The 911T was the base model 911 and no, the ‘T’ does not stand for ‘Targa’ but rather for ‘Touring’. Introduced in 1967, the 911T was meant to replace the four-cylinder 912. The 1973 911 received a larger 2.4-litre engine, a marked improvement over the previous 2.2-litre versions, and although the bore size remained the same, the stroke was lengthened. The 2.4-litre flat-six, air-cooled engine put out 140 horsepower at 5600 rpm – less powerful than the E and S models, but because of its slightly lighter body, the 911T was quicker than most expected.
Targa top, or targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full-width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1965 Porsche 911 Targa, and it is a registered trademark of Porsche AG. The rear window is normally fixed, but on some targa models, it is removable or foldable, making it a convertible-type vehicle.
The targa came about in response to increased safety requirements for open-top cars in the American market. The idea was to use race tracks where Porsche has been particularly successful as inspiration, hence the inclusion of Targa Florio – the road race in Sicily where Porsche has enjoyed great motorsport success since the mid-ʼ50s. And probably because ‘911 Targa’ sounded sexier than ‘911 Flori’, the Targa was born. Targa also means ‘number plate’ in Italian, but legend has it that this only came out after work had begun on the sales brochure.