Confusing model terminology
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,480
Likes: 555
Confusing model terminology
I have seen different terms used for referring to the different models, and sometimes it gets a little confusing trying to figure out which model people are referring to. For example, I've seen people call the targa top "coupe" or "hatchback". All of the models except for the convertible are coupes, so that doesn't really work. I call it "targa". What is the correct term? I refer to the other two coupe models as FRC (which is the non-Z version of the coupe), and the Z or C5Z. The different terms for the targa are the most confusing...
Pro
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 639
Likes: 28
From: Wytheville Virginia
Mine has a targa top, but refer to it as a stock coupe hopefully not for too much longer 
lol, And this stuff is confusing, this is my first vette coming up on owning it for three years, absolutely love it!
lol, And this stuff is confusing, this is my first vette coming up on owning it for three years, absolutely love it!
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 353
From: Little Rock Arkansas
In that small time period that was 1997-1998 if you said "coupe" pretty much everyone knew what you were talking about. That changed in 1999 when the fixed-roof-coupe came along (I believe even the FRC had some nomenclature issues as it was referred to internally as "billy-bob" and I've seen a handful of people call FRC's "billy bobs").The FRC, Z06, and convertible are all pretty distinctive body styles so I use "targa coupe", "fastback coupe", to describe the targa model
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,080
Likes: 24,732
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 14,137
Likes: 2,984
From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 198
Likes: 23
From: Boca Raton FL
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,711
Likes: 477
From: Douglas County WI
12 degrees here in northern WIS. My top won't come off (Z06) but even if it was a targa/coupe/fastback it wouldn't be coming off until sometime in April, hopefully. Oh, well. It keeps the miles down.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
meh. If Porsche enthusiasts want to cry about that I'll be sure to be the first to hand them some Kleenex and a band-aid for the boo-boo on their ego. Oh, wait, I mean I'll hand them some facial tissue and an adhesive bandage
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28,812
Likes: 819
From: Parrish FL
St. Jude Donor '06 thru '26
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 427
From: Dunedin Florida
They arent whining. I am just pointing out that "targa" is definitely not the proper term for the removable top coupe.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 5,278
Likes: 539
From: Kelowna BC
So for auto makers and peeps who like Porsche, any other car with a Targa isn't. For the rest of the world, well, everyone I know calls that style top a Targa.