‘And then it’s an evening that turns into a night of dreams. Not that you wouldn’t expect that, if you were driving a Porsche 911T CIS Targa. An everyday matter of course, no?

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‘But with the addition of that ‘Sportomatic’ term you’d imagine the real magic would be setting in.

‘The Sportomatic – to be exact, the 4-Speed Sportomatic Transaxle – was a clever technological development that is essentially a 4-speed gearbox with a torque converter for fifth gear that is activated as soon as the lever is moved: so you have the exciting shifts of moving gears up and down but without a clutch – which translated into layman’s terms means: no third pedal!

‘In total 1,944 models of the car were produced for the 1973.5 edition of the 911T Targa, and only 96 had the Sportomatic gearbox, which came as an add-on order.

‘But now the rarity value – most notable with the Targa Sportomatic and 911S models – has only enhanced the price of these fabulous driving machines.

‘At Beverly Hills Car Club we’ve just had in a stunning 1973.5 Porsche 911T CIS Targa Sportomatic in a beautiful factory color combination of Gold Metallic with a black interior. This 911T comes well-equipped with a Sportomatic transmission, 2.4-liter engine, air conditioning, 4-wheel disc brakes, and Fuchs wheels.

‘This was the last long hood body style Porsche built, which gave it that 911 classic profile. The 1973.5 is also the last production outing of Porsche’s 2.4 engine, which was one of the most reliable motors ever from the Stuttgart company.

‘In January 1973 U.S.-spec Porsche 911Ts switched to Bosch CIS fuel injection, thus maintaining the power output of the U.S. version at 140 hp, but with lower emissions, thereby complying with U.S. law; it also gave the car an agreeable fuel economy of 32 mpg. And new camshafts were fitted with reduced valve opening timing. Also models for the U.S. market came with black rubber overrider pads, a consequence of newly strict American safety legislation.

‘Production of the F-series 911 continued until July 1973, hence the somewhat mysterious 1973.5 appellation.

‘What – among other things – was so great about the 1973.5 911 Targa Sportomatic was that it retained the legendary 911 look, one that seemingly can never be replicated. Yet it arrived with significant engine enhancements, not the least of which was the Bosch CIS fuel injection, improving on the former MFI unit. For those who haven’t worked it out, CIS stands for Continuous Injection System.

‘What Porsche has done with the 911 is to periodically – and seemingly effortlessly – manufacture new editions that are a variant on the one it succeeds: each generation has seen a further improved and reengineered generation arrive.

‘The 911T CIS Targa Sportomatic, however, was a real move forward. The effortlessly responsive 2.4 liter engine gave sufficient variation to enhance any driving scenario, making the Porsche 911 CIS Targa Sportomatic an outstanding German automobile.

‘So when you drive off in your white dinner-jacket from your Caribbean dinner-date, your intended slinked into the passenger seat, you will find that you – and your Porsche 911 CIS Targa Sportomatic – are the classiest act around.

-Alex Manos, Owner