Porsche 912 Targa - 1968

When the 356 bowed out and the six‑cylinder 911 arrived, Porsche quickly realised it needed a more accessible model to keep loyal customers in the fold. Enter the 912 in 1965: the familiar new 911 silhouette and chassis, but with a lighter, proven 1.6‑litre flat‑four derived from the 356 SC. It wasn’t simply a cheaper 911; its lighter nose and more even weight distribution gave the car a wonderfully neutral balance that many period testers admired for real‑world driving.

Porsche priced the 912 well below the early 911, and it worked. Sales of the four‑cylinder car outpaced its six‑cylinder sibling for much of the mid‑sixties, underpinning the company’s finances while the 911 matured. Period road tests praised the crisp steering, strong all‑round disc brakes and the way the 912 flowed along a B‑road, all while returning remarkably frugal fuel consumption for a sports car. Advertisements leaned into that theme, touting genuine 30‑plus mpg (Imp) touring economy without sacrificing the Porsche feel.

Year by year, Porsche added thoughtful upgrades. The 1967 model year brought the Targa—first with the distinctive soft rear window, then a heated fixed glass pane from 1968—opening a new open‑air chapter without losing the rigid mid‑hoop rollover bar. Inside, early cars carried a simpler three‑gauge binnacle; by 1968 the five‑dial 911‑style layout was widely adopted, along with safety headrests and detail trim updates. The 1969 model year is the connoisseur’s pick: Porsche stretched the wheelbase from 2211 mm to 2268 mm and tweaked suspension geometry, delivering noticeably calmer high‑speed stability and better ride over rough surfaces. Optional forged Fuchs wheels and vented discs appeared on the order sheet, and many 912s left the factory with the sweet‑shifting 5‑speed 901 gearbox.

Competition wasn’t the car’s primary brief, but the 912 proved a tidy and dependable club racer and rally entrant, taking class results in SCCA and regional events thanks to its benign handling and low running costs. On the road it faced a mixed field—Alfa’s Giulia Sprint/GT, Lotus Elan, MGB GT and, later, BMW’s 2002—yet the Porsche’s blend of build quality, ergonomics and balance gave it a character all its own.

Production ran from 1965 to 1969 before the cheaper 911T and the mid‑engined 914 took over entry‑level duties. As a coda, Porsche revived the formula with the US‑only 912E in 1976. A fun fact for the spec‑sheet crowd: despite frequent confusion, there was no factory 130‑hp 912; that figure belongs to the contemporary 2.0‑litre 911. Today, enthusiasts prize the 912 for its lighter feel, purity of line and the sweet spot it occupies in Porsche’s story—an unsung hero that helped secure the brand’s future while delivering a uniquely satisfying drive.