1985 Porsche 911 Targa Review: The Enduring Appeal of an Air-Cooled Icon

The Enduring Legacy of the Air-Cooled 911

• 🚗 The 1985 Porsche 911 Targa is celebrated as an automotive icon, deeply adored by enthusiasts for its analog and cool nature.
• 💡 This specific model represents the final iteration of the original 911 ethos, retaining its core design from the 1960s before significant updates in 1989.
• 🚀 Porsche purists and enthusiasts particularly cherish this era of the 911 for its original design and driving feel.

Iconic Air-Cooled Powertrain and Targa Design

• 💨 At its heart, this 911 features an air-cooled flat-6 engine, a defining characteristic of the 911 lineage, producing around 210 horsepower in the US market.
• 🌬️ The air-cooled system provided a distinctive sound and feel, a hallmark that Porsche maintained until the late 1990s.
• ☀️ The Targa model offers a unique open-air experience with its removable vinyl roof panel and distinctive rear hoop and curved glass.
• 🇺🇸 The Targa body style was partly a response to potential US government regulations banning full convertibles in the late 70s and early 80s, though these regulations never materialized.

Quirks and Features of an 80s Icon

• 🚧 US-spec bumpers are notably large and protruding, a result of government safety regulations from the era, unlike their more subtle European counterparts.
• 🔑 The interior is filled with quirky and often unlabeled controls, requiring a degree of familiarity to operate, such as the door lock mechanism and the dual-function power mirror control.
• 🌡️ Climate controls are strategically scattered throughout the cabin, with separate dials for fan speed, defogger, A/C, and temperature selection, often accompanied by unusually small air vents.
• 💡 Unique features include an upshift indicator light within the speedometer and a separate bank of warning lights for seatbelt, brakes, and parking brake.
• 🧳 The front trunk offers storage space and notably includes a spare tire, a feature absent in modern 911s, and the trunk lid contains a detailed option sticker.

The Driving Experience: Analog and Engaging

• ⚙️ Driving this 911 offers a more raw and less refined experience compared to modern 911s, with a heavier clutch and a shifter with longer throws.
• 🤏 The compact interior can be tight for taller drivers, with the fixed steering wheel and gear lever placement presenting challenges.
• 🔊 Despite its age, the engine is described as eager and smooth, providing a satisfying driving feel that was impressive for its time, especially compared to other sports cars of the 70s and 80s.
• ✅ While not as comfortable or easy to operate as later models like the 964 or 993, this 911 provides an authentic analog driving experience that captures the essence of its era.

Final Verdict and DougScore

• 🌟 The 1985 Porsche 911 Targa is lauded for its classic aesthetics, solid build quality, and the unique analog driving sensation it provides.
• 📊 It scores a 48 out of 100 on the DougScore, reflecting its status as a cool, enjoyable, but somewhat compromised classic compared to its more refined successors.
• 👍 It remains a beloved example of old-school automotive engineering, offering a clear lineage to the DNA found in all subsequent 911 models.