What are Targa roofs on Corvettes and do all models have them?

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Car enthusiasts will be quick to tell you that convertible tops slow a car down, and this is true thanks to the mechanics required to operate a traditional convertible top. The heavier the car, the slower it becomes. One solution to removing the folding fabric and heavy components of a convertible sports car is to use a targa roof. This 1960s invention required drivers to mount a panel to a roll bar, creating a stiffer, lighter solution for those who still wanted to be able to let in a little air above their head without too much performance nor security.

Since then, many sports cars have adopted the targa roof, including the 1993 Honda Del Sol and the 2021 Porsche 911. But Corvette is widely known for having implemented the targa roof in the majority of its models since the years 1960, when the style was invented. Although Targa roofs are no longer truly standard due to newer convertible concepts, the Corvette has carried them over the decades, starting with the C3 Stingray in the late ’60s and continuing through the C8 Stingray Convertible Corvette . The only Corvettes that don’t offer a Targa roof are the hardtop C5 and the C6 Z06 and ZR1, which attempt to further reduce weight.

Why is it called a targa roof?

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The term “targa top” is inspired by the Targa Florio, an extremely dangerous automobile race with magnificent scenery, created and organized by Vincenzo Florio as a speed race from 1906 to 1977, then as a rally competition from 1978. C is one of the oldest races in the world, taking place in the winding hills of the Italian countryside outside Palermo, Sicily. The incredibly difficult and chaotic race originally spanned 277 miles of tight curves and steep elevations.

Most of the cars competing in the Targa Florio were open-top, featuring rivalries from big names like Bugatti, Ferrari and Porsche. Porsche had the most victories during the race, so the 1967 Porsche 911 was given the name targa for this style of roof as an honor. It was not the first car to use a targa roof, but it is credited with being the first model to call it that.

Nine deaths have occurred at the Targa Florio over the years, including riders and bystanders. This includes the year 1977, when a driver crashed into a crowd, killing two spectators. The resulting demand for better safety led to the end of the original Targa Florio. However, the convertible style named after the tough open-top racing event lives on in vehicles like the Corvette.