- Launched for the 1967 model year, the Targa body style was Porsche’s bet that convertibles would soon be done in by U.S. safety regulations.
- Although the car took its name from a famously dangerous race, the Targa Florio, it featured a permanent rollover hoop. Early models had a zip-out plastic rear window, but this 1972 version has fixed rear glass.
- In addition to low mileage and a high degree of originality, this example also has been maintained with an open checkbook by its current owner, actor Ewan McGregor.
Hello there! Today’s find on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—comes with desirable originality, a long list of recent maintenance, and a touch of the Force. It’s a 1972 Porsche 911T, and its owner is none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, Ewan McGregor.
McGregor is a gearhead with broad tastes, extending to a vintage 1960s Mustang and even a homely little prewar Wolseley 10/40. He is also a big motorcycle aficionado as well as an early adopter in the electric-restomod scene, having commissioned SoCal specialist EV West to build him a battery-electric 1954 Volkswagen Beetle.
This specific Targa was sold new on May 4, 1972, at Neufeld Porsche Audi in San Carlos, California—a silly bit of coincidence, as May the Fourth is a bit of a high holiday for Star Wars geeks. The car was parked in 1979 with a hair over 36,000 miles on the odometer, just about 2000 shy of what it has now. Thankfully, any future owners won’t have a laundry list of expensive repairs to manage. After picking it up, McGregor had the 911 serviced at a Porsche Classic center, and the repair bill is so long it may as well be its own Star Wars intro. Total cost: $8554.08.
Further, the addition of a Porsche Classic head unit brings some nicely hidden modern conveniences, including Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay. Hidden USB chargers and factory A/C make this vintage machine plenty usable in the 2020s. The fitment of a sport seat for the driver is believed to be an in-period modification, and both buckets wear Pepita fabric inserts.
This auction isn’t for Jedi alone, though. The McGregor connection is just the icing on what is a very appealing—and likely to be expensive—Porsche cake. Don’t miss your chance to bid on this lovely piece of SoCal Porsche originality. Strike now, while you have the high ground.
The auction ends on December 18.
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.