The new Porsche 911 Targar's automatically retractable roof is a very clever and elegant solution. Roof removal process is nearly the same as the original Targa from 1966, and the rectangular roof panel is removed and stowed out of the way.

The new roboticized Targa accomplishes this with two separate sets of mechanical arms. The first, lifts the entire rear window clampshell up and out of the way. The second set of arms lifts the roof section off, folds it and deposits it in the rear of the cabin.

You'd think that the roof removing arms would be blocked by the roll hoop, but it is actually just an illusion. The hoop is an inner, load bearing hoop and outer panels that conceal the arms and their path. When it approaches the hoop, the upper corner sections of the hoop open to reveal the narrow channel between the outer side panels and true inner hoop allowing the arms to pass through.