{"id":37537,"date":"2020-12-24T06:00:41","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T21:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=37537"},"modified":"2021-07-28T21:12:17","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T12:12:17","slug":"porsche-911-targa-202012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/porsche-911-targa-202012\/","title":{"rendered":"Test Drive of a 1976 Porsche 911S Targa (Sportomatic)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The other day, my husband had the opportunity to drive a 1976 911S Targa on the Royu Driveway and wrote a report about it. I\u2019d be delighted if you take a look. <\/p>\n

Porsche 911S Targa<\/h3>\n

When you think of the Porsche 911 Targa, it carries a special image. It\u2019s like a coupe but not quite, like a cabriolet but not exactly. <\/p>\n

Recently, the heritage design edition of the new 911 (992 model) Targa 4S, limited to 992 units, was announced<\/strong>, which is still fresh in our memories. Apparently, only a few of these made it to Japan, making them extremely rare. Moreover, even the regular Targa models are said to be fewer in number than the GT3,<\/strong> making it the rarest grade within the 911 lineup. <\/p>\n

Originally, the Targa grade was devised to meet the American safety standards for open-top cars at the time, but its side profile is incredibly stylish. The Targa bar accentuates the sleek roofline of the 911 beautifully. <\/p>\n

Personally, it\u2019s one of the 911 grades I\u2019d love to own someday\u2014not for speed, but for elegant cruising. <\/p>\n

\"911S <\/p>\n

This time, we got to test drive a vivid Speedway Green 1976 911S Targa<\/strong>. It has a 2.7-liter engine producing 164 PS. <\/p>\n

In fact, this car was displayed alongside my 964 at the Porsche event \u201cPorsche Sportscar Together Day 2019<\/strong>\u201d held at Fuji Speedway. <\/p>\n

\"911S <\/p>\n

One of the big features of this car is its semi-automatic transmission called the \u2018Sportomatic\u2019.<\/strong> Simply put, the Sportomatic is a manual transmission without a clutch pedal.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Until I rode in this car, I had only heard about it but never experienced it firsthand. <\/p>\n

\"Sportomatic\" <\/p>\n

The owner said, <\/p>\n

\u201cPorsche was truly amazing to introduce a 2-pedal transmission over 40 years ago! I thought I might never encounter a Sportomatic again, so I decided to buy it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also fell in love at first sight with the combination of the green body color and the frog-like front face. <\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Experiencing the Porsche Targa from the Passenger Seat<\/h3>\n

First, I rode shotgun while the owner drove so I could experience the car. <\/p>\n

The start was completely normal, with no shocks or judders. It felt like a well-driven manual car with smooth clutch work,<\/strong> so you might not even notice the difference unless told. <\/p>\n

The engine sound is unmistakably that of an air-cooled Porsche,<\/strong> with mechanical noises that are quite pleasant. The volume isn\u2019t too loud, so it\u2019s very relaxing even from the passenger seat. <\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

The suspension had been replaced with new parts a few years ago, which may explain the very comfortable ride. While you can feel the road contact, the ride is smooth and leans slightly more toward luxury than sporty.<\/strong> It reminded me somewhat of the 911SC I test drove recently. <\/p>\n

The gear changes felt completely natural. Shifting from 1st to 2nd to 3rd felt just like a normal manual car,<\/strong> with no noticeable head movement on my part as a passenger\u2014very natural. I was amazed that such a smooth-feeling transmission was made in that era.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Before riding, I expected more shift shocks or lag, but it pleasantly exceeded my expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next page \u2192 Finally driving the Targa myself! What did I think\u2026!?<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

Test Driving the Porsche 911 Targa<\/h3>\n

Once I understood the controls, the owner let me take the wheel. <\/p>\n

Since it was a special occasion, we decided to drive with the roof off. Naturally, the Targa of this era doesn\u2019t have the fully automatic roof operation like today\u2019s 911. The roof is manually removed and folds to fit neatly in the front trunk.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

I put it into first gear and started moving. It\u2019s a strange feeling to operate an H-pattern shifter without a clutch pedal. When you press the accelerator, the car moves off very smoothly. <\/p>\n

The Sportomatic works by having a sensor on the shift knob that disengages the clutch when you touch the shifter, allowing you to shift gears.<\/strong> So, if you hold the shift knob continuously, it\u2019s best to be careful. <\/p>\n

Upshifts are smoother if you ease off the accelerator slightly while shifting. This car only has three gears,<\/strong> so first gear is for starting, most driving is done in second, and third acts like an overdrive. <\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

If you shift too early from first to second, acceleration feels somewhat sluggish, but once the engine revs up in second gear, it runs very well. With 164 PS in this small body, it\u2019s more than enough, and the distinctive \u201cshaan\u201d sound of the Porsche air-cooled engine is very satisfying as the revs rise. <\/p>\n

Compared to my 964\u2019s 3.6L engine, the 2.7L feels very nimble. <\/p>\n

Downshifting from third to second doesn\u2019t require special rev-matching; just do it normally and there\u2019s no odd shift shock. <\/p>\n

The cornering response, behavior, and feedback are pure 911,<\/strong> with the front suspension compressing and the front loading shifting as the car eagerly turns, bringing a smile to my face. Every time I drive a 911, I\u2019m reminded that no matter the era, a 911 is always a 911. Honestly, when driving winding roads, I sometimes wish for an extra gear, but the Targa isn\u2019t really suited for aggressive driving. <\/p>\n

Its wide gear ratios are perfect for elegant cruising.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

By the way, wind buffeting wasn\u2019t much of an issue at a relaxed pace on mountain roads, but the owner said that at high speeds, the wind buffeting is quite strong, so it\u2019s better not to drive with the roof off on highways.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

\"\"

My 964, the Targa, and in the back, a genuine \u201973 Carrera RS<\/p><\/div>\n

Back in the parking lot, I put the gear into P. It\u2019s refreshing to see a P gear on an H-pattern shifter.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Getting out and looking at the car again, it\u2019s a very stylish and cool car. There aren\u2019t many cars that look this good even when parked on the street. <\/p>\n

\"\"

The silver wheel arch moldings are a characteristic of the \u201976 model<\/p><\/div>\n

This car offers not only the joy of driving but also the pleasure of admiring it when you step away. It\u2019s a car that delights you twice over. <\/p>\n

Thank you very much to the owner for letting us drive this precious 911S Targa!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The other day, my husband had the opportunity to drive a 1976 911S Targa on the Royu Driveway and wrote a report about it. I\u2019d be delighted if you take a look. Porsche 911S Targa When you think of the Porsche 911 Targa, it carries a special image. It\u2019s like a coupe but not quite, like a cabriolet but not exactly. Recently, the heritage design edition of the new 911 (992 model) Targa 4S, limited...","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":21040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=21008"},"categories":[72,30],"tags":[183,188,195],"yoast_head":"Test Drive of a 1976 Porsche 911S Targa (Sportomatic) - \u30dd\u30eb\u30b7\u30a7\u304c\u308f\u304c\u5bb6\u306b\u3084\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f - \u30aa\u30fc\u30ca\u30fc\u30ba\u30d6\u30ed\u30b0<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Test drove a 1976 Porsche 911S Targa (Sportomatic) with a 2.7-liter, 164 PS engine. 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