Most Porsche fans I talk to spend a lot of time “browsing”. They look through classifieds, they look on eBay, they peruse various forums, everyone always seems to be looking for their next Porsche. I know I’m guilty of doing that. I’ve been after a 996 Turbo Cab and a nice driver 914 for quite while. In fact, I had a deposit on a 996 Turbo Cab earlier in the year before that deal went sideways after a few surprises were brought to light during the PPI. With all the browsing I’ve been doing lately and the current state of the Porsche market it got me to thinking. What model Porsche will be the next big collectors item?
The air cooled market has shot past the moon and is on its way to another galaxy. The 993 Turbo S is already a $500,000+ car depending on condition and the “regular” 993 Turbo routinely brings a quarter of a million. Hell, we saw a 993 C4S with 40k miles on it sell for over $120k just last month (good for us, bad for those looking). Even the much maligned 914 is having a revival. Porsches that were once selling in low 4 digit range now have asking prices in the low teens into the mid twenties, and that’s just for the four cylinder versions (never mind a 914-6).
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
With the market as hot as it is right now, where does your everyday Porsche enthusiast (and want-to-be collector turn)? A lot of people say the 996 is the way to go, especially the Turbo. We tend to agree with them. For $35 to $45k you can get a hell of an example with none of the IMS issues that most people associate with the 996. Making 415 horsepower, this is an all-wheel drive 911 that has a top speed of 190 mph and a zero to 60 time hovering right around 4 seconds. It’s not 918 fast, but that’s damn respectable for a car that’s at least a decade old and more.
What about Porsche’s front-engined cars?
Magnus Walker’s Porsche 924
The 944? The 924 (Magnus Walker bought one recently)? The 968? How about the 928? The 928 GTS already commands some fairly significant dollars, but “lesser” versions can still be had at bargain basement prices.
What About Newer Models?
The Cayman GT4 was released just a few month ago and has already reached legendary status. Will they start selling for more than sticker sooner vs. later? The 918 is already commanding higher than sticker prices with gently used versions showing asking prices of $1.25MM to $1.50MM. Look what’s happened to the Carrera GT market. Three years ago you couldn’t give one away for $300,000. Today, we’re seeing nice example trade in the $750,000 to $850,000 range. Insanity!
