If you've been following AutoSpies.com for some time, by now you would have probably read amongst the Porsche 911 threads that there is an ongoing theme. That's because I think just about every other time I write one, I mention how Agent 001 and I adore the Targa. To be more specific, the 993 Targa, the 996 Targa and the 997 Targa — bonus point if you score a Targa 4S.
And you'd be a fool to think Porsche wouldn't produce a Targa for the latest gen product, the 991. Well, they are, but Porsche has taken a different route with this one.
Porsche has taken a retro design cue from the old Targas and implemented it onto the 991's body. Instead of doing a sliding glass roof panel a la the 993, 996 and 997, Porsche has brought back the old-school look of a properly removable top last seen on cars like the Ferrari F355 GTS.
What made the original 911 Targa stand out was the centrally mounted, stainless steel rollbar element. Guess what? It's back. This means that the entire fastback appears to be one artfully molded piece of glass, which has to be expensive to do.
That said, this is the first "proper" look we're getting of it as Porsche's test vehicles have been sporting black camouflage over the big glass element. Rightfully so, if it wasn't covered it would have spoiled the whole coming out party.
Thank God for patent images that get leaked! :)
**For the FULL collection of leaked patent images, click "Read Article."
Read Article