence

Looking for the frame sequence

Turntable sequence from frame 0
Paint

A turntable is a photograph sequence, so there is no material to tint.

Wheels
StockSportTurbo

No 3D model on file for this variant yet.

Gallery

7 views of the Targa

Click a frame · Esc closes · ←/→ move

Watch

4 films on the Targa

Variant-specific films first, then the curated set for the generation. Every player is an embed that loads on click.

  • Generation · 9WERKS TV

    Porsche 993 Carrera buyer's guide: full story on the last air-cooled 911

    best single summary of the last air-cooled generation

  • Generation · MotorWeek

    Retro Review: 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo (993)

    the 400 PS twin-turbo that made the 993 turbo standard

  • Generation · Petrolicious

    1995 Porsche 993 Speedster: Unicorn Conversion

    factory Speedster conversion, one of a handful

  • Generation · Tedward

    Driving the 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera RS - 300hp 3.8L Air Cooled Lightweight (POV Review)

    binaural POV of the 3.8 RS, the driver's 911 of the era

Compare

Set it against its neighbours

911 Carrera 41995–1998Same roofline, near in time911 Speedster1995–1998 (2 cars)Same roofline, near in time911 Carrera 4S1996–1998Nearest in time
Compact specification comparison between the 911 Targa and 911 Carrera 4, 911 Speedster, 911 Carrera 4S
Spec911 Targa1996–1998911 Carrera 41995–1998911 Speedster1995–1998 (2 cars)911 Carrera 4S1996–1998
Years1996–19981995–19981995–1998 (2 cars)1996–1998
Engine3.6 L M64 air-cooled flat-six with VarioRam3.6 L M64 air-cooled flat-six, twin-spark, VarioRam from 19963.6 L M64 air-cooled flat-six (Carrera 3.6 as built)3.6 L M64.21 naturally aspirated flat-six with VarioRam
Power285 PS285 PS272 PS285 PS
0–100 km/h0–97 km/h (60 mph) 5.3 s0–97 km/h (60 mph) 5.2 s—0–100 km/h 5.3 s
Top speed275 km/h275 km/h—270 km/h
Weight1,420 kg1,420 kg—1,450 kg
DrivetrainRear-wheel driveAll-wheel drive (viscous multi-plate clutch, rear-biased)Rear-wheel driveAll-wheel drive (viscous coupling)
Transmission6-speed manual; 4-speed Tiptronic S (optional)6-speed manual (no Tiptronic offered)4-speed Tiptronic S (1995 car); 6-speed manual (1998 car)6-speed manual
Body stylesTargaCoupé · CabrioletSpeedsterCoupé
Production4,583 (Wikipedia table; article text also cites 4,619)7,166 (4,744 coupés + 2,422 Cabriolets)2 built by Porsche Exclusive (1995 and 1998, per Wikipedia)6,948 (Wikipedia production table; not independently corroborated)
Open the full comparison

Pairs load as /compare?a=993/targa&b=993/carrera-4

Sources (4)

  1. Porsche 911 (993) — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
  2. 1996 911 Targa (993) specifications — Excellence (opens in a new tab)
  3. The seven generations of the Porsche 911 (Part 4): the type 993 — Porsche Newsroom (opens in a new tab)
  4. Model 911 (type 993) — Porsche Classic (USA) (opens in a new tab)

What the sources do not settle (3)

  • Excellence's 1996 Targa page lists 272 hp @ 6,100 rpm; Porsche Classic and Wikipedia both state 285 PS from model year 1996. The 285 PS figure is used here.
  • Production is 4,583 in Wikipedia's table but 4,619 in its uncited year-by-year list (1996: 2,442 / 1997: 1,843 / 1998: 334).
  • Acceleration and top speed are Excellence's manual-gearbox test figures; Tiptronic S cars are slower (6.3 s to 60 mph, 270 km/h).

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