Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge Crowns This 1989 911 Targa The Winner

Keeping dealers on top of their game is an important part of keeping customers happy, and Porsche has a creative way of doing this through events such as the Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge.

It tasks dealers with acquiring a classic car in need of attention and returning it to its former glory. Nearly 40 U.S. dealerships threw their hat into the ring and they restored an assortment of models including everything from a 1956 356 to a first-generation Boxster. The 911 was unsurprisingly a popular choice, but there was also a 928 and a 944.

The challenge wrapped up last weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as three finalists were judged by officials from Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) as well as voted on by fans attending Sportscar Together Fest. When the results were tallied, a 1989 911 Targa G-Model from Porsche Ontario was named the winner.

The cars were judged on a variety of factors including authenticity, craftsmanship, and documentation. This is where the team at Porsche Ontario excelled as PCNA’s Porsche Classic manager, Jonathan Sieber, said “Everything from the 3.2 Carrera engine and two-tone interior, down to the documentation, was immaculately done.”

The automaker didn’t go into many specifics, but the 117,000-mile (188,293 km) sports car was subjected to an engine-out restoration which was pretty extensive judging by the before and after photos. The model was also given an RS-inspired makeover and it presumably drives better than new thanks to the dealer’s decision to upgrade its performance.

The car beat out a 1990 911 Carrera 4 Targa from Porsche Dallas and a 1990 911 Carrera 4 from Porsche Warrington. The latter was in pretty rough shape as the company said its Marine Blue Metallic exterior was so neglected that it needed a complete respray.

1989 911 Targa G-Model By Porsche Ontario