php echo link without a href in file add target blank - php

Question

<?php echo auto_link(site_url('guest/view/quote/' . $quote->quote_url_key)); ?>
This is creating for instance the following link:
http://domainname.com/guest/view/quote/d163df9c4d426b3ab5ef6247bc380745
How can I add an target="_blank" to this php code. Or is there another way to achieve the same.
EDIT 1: Added all scripts from the php page.
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {
$('#btn_add_item_from_lookup').click(function() {
$('#modal-placeholder').load("<?php echo site_url('item_lookups/ajax/modal_item_lookups'); ?>/" + Math.floor(Math.random()*1000));
});
$('#btn_add_item').click(function() {
$('#new_item').clone().appendTo('#item_table').removeAttr('id').addClass('item').show();
});
<?php if (!$items) { ?>
$('#new_item').clone().appendTo('#item_table').removeAttr('id').addClass('item').show();
<?php } ?>
$('#btn_save_quote').click(function() {
var items = [];
var item_order = 1;
$('table tr.item').each(function() {
var row = {};
$(this).find('input,select,textarea').each(function() {
if ($(this).is(':checkbox')) {
row[$(this).attr('name')] = $(this).is(':checked');
} else {
row[$(this).attr('name')] = $(this).val();
}
});
row['item_order'] = item_order;
item_order++;
items.push(row);
});
$.post("<?php echo site_url('quotes/ajax/save'); ?>", {
quote_id: <?php echo $quote_id; ?>,
quote_number: $('#quote_number').val(),
quote_date_created: $('#quote_date_created').val(),
quote_date_expires: $('#quote_date_expires').val(),
quote_status_id: $('#quote_status_id').val(),
items: JSON.stringify(items),
custom: $('input[name^=custom]').serializeArray()
},
function(data) {
var response = JSON.parse(data);
if (response.success == '1') {
window.location = "<?php echo site_url('quotes/view'); ?>/" + <?php echo $quote_id; ?>;
}
else {
$('.control-group').removeClass('error');
for (var key in response.validation_errors) {
$('#' + key).parent().parent().addClass('error');
}
}
});
});
$('#btn_generate_pdf').click(function() {
window.location = '<?php echo site_url('quotes/generate_pdf/' . $quote_id); ?>';
});
var fixHelper = function(e, tr) {
var $originals = tr.children();
var $helper = tr.clone();
$helper.children().each(function(index) {
$(this).width($originals.eq(index).width())
});
return $helper;
};
$("#item_table tbody").sortable({
helper: fixHelper
});
});
</script>

Answer 1

I have resolved it. Not by using any code but by simple explaining to the users to use ctrl + click. It is probably not the best thing. There should be a way to achieve the same with code. But after the long discussion with Royal Bg I thought it would be wise to stop putting oil on the fire.
I hope that in the future someone else takes up the original question and posts an solution for others to benefit from. In the meantime I will accept this as an answer. I hope others do too.