Engine No. 63V02628

Transmission No. 2006170

The Porsche 911 Targa was a stroke of genius, the type of design that often emerges in difficult times, in this case, the expected change in American roll-over regulations for convertibles and cabriolets like the Porsche 356. Within two years Porsche debuted the new 912, 911, and 911 S Targa with its roll-over bar and the rest is history! In fact, the design was so well-received that it outsold the coupe despite the fact that it was more expensive. To further reinforce the quality of design, it went virtually unchanged through three generations of 911 over 25 years of production.

The first of these changes emerged in late 1995 for the 1996 model year coinciding with the release of the new 993-generation 911. For the first time, the removable, semi-rigid top with roll-over bar, and wrap-around all-glass rear window was replaced with an expansive all-glass roof that more closely mimicked the coupe's trademark roofline. In effect, it was an extremely large sunroof, but it was one that expanded the spaciousness of the interior in a novel manner. This new Targa, just like the previous generation, was a design hit, especially among the crowd interested in something different. Along with the roof change, many of these Targa buyers opted for Porsche's Tiptronic automatic transmission. In fact, it is rare to find 993-generation 911 Targa equipped with a manual transmission as we have with this example on offer via Broad Arrow Private Sales.

Finished in the exceptionally rare Paint-to-Sample shade of Imperialrot, the Fahrzeugbrief notes that this six-speed manual 1997 911 Targa completed production in January 1997 and was retained for use by the Porsche factory. It was registered on Stuttgart license plates and while it is unknown why the factory kept the car, they did so for 19 months and was likely a firm favorite around the factory for both its color and rare specification. Furthermore, its original Garantie & Wartung service book details the full list of selected options that include heated full-power front seats, limited slip differential, Porsche CR-21 radio, rear window wiper, On-board Computer, and a Hi-Fi Sound System.

According to its Fahrzeugbrief, the car found its first private owner in August 1998 when it was sold to IMK Druckguss, a company based in Velbert, Germany. In August 2001, it was acquired by Michael Heckhoff of Sprockhövel and then later Michael Georg Schey based in nearby Düsseldorf in 2003. In fact, between the first five private owners the car was owned within a small 50-kilometer radius within Germany. Acquired by the current owner located in Bielefeld in 2011, the car is noted to wear a repaint in its original shade of Imperial Red. In addition, the rare Targa received a flywheel, seal kit and 1st and 2nd gear synchros approximately 11,000 kilometers ago and is noted to shift smoothly today. It is a matching-numbers example fitted with Bilstein suspension that retains its special Targa wheels, books with a well filled service history with numerous stamps and traceable mileage, Nokia 2110 phone, and its first German title. Most recently, in 2022, this special Targa visited Aperta, Inh. Thorsten Krüger of Bielefeld for a service that included a brake fluid flush.

It must be said that manual transmission 993-generation 911 Targas are exceptionally rare. The same could be said for Paint-to-Sample 911s of the era and cars retained by the Porsche factory when new. The combination of the three is virtually unheard of and this example is very likely to be the only car so finished, an unexpected "one of one" creation that not only speaks to the excellent tastes of the Porsche factory itself, but the evergreen collectability of the final generation of air-cooled 911.