Porsche 911 (1976)

In 1966, two years after the original 911 coupe's introduction, a cabriolet version was announced; this was the 'Targa', named in honour of Porsche's numerous victories in the Sicilian classic. Anticipation of upcoming US safety legislation had prompted an ingenious approach to the open top 911; the Targa sporting a hefty roll-over bar to protect the occupants in the event of an inversion, together with removable roof and rear hood sections, which were stowed in the boot. From 1969 a quieter and less leak-prone fixed rear window replaced rear hood, and the ever-popular Targa would continue in this form well into the 1990s, sharing countless mechanical and styling developments with its closed roof cousin along the way.

In 1974 all 911 variants received the 2.7-litre engine, hitherto reserved for the Carrera, when the latter went to 3.0 litres. Although in non-Carrera tune the 175bhp (DIN) 2.7-litre unit made slightly less power than the old '2.4', it had been skilfully reworked to produce significantly more torque over a much wider rev range and offered noticeably improved acceleration. Coupled to tolerance of low-lead petrol, vastly superior fuel consumption, and increased tank capacity, the new 911 proved superior to its predecessor in every way as a fast, long-distance tourer.

This 1976 right-hand drive model equipped with a 5 speed manual gearbox is offered fresh from a cosmetic restoration that commenced in 2015, and comes with over 100 photographs documenting the comprehensive works carried out. The latter included a refurbished interior with custom made Porsche covers, new carpets, and new seats at a cost of £1,944 (invoice on file). The car was serviced in March/April 2016 and benefits from an MoT to July 2017 with no advisories and presents and drives well. Finished in classic Guards Red, it comes with an extensive history file containing a quantity of expired MoT certificates, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, sundry restoration invoices, and a V5C registration document.

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