The German car industry has always been hailed as the very best of the entire car industry, and Porsche might just be the best of the best. This is because Porsche has continuously offered the most capable sports cars on the planet.
A few years ago, Porsche even expanded the range to include a few more “normal” models like the Cayenne, Macan, and the Panamera. No matter the model or the year of production, most Porsches are built exceptionally and they offer many impressive technology and engineering solutions.
Porche’s mission to deliver amazing performance is certainly obvious the moment you lay your eyes on the price-tag. However, it’s also worth mentioning that almost every limited-edition Porsche model usually only suffers the mildest of depreciation compared to the rivals.
Porsche 911: A timeless status symbol
The Porsche 911 is a 2-seater, 2-door Porsche cult status sports car. The first 911 was released in 1964, and the 911 lineage is widely considered to be the best sports car lineage of all time. In the early days, the 911 was victorious at many race events, including the 24 hours of Daytona, Le Mans and Targa Florio.
The newest 992 generation 911 released in 2020 is completely different compared to the older models. Yet, the essential 911 formula has always stayed the same: A flat-6 rear-mounted engine, distinctive design, and the impressive heritage every Porsche 911 model offers, no matter the age.
911 models from 1963-1998 use an air-cooled engine that was later exchanged for a water-cooled engine. Some purists expressed their reservations at the time, but Porsche still managed to please almost everyone with the water-cooled engine.
Older air-cooled Porsche 911s are incredibly collectible these days, and the prices of some models are 5 times higher than what they were at the time they were released. The highlights of the modern Porsche 911 lineup are the GT range models including the GT3, GT3 RS, GT2, GT2 RS, and the GT4, and the upcoming GT4 RS.
Porsche 911 GT range
The Porsche 911 GT range perfectly encapsulates what Porsche does best. It has a lightweight naturally-aspirated flat 6 engine that revs past 8500RPM. The newly released 992 GT3 costs around $161k for a base-spec and a decently optioned out example is close to $200k.
This is a lot of money for a car, and some people believe paying such an amount for a track-oriented sportscar is ridiculous, but cars like these are fairly price-reliable in the long run. Moreover, almost all GT3 models hold their value incredibly, and they even trade above retail for a few years into production.
If you are planning to buy a new GT3 and only drive it for a year or two, without too many miles, you will probably have the cheapest car ownership of your life. This is because the demand for the GT3 is always higher than the supply, making these cars are so valuable on the second-hand market.
The problem with this is securing an allocation for the new GT3, as most of these build spots are only readily available for longstanding Porsche customers, and only a few newcomers are able to secure a build spot without putting down a deposit a few years in advance.
Porsche non-sportscar models
Porsche also makes the Panamera, the Cayenne and the Macan. These three models are your more regular consumer luxury cars that are closely matched with some other German premium models. These models also offer great build quality and amazing materials, but they do suffer a more severe depreciation hit.
The entry-level Porsche Panamera retails for $87k and the Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-hybrid Executive Sport Turismo costs almost $200k from the factory. These models usually depreciate as much as 65% in the first 5 years of ownership, so from a financial standpoint, these models are way too expensive.
The Porsche Cayenne starts at $67k for the entry-level Cayenne, and the Cayenne Turbo S e-hybrid Coupe retails for $166k. Porsche Cayenne models usually experience a 58% depreciation hit after 5 years. This means that these models are just like the Panamera, a bad financial decision.
The Porsche Macan is an entry-level Porsche SUV that starts at $52k for the base Macan, and the high-performance Macan Turbo retails for $84k. Macan models also experience a stiff depreciation at around 54% of the original car’s value in the first 5 years of ownership.
FAQ
Are Porsche 911 GT models worth the price?
A Porsche 911 GT is worth the money, but only if you are after a strict performance sports car, as these cars are not the best option for daily driver duties. The best thing about Porsche GT products is the lack of severe depreciation or depreciation at all for some special models.
Porsche GT products are some of the best sports car lineages in the car industry as a whole, so there are hardly any objections when it comes to buying a GT3. It’s worth mentioning that the upcoming GT3RS is a strict track car. Even though the car is completely road legal, it lacks a lot of everyday amenities and features.
Why is the Porsche Taycan so expensive?
The Porsche Taycan is the first serial production Porsche EV in history, and the entry-level Taycan costs $80k, the top-of-the-line Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo costs $187k. These prices are so high because Porsche has spent a great deal of R&D money on the Taycan, as it is the first Porsche EV in history.
The Taycan also opens Porsche up for EV models, which means that the pricing of the Taycan needs to reflect the brand’s position and appeal in the entire car market. Porsche knows this, so they have priced the Taycan above some of the already established Porsche models for brand value as well.
What is the most expensive Porsche ever?
The Porsche 917 RS 60 Werks race car fetched a $5.12 million price tag a few years ago at an auction. The equally-iconic Porsche 550 Spyder, sold for $5.33 million a few years ago. But neither of these two come close to the most expensive Porsche models sold.
The most expensive Porsche model of all time is the legendary 917K Le Mans racer. In 2017, at Pebble Beach in California, this car sold for an eye-watering $14 million. The runner-up for the most expensive Porsche of all time is the Porsche 956 which sold for $10 million in 2014.
