Porsche 912 Soft Window Targa

Technical details

Let's compare them, shall we?

1. Early 911's are known for their tendency to oversteer. The heavy engine placed past the rear axles can make the nose very light when accelerating. Thanks to its lighter flat four engine, the 912 has a much better road handling.
2. Not only is the 911 engine heavier, its 100 kg extra weight barely results in a sufficient gain in horsepower to make up for it.
3. The 912 is a much more reliable car than the 911: while the 911's engine was an entirely new development, the 912's 90 hp engine was a slightly detuned version of the 95 hp engine that had reliably powered its predecessor, the 356SC. Over a decade of continuous development had resulted in a simple, easy to tune and high-efficiency engine. And don't let that "slightly detuned" fool you: thanks to its low drag, low weight and improved suspension, the 912 is actually faster than the 356SC!
4. All the above, plus the fact that it featured the same styling and quality construction of the 911 made it much more attractive to both new and old customers. No wonder it substantially outsold the 911 during the first years of production!

At its introduction in 1965, the 912 was considered an upgrade to Porsche's aging 356, but in the '70s and '80s it was suddenly labeled as some kind of "entry level 911".0 

The upside is that today, you can get a good car at an interesting price, but the downside is that in the past owners often spent less budget to keep their 912 roadworthy. Luckily, some 912 owners did appreciate this car at its true value, and lovingly cared for it.

That's also the case for this 912 Soft Window Targa. Delivered new in Nevada USA, it spent 13 years in a Californian Porsche collection before being exported to Europe in 2001. The warm and dry West American climate have kept this car in a very healthy condition, and the excellent care of the previous owners have made that it still drives wonderfully. Its exterior Light Ivory paint, which is its original colour, presents very well and goes nicely with the charmingly patinated original interior. The targa top and the soft window fit perfectly and are easy to operate.

This Targa has all the characteristics and options that you're looking for: 

• 5-speed gearbox, 
• optional Fuchs wheels that are so typical for mid-'60s Porsches, 
• optional Hella 128 fog lights, 
• the Blaupunkt radio built into the dashboard, 
• the original tool kit,
• the original Targa annex to the owner's manual.