2002 Porsche 911 Targa (996) Manual

Highlights

• Tidy black-on-black example with glass Targa roof

  Approximately £12,000 spent in current ownership on comprehensive mechanical overhaul

• Uprated suspension with specialist dampers and lowering springs

• Sports exhaust and comprehensive rear suspension rebuild

• Honest-mileage six-speed manual, driven and enjoyed

• Fresh MOT with a clean advisory record

Overview

There's a difference between maintaining a 996 and properly understanding one. This Targa has had the good fortune to spend the last four years with an owner who clearly falls into the latter camp, someone who's invested not in cosmetic trinkets or garage-queen preservation, but in the fundamentals that make the difference when the road gets interesting.

The 996 Targa occupies a unique spot in the 911 lineage. When Porsche moved to a water-cooled flat-six for the 996 generation, they also reimagined the Targa concept entirely. Gone was the traditional lift-out panel; in its place, a full glass roof panel that transforms the cabin entirely. It's neither coupe nor cabriolet, and that in-between character is precisely the point. With the roof closed you get a light, airy cabin; open it up and you're rewarded with wind-in-the-hair motoring without the full convertible commitment.

This 2002 example arrived in current ownership in September 2022 and was immediately treated to a serious programme of specialist work, with a comprehensive mechanical refresh unfolding over the following years. It's the kind of considered, rolling investment that transforms the driving experience rather than simply keeping the car roadworthy.

Finished in black over a full black leather interior with the aluminium trim package, it looks clean and purposeful. The updated generation's distinctive oval headlights give this car an understated presence, this is very much the analogue 911 experience that collectors and drivers increasingly seek out. With its glass roof adding another dimension to every journey, it's a car that rewards those who actually use it.

History And Documentation

• First registered 27 November 2002

• Supplied with original book pack, tool kit, space-saver spare wheel, and two keys

• Current ownership since September 2022 (four years)

• 16 MOT tests on record. Current MOT expires 7 June 2027 with no advisories. Consecutive clean passes since 2022

• A gap between September 2014 and June 2022 corresponds to a period of SORN

• The vendor tells us the car is HPI clear with no finance outstanding and no insurance write-off record

• Service history as follows; Jan 2004 @ 10,693 miles (annual service), Sep 2004 @ 15,105 miles (annual service), May 2005 @ 23,560 miles (minor service) , Mar 2007 @ 43,690 miles (annual service), Apr 2009 @ 58,430 (minor service), Apr 2010 @ 71,257 miles (major service, spark plugs), Nov 2010 @ 77,599 miles (annual service), May 2012 @ 87,996 ((annual service, spark plugs), June 2022 @ 99,788 (major service, spark plugs), Feb 2023 @ 101,236 (minor service), Aug 2024 @ 102,674 (major service, spark plugs), Dec 2025 @ 103, 727 (minor service)

• Factory options confirmed by Porsche Certificate of Authenticity: 18-inch Carrera wheels, Bose sound package, PCM 2 with navigation and telephone, full leather interior with sports seats, aluminium look package, aluminium gearshift and handbrake, rear wiper

Interior

• Full black leather interior with sports seats and aluminium trim package (factory option E82)

• Dashboard, door cards, and carpets all in good condition with no cracks or sagging

• Driver's seat has an approximately one-centimetre tear in the stitching at the bolster seam, which is stable; moderate creasing on bolsters is consistent with the mileage

• Steering wheel shows age-appropriate leather wear

• One rear seat back has perished from sun exposure

• Split visible in the leather headlining behind the driver's sun visor

• Pioneer head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, paired with the factory Bose sound system

• The vendor tells us the rear window wiper is not currently working, that some LCD pixels on the HVAC screen have blown, and that the trip computer display flickers until the car reaches operating temperature

• Targa glass roof panel clear, with the electric sunshade operating correctly

• Front boot is tidy, housing the space-saver spare and tool kit

Exterior

• Finished in Black 

• Paintwork presents with a strong gloss and no evidence of lacquer failure; the vendor describes the exterior condition as "very good"

• Refurbished headlights present clear with no hazing

• All four 18-inch Carrera alloys are in excellent refurbished condition

• The vendor tells us tyres were fitted within the last 5,000 miles; tread depth appears good across all four corners

• Panel gaps are consistent and even throughout, with no evidence of accident repair

• Sills and rocker panels are straight with no corrosion

• Lowered M030-spec stance sits visually even across all four corners

• Underneath, the condition is good; there's localised surface corrosion on the catalytic converter heat shields (age-appropriate for a UK car) and on one chassis rail bracket, both of which are treatableLight road grime is present in the wheel arches, with minor wear around the fuel filler

Mechanical

• 3.6-litre M96/03 flat-six producing 320bhp and 273 lb ft

• 6-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive

• 0-62 mph in 5.0 seconds, 178 mph top speed

• Bilstein B4 M030 dampers with H&R lowering springs, fitted September 2022

• All rear suspension arms, bushes, and subframe refreshed July 2023 

• Anti-roll bar bushes replaced front and rear

• Dansk Sport exhaust silencers 

• Water pump replaced June 2022

• All six coil packs and spark plugs replaced August 2024

• Oil analysis (February 2023) returned satisfactory results across all wear metals; magnetic sump plug fitted, with regular oil changes showing nothing of concern

• Front brake discs are at mid-to-late life; rear discs and pads replaced June 2022

• The vendor tells us the car drives wonderfully, with the M030 suspension providing sharp, composed handling, the Dansk exhaust delivering a rewarding note without droning, and the 997 shifter upgrade giving a shorter, more precise gearshift. No known mechanical faults reported

• Air conditioning recharged in June 2022 with two new condensers fitted in August 2024

Summary

It's not often we see a 996 Targa that's had this level of considered investment. This isn't a car that's simply been kept ticking over with the bare minimum; it's one that's been systematically improved by someone who understood what the 996 platform is capable of and went after it. Bilstein dampers, uprated springs, a full rear suspension rebuild, fresh coil packs, a water pump, and a sports exhaust. The result is a car that, by the vendor's account, corners with real precision and sounds the part doing it.

The paperwork backs up the story. A 12-stamp service book with Porsche main dealer history in its earlier life, a thick file of specialist invoices from the current ownership period, and a clean oil analysis report all point to a car that's been looked after properly, not just recently, but over the long term. Black on black with the aluminium package gives it a clean, understated look, and the Targa's glass roof remains one of the more distinctive features in the 911 range.

At a touch over 103,000 miles, this is an honest-mileage 911 that's been driven and enjoyed rather than hidden away. With the mechanical heavy lifting already done, the next owner inherits a thoroughly sorted car and the freedom to simply get on with driving it.

To arrange a viewing, click the Book Viewing button located under the Place Bid button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to Contact Seller for further enquiries. This seller is located in Maidenhead, Berkshire.