Porsche 911 Targas Have Mixed Sales Results This Week
- Commander
- May 29, 2020
- 3 min read
This was a week of Porsche 911 Targas for sale as Bring a Trailer featured four distinct Porsche Targas for sale including an early 70’s Porsche Targa, a 911SC Targa, a Carrera Targa and a 993 Targa. The only air-cooled Porsche Targa missing was a 964.
Of the four that went to auction, two sold and two failed to meet reserve. The best performer was the 1986 Carrera Targa featured in a strong color combination of Garnet Red over Biege in immaculate condition. It sold for a premium achieving a Coupe price for a Targa.The classic Grand Prix white 993 Targa with a great presentation also had a good sale selling at a premium to its median pricing.
Porsche first introduced the Targa body style in response to increased safety requirements in the American market. The Targa name came from the famous road race, the Targa Florio, where Porsche had many successes. For open top Porsche driving, the Targa roof was the only option for early 911’s and became part of the Porsche unique offering.
The Targa top offers the best of both worlds from a coupe and a cabriolet: the open air driving with a solid roof structure. The Porsche market however values the coupe
As noted by median prices achieved at auction the Targa models similar to their Cabriolet counterparts sell for less than the coupe versions. It is most noticeable in the later model G-bodies and 993 where the Targa takes a 24% price hit versus the coupe.
Median Prices of the Targas sold versus their Coupe Counterparts
(Prices are based on the Sports Car Market Price Guide)
1970 911T Targa Price of $64,500 vs Coupe Pricing at $72,500 – 11% difference
1975 911SC Targa Price of $54,000 vs Coupe Pricing at $59,000 - 8.5% difference
1986 Carrera Targa Price of $42,000 vs Coupe Pricing at $55,500 – 24% difference
1996 993 Targa Price of $48,500 vs Coupe Pricing at $64,000 – 24% difference
Four Porsche 911 Targas For Sale on Bring a Trailer
$55,000 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa
Garnet Red over beige. Lowered suspension. Updated service.
Reported to be excellent cosmetically and mechanically. Striking color combination. Miles: 29K shown, rollback probably high 40’s.
$53,555 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Targa
One of 426 Targas built for US in 1996. Service updates completed. Grand Prix white over gray leather. Features Speedline wheels with a lowered suspension.
$60,911 (Reserve not met) 1970 Porsche 911T Targa
Refurbished Conda Green over brown (beige) leatherette. The car didn’t meet reserve. Seller indicates it was close. Expected to go for $70,000 plus. Missing sport seats listed in COA and the wheels are incorrect. COA calls for a brown interior while this one is a lighter beige.
$32.250 (Reserve not met) 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa
One of only 174 Carrera targas produced for the United States in 1975. Silver metallic over new Lobster (Russet) Leather seat covers. Everyone got hung up on the side mirrors not being original. Miles: 81,000
Why Two of the Porsche 911 Targas Sold and Two Didn’t
Of the two Targas that sold there were three primary reasons the separated the two sellers from the two non-sales.
Colors: Porsche sales are very color sensitive and the two Porsche 911 Targas that sold presented very strong color combinations that were mentioned in the comments continuously. The Conda Green early 911 is a color that may not be for everyone while the silver 1975 Carrera with the Lobster (Russett) interior faces the same issue. You either love the Conda Green and Lobster interior or hate them.
Buyer Pool: Four targas, one from each body style of Porsche 911 (except the 964) all in the same week and at the same time provided buyers with the choice to compare and get just what they want. There are only so many air-cooled PorscheTarga buyers in the market at the same time and the market may have been saturated with Targas. In addition the auction occurred over the Memorial Day weekend which may have limited eyeballs on the web as people flocked to the outdoors as many states opened up from Stay-at-Home orders.
Originality: The two Porsche Targas that didn’t sell had a few elements that weren’t original and true to the car as opposed to the two sellers that checked all the boxes. In a rich market, buyers can be picky and chose the complete, true models over the modified versions. An early 911 buyer tends to value originality and these sales proved that out.
Tags: Porsche 911 Targa, Porsche Targa Top
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