Porsche Heritage Design Edition - attention to detail!

As an expert and classic car expert, I am very lucky to be able to examine and test very special vehicles every day. In addition to the technical aspects, the focus of my work is also on checking many small details for their originality. In addition, there is an extensive history research, because only history brings a vehicle to life. The attention to detail is therefore a matter of course and this is exactly where I want to start - in detail.

To take a closer look at the special elements of the Heritage Design Edition, I used an early Targa model from 1971 with a 2.2 liter engine and black / black Pepita seats as a reference. If both vehicles are next to each other, there are many parallels. One of the most distinctive features are the rims. On the one hand: the traditional Fuchs rim, the world's first forged aluminum wheel. On the other: the modern interpretation of this famous rim, which is now being carried over into the 21st century.

Meinerzhagen is not far from our Kukuk engineering office and so we have a special relationship with Otto Fuchs' forge. Through innovation and skillful craftsmanship, Otto Fuchs has managed to establish a new form of wheel manufacturing, the forging of an aluminum alloy from one piece. Great weight reductions were the result. As a six-year-old I had always associated the famous Fuchs rim with the Porsche 911 and was irritated when a Porsche had mounted other wheels. To this day, the impeller design is known around the world as the “Fox Rim”.

For the Heritage Design Edition, the clover leaf-shaped impeller was taken up again and reinterpreted. Both the black high-gloss elements as well as the blank aluminum flanks allow the association. To keep it particularly classic, the brake calipers are painted black. You therefore take a back seat. The wheel hub is adorned with the traditional Porsche logo from 1963. Tip: The classic Fuchs rim can still be purchased from Porsche Classic today.

As an engineer, I am particularly impressed by the construction of the Targa roof. No, now I'm not talking about the historic Targa bar with a small, manually removable roof and the soft window that can be folded up, which was a milestone at the time. It is true engineering to develop a mechanism that opens the 13 kg rear window to the rear, lifts it smoothly over the Targa bar, and stows it away elegantly - all in just 15 seconds.

Back in the driver's seat, you are surrounded by a bi-color interior, seat surfaces and interior door panels made of cord, perforated leather in the headliner and the A-pillars and the leather-clad fittings. Another eye-catcher is the historic Porsche coat of arms, which can be found on the steering wheel, the headrests and the center armrest.

Another detail that I definitely want to emphasize: The tachometer, which is traditionally analogue at Porsche, also based on the early models, shows, together with the stopwatch, the typical green digits of the 50s. If that's not a love of detail. The exterior paintwork in cherry metallic is perfectly coordinated with the bi-color interior and harmonises with the corduroy of the seats and door linings.

Various decorative elements can be discovered, such as the “Heritage” badge on the engine grill, which was handed out to the early Porsche 356 owners after successfully completing the first 100.000 kilometers, as well as the traditional golden Targa lettering on the rear. A special highlight are the spears, attached to both front CFRP fenders. This type of painting or foiling was used in the early age of motorsport. The elongated “eyelashes” were chosen in the factory or national color so that the teams could identify their vehicles on the racetrack from a distance.

Before I even got in, I noticed an element at the top of the windshield frame. A kind of spoiler (spoiler lip) was designed by the aerodynamicists, which retracts or extends depending on the air flow and speed and ensures improved wind guidance in the driver's cab. This reminds me of how in the early days of the Targa the owners opened the windows slightly to reduce the drum noise.

I start a lap around the Chiemsee - we probably won't get any closer to the Targa Florio. At this point I would like to mention the name Targa, which appeals to me personally. The Targa Florio, an endurance race in Sicily, has been on my top 10 list of must-do driving events in the world since I was a child. I still dream of participating. Harald Wagner, Sales Manager 1965: “It was a happy coincidence that Targa is called Schild in German.” This special connection to the five-fold victories between 1956 to 1965 and the connection to safety round off this successful naming for me.