Porsche: The Value Question
Posted: August 23, 2012 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS, MEDIA RESPONSE | Tags: 4.0, 6, Flat, future, GT2, GT3, investment, manual, Mind, money, motor, Nick, Over, PDK, Porsche, prediction, Price, RS, six, turbo, value, Walker, worth 2 Comments »
GT3 RS 4.0 by Marcel Lech
I just saw Chris Harris’ new video on Drive where he informed us he had sold his Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 and had bought a Ferrari 599. While I understand his motives, this made me wonder if he had just made a financial mistake that he would regret for the rest of his life. I have talked to far too many people with the same story, “If only I had held onto that (now incredibly valuable car) I had back then…”. You see, looking forward I think that the 997 series of GT 911s may well be a pinnacle generation for Porsche, just as the 993s were, being the last air-cooled cars.
Rumors have been circulating that there will come a time when GT series 911s will no longer be available with a clutch pedal, and it could even happen soon with the 991. Porsche has already wet their feet in this approach with the 997 Turbo S, which was only offered with their PDK transmission. Paddle shift gearboxes have basically become the norm for high performance cars, and they are undoubtedly faster on the track. So, is there any reason to doubt these rumors? Unfortunately not, and that could make the 997 GTs some of the most sought after Porsches in the future.
This is especially so of the top spec RS models, cars that had very limited production. The GT2 RS and the GT3 RS 4.0 will command the highest amounts for sure, but I see more normal GT3 RSs and standard GT3s appreciating as well. Sure I expect the 991 GT3 RS to be faster and more powerful than the 997 RS 4.0, but without the manual it will never offer the same sort of experience. A similar situation can be seen today where 991 Carrera Ss match the power and performance of the old 993 Turbos, but the 993s still command the same money as a new 991 and will definitely continue to appreciate whereas the 991s will not.
Whenever there is a big change in the Porsche 911, enthusiasts tend to respond with skepticism and turn to the best of the old 911s with their money. It happened with the death of air-cooling, and I believe it will happen again with the death of the manual transmission. So if you are in the market comparing your options, it may be smarter to buy that GT3 RS, or GT2 instead of a Ferrari 430 or Lambo Gallardo right about now. We will see what happens, but you may thank me in a few years.
-Nick Walker
Test Driven: 2013 Dodge Dart SXT Multiair Turbo
Posted: August 9, 2012 Filed under: Green & Economical, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 1.4, 2013, 2014, 6, Abarth, Alfa, American, backfire, burble, Car, Chrysler, crackle, cubby, Dart, Dodge, Drive, economy, exhaust, Fiat, front, Fuel, fun, Giulietta, Italian, manual, Mind, motor, Multiair, Nick, Over, overrun, review, Romeo, seat, Sedan, speed, Sport, storage, Test, tune, turbo, under, Walker, wheel 6 Comments »
The new Dart is the first car to market that is truly a joint effort between Fiat and Chrysler. The chassis and mechanicals come straight from the European Alfa Romeo Giulietta, while the exterior, interior, and Tigershark engines are all American. This is a critical product for Chrysler, one that will serve as a first impression for their alliance with Fiat, and the things to come. I went in to find out for myself if this new car marked a positive beginning for “Second Half America”, or a fumbled, Frankenstein-like creation from two companies caught in their own financial struggles. In many ways I felt a lot was riding on this drive when I stepped into this hot blue Dart. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track
Posted: July 5, 2012 Filed under: TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 2009, 2010, 2011, 3.8, 6, brakes, Brembo, Car, Coupe, Drive, Genesis, Hyundai, Luxury, manual, Market, Mind, motor, Nick, Over, rear, review, RWD, speed, Test, Track, Used, V6, Walker, wheel 1 Comment »
2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track
Ten years ago if someone had told me that Hyundai would soon be making sports and luxury cars I would have laughed in their face. Hyundai was basically the poster child for offensively cheap cars that people would only buy because they couldn’t afford a Honda or Toyota. Over the next decade though, Hyundai would make one hell of an effort toward improvement, becoming one of the best real values on the market. I have been a huge fan of Hyundai in recent years, applauding their innovation and commitment to quality in their drive up market. The Genesis Coupe you see here is one of the cars that helped vastly step their game up, a fast sports car from a company with little racing history. It couldn’t possibly be that good, could it? Read the rest of this entry »
Spotted! 1989 Porsche 911 (930) Speedster; Stuttgart, Germany
Posted: July 3, 2012 Filed under: Exotics, SPOTTED! | Tags: 1989, 250, 6, 89, 911, 964, Flat, Germany, hp, manual, Mind, motor, Over, Porsche, Speedster, spotted, Stuttgart 1 Comment »
Saw this beautiful Porsche parked in the middle of its hometown, Stuttgart. It is one of just 800 speedsters made, and features the “turbo look” package that was popular. The speedster design adds a nice bit of sleekness to the shape of a Carrera Cabriolet. Awesome car, enjoy the pics.
