Porsche unveiled the novel 911 Targa at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September 1965, sparking a trend that continues to this day. Neither a coupe nor a convertible but something in between, it was conceived in response to increased safety requirements for open-top cars in the United States. A fixed rollbar provided added structural rigidity, while a removable roof panel and fold-down plastic rear window offered open-air enjoyment.

With patent pending, Porsche officially added the 911 Targa—its name inspired by the Targa Florio road race in Italy—to the lineup in the fall of 1966 as a 1967 model. In late summer 1967, a fixed glass rear window with heating element became an option and then standard equipment the following year—a configuration that persisted largely unchanged until 1993.

The highly unique and unusual 1977 Porsche Carrera 3.0 Targa offered here was specially built for one of the largest Porsche dealers in Germany at the time, Glöckler of Frankfurt. Completed on 13 August 1977, it was finished, as it is today, in Light Yellow with a black leatherette interior, black carpeting, black anodized exterior trim, and a black top insert. Its Certificate of Authenticity notes that the seats included black pinstriped velour inserts, among other interesting options specified by Glöckler. Most notable among these was the M451 “Turbo Look” body package, which included widened front and rear fenders and quarter panels, a large rubber-edged “whale-tail” spoiler, a rubber front air dam, 16-inch Fuchs alloy wheels, and a set of wheel spacers. This option package is remarkable in that it appears to pre-date the “Works Turbo Look” package that became available on production order sheets in 1984, making it extremely rare.

Additional factory features include Bilstein shock absorbers, tinted glass, a Blaupunkt Coburg radio and speaker package, a set of black “Porsche” door-panel stripes, and a black stripe kit for the hood, which included the distinctive “911” identifier, an option that was introduced in 1974. This Targa is also fitted with dual mirrors, headlamp washers, and a leather-wrapped sport steering wheel. The engine is said to have been upgraded with a set of oil-fed Carrera chain tensioners under previous ownership.

Acquired by the consignor in February 2017 and imported to the United States in 2019, the car has been well cared for and sparingly driven under current ownership. The Spain-based consignor, a professional driver who helps set up and race vintage Porsches, had the engine refurbished and the suspension reworked by top marque specialists in Europe, greatly improving the driving dynamics. Copies of invoices for some of the work accompany the sale.

Factory-equipped with a 3.0-liter air-cooled flat-six that was a direct development of the 2.8 RSR racing engine of 1974, Porsche’s Carrera 3.0 in either coupe or Targa form remains a rare and very desirable vehicle. What's more, the 200-horsepower 3.0-liter engine in this rare European-specification example is far more powerful than the 165-horsepower 2.7-liter engine of the US-spec model. For this and many other reasons, this interesting wide-body example is exceptional, offering a distinctive, one-of-a-kind appearance that is unlikely to be found anywhere else.