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: Porsche 997 Turbo S
Posted: June 4, 2012 Filed under: High End & Exotic, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: Drive, Exotics Racing, Las Vegas, Mind over motor, PDK, Porsche 997 Turbo S 1 Comment »
Porsche 997 Turbo S
The Porsche 911 Turbo has become an icon over the years, offering full on supercar performance, but in the same package as a basic 911. The car we have here is the fastest 911 Turbo produced to date, the 997 Turbo S. Its performance literally rivals some of the fastest cars on the planet, including the mighty Bugatti Veyron in many respects. I am not usually one for defining a car around its performance figures but here are some numbers to wrap your head around before we continue: 0-60mph in 2.6 sec, 0-100mph in 6.3 sec, the ¼ mile in 10.7 sec @ 129mph, 1.02g on the skidpad, 73.3mph in the slalom, and a supposed top speed of 195mph but I would guess it is capable of 200+ (seeing as how a normal Carrera S can do 188mph with far less power). As far as performance goes this 997 Turbo S is about as serious as they come, and I knew this going into my drive at Exotics Racing in Las Vegas. Excitement and a whiff of intimidation were pumping through my veins as I took the wheel of the quickest production Porsche ever built. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: Porsche Boxster Spyder PDK
Posted: August 24, 2011 Filed under: High End & Exotic, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: August, Boxster, Boxster Spyder, California, Car, Carmel, Fast, flat 6, fun, Germany, Mind over motor, Monterey, MPH, PDK, Porsche, Quail Lodge, Spyder, Stuttgart, Test Driven 2 Comments »
Minimalism at its Germanic finest.
I’m not normally the guy who will say that a car is completely faultless in the way that it drives. I like to pick things apart, try to find a flaw, no matter how hard it may be to do so. I do it because I know nothing’s perfect and I’d rather not blow sunshine up anything’s rear end without reservation. But, Porsche’s Boxster Spyder was so good, that I gave up looking. Read the rest of this entry »