Test Driven: 1979 BMW E21 Alpina Clone
Posted: March 8, 2012 Filed under: Road Review, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 1979, 2.8, 3.2, 6, 733i, Alpina, BMW, Classic, Clone, Drive, E21, German, I6, Inline, L., Luxury, M30, Mind, motor, Over, review, six, Sport, Test, USA 1 Comment »
BMW E21 Alpina Clone
When you drive a lot of modern cars it is cool to also try out some of the older cars that preceded them. Doing this allows you to appreciate where everything in the newer cars has come from over time. My friend Nick C is very into older BMWs, and he has a pretty unique 1979 E21 3 Series Alpina Clone. It has been a bit of a project for him, but once he got the car running right he agreed to let me take it out for a spin. Read the rest of this entry »
Seconhand Saint: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8/9 (2003-2007)
Posted: February 21, 2012 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: 2.0, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 350, 35R, 400, 450, 4G63, 5, 500, 6, 600, 700, 8, 800, 9, 900, advice, all, awhp, bargain, boost, Buying, cam, Car, consumer, controller, Drive, Evo, evolution, GSR, guide, hand, High, Intercooler, IX, Lancer, manual, Mind, Mitsubishi, MIVEC, motor, MR, Over, owned, Performance, Pre, Rally, recaro, RS, saint, seats, second, secondhand, speed, T67, turbo, Used, VIII, wheel, whp Leave a comment »
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
These days the Evo is one of the most respected cars on the road. In stock form it is one of the ultimate rally bred, point-to-point missiles money can buy, and Evos that are modified easily have the potential to give Ferrari owner something to worry about. Yet despite their hardcore performance they are also just normal Japanese sedans on the surface, making an Evo one of the best overall daily drivers out there. Obviously all of this makes these things quite a hot commodity on the secondhand market, so lets look at the details. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: Porsche Cayman R
Posted: December 8, 2011 Filed under: High End & Exotic, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 2800, 3.4L, 330, 6, Beach, CA, California, Car, Cayman, Drive, engine, Fast, Flat, fun, H6, handling, hp, lbs, mid, Mind, Monterey, motor, Over, Pebble, pictures, Porsche, Quail, R, rear, review, RWD, six, specs, Sports, Test, video, wheel Leave a comment »
Porsche Cayman R
The Porsche Cayman has been heralded as one of the best handling cars money can buy. Sure it is the “baby” Porsche, but these days even the little ones have gotten pretty serious. The Cayman R is to the Cayman line as the GT3 is to the 911 series, so solid performance is a given. Porsche was offering test drives of various models during Concours Weekend, but once I saw the Cayman R on the list I knew where to place my priorities (Video after the jump).
Obscure Auto: TVR Cerbera Speed 12
Posted: October 18, 2011 Filed under: Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE | Tags: 12, 240, 6, 7.7, Auto, Blackpool, broke, dynamometer, dyno, Evo, History, Magazine, Mind, motor, MPH, Obscure, Over, speed, Story, TVR, UK, V12 Leave a comment »
The one actual road-going Speed 12 in existence
This is a mythical machine known to many enthusiasts. Anyone who has played Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport will recognize it as the most insane car that british manufacturer, TVR, ever built. It is the Cerbera Speed 12. People who know it, know of it’s insanity, but few know it’s actual story. We will try and set the record straight. Read the rest of this entry »
The new Toyota Supra
Posted: September 28, 2011 Filed under: INDUSTRY TALK | Tags: 2013, 2014, 2015, 6, Car, cylinder, engine, FT-86, Lexus, LFA, Market, Mind, motor, new, Over, planned, possible, rumored, RWD, Sports, supra, Toyota, turbo, Upcoming 2 Comments »
Unofficial rendering as seen on Jalopnik, boy does it look good though
Toyota seems to maybe be on the verge of ending their tasteless vow of mediocrity. There is much talk about the possibility of a new Supra that is brewing, some say it will be a hybrid, others say it will be a supercar like the Nissan GTR, and some even would say both. Toyota will be on thin ice with this project though, they have vastly disappointed enthusiasts all over the world with their modern “beige” attitude, and the quality of their cars has greatly suffered for it. A new Supra would grant them the chance to hop back in the ring with the big boys, and hopefully get their engineering back on track because it is performance and racing programs that drive technological progress over all else. Toyota must get it right, let’s see what that would mean. Read the rest of this entry »
EVO: Roadsters in the Italian alps
Posted: August 14, 2011 Filed under: Auto Idolatry | Tags: 3.8, 4.2, 4.7, 6, 8C, 911, 997, Alfa, Alps, Aston, Audi, Cabriolet, Comptetizione, Drive, Evo, Flat, great, GTS, Italian, L., Magazine, Martin, Mind, motor, Over, Pass, Porsche, R8, Road, roads, Romeo, six, sound, Spider, Spyder, Stelvio, Test, V8, Vantage, volante Leave a comment »Video from EVO Magazine from their test in the Italian alps. The contenders are the drop-top versions of the Audi R8 4.2, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Alfa Romeo 8C, and the Porsche 997 GTS. They ask which car sounds the best, and which one you’d have if you were to pick. While the Audi or Porsche are almost certainly the fastest, I would pick the Alfa Romeo hands down because it speaks to my soul. What would you pick for a blast through the Alps? Tell us in the comments.
-Nick
The Clutch Pedal’s Decline
Posted: August 2, 2011 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS | Tags: 5, 6, 7, an, automotive, Balboni, box, clutch, decline, Drive, driving, DSG, end, era, Evo, evolution, F1, Ferrari, fun, gear, Lamborghini, Lancer, manual, Mazda, Miata, Mitsubishi, MX5, of, paddle, pedal, purist, sequential, shift, skill, SMG, speed, technology, to, Transmission 1 Comment »
For the entire existence of the automobile, the manual transmission has been the choice for maximum performance and efficiency. It was the enthusiast’s choice because it gave the driver much more control over a car than did an automatic. The manual transmission has served the same function for around a century, but now things are changing big time. Read the rest of this entry »
