Porsche 911 Targa Has a Retro Look and a Space-Age Top Porsche 911 Targa Paul Sancya/Associated Press Introduced on Monday, Jan. 13: 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4 Another piece in Porsche's lineup of seventh-generation Porsche 911 variants. First introduced in 1965, the 911 Targa was a way for Porsche owners to enjoy the freedom of an open roof along with the relative safety and sleek profile offered by a rigid one. As with the original, this targa model features a wide, hooplike roll bar where the B-pillar usually lives and a big, wraparound rear windshield. Porsche says it will begin taking orders now. What they said: Bernhard Maier, a member of Porsche's executive board, said in an interview after the unveiling that the Targa would be one of 15 versions of the 911. Want to enjoy the sun? The part of the roof above the car's driver and passenger disappears with the touch of a button and sides back into place with another touch. What they didn't say: How many Targas the company plans to build, or how many it intends to sell in the United States or in Europe. "We sell one car less than the market is able to absorb," Mr. Maier said. Beneath the Targa's graceful lines lies a complex roof-hiding mechanism that would put Rube Goldberg to shame. When the driver wants the sun, the rectangular top that stretches between the doors - aft of the windshield and forward of the roll bar - gets lifted aft by mechanical arms in a smooth arc as the rear glass and a huge chunk of its surrounding body are lifted out of the way, also by mechanical arms. The rooftop stows under the rear glass when everything comes back together, which happens roughly 10 seconds after the button is pushed. Mr. Maier said it took Porsche engineers about three years to solve the engineering problem of the roof. Mr. Maier said that the base Targa 4 would start at $109,000, including destination charges; the Targa 4 S would start at $120,000. Although he said Porsche was ready to start taking orders now, the cars won't show up in dealerships until June. How's it look? We were promised a retro look, and Porsche delivered. There's no doubt that this is a modern-day 911, but the now-familiar roll bar - dressed in brushed aluminum - does a good job of giving the car a mild vintage appearance. It's difficult not to like the way it looks.