1988

Like other automakers, Porsche is up for experimenting with new things. While the German car company is most praised for its legendary sports cars, mainly the 911 and 718, Porsche is no stranger to deviating from its usual ways. This has resulted in some pretty interesting concepts over the years. What pushed the strife to explore new ways was, to an extent, Porsche’s financial trouble between the 1980s and 2000s. Interestingly enough, those were the years in which some of the most bizarre Porsche creations came to life. Even now, Porsche is churning epic new concepts, but sadly none of them transitioned to production models. While there are plenty of examples, I took it upon myself to find and research the five most obscure Porsche concept cars that time forgot. Some of them are more recent than you think, and this raises the question of why Porsche didn’t go through with them.

When it comes to performance cars, Porsche has always been one marque where the brand tax was apparent. Aside from a few exceptions, like the rather undesirable 924, no Porsche can truly be called affordable in my opinion. Moreover, the vast majority of the German brand’s sports cars tend to appreciate over time, making virtually any Porsche that doesn’t share hardware with Volkswagen Group cars (VAG), a great investment. So if you’re looking to spend as little money as possible on a Porsche sports car, but still want something that packs decent performance, there are a few interesting options out there. Among those are, not one, but two generations of the 911 as well as a V8 model grand tourer to name a few. While some of these cars are only now beginning to be truly appreciated, you can still find great examples of each at reasonable prices with the possibility of even snagging some of the more desirable trims. After looking at market trends of some underappreciated Porsches, I think these are the models with the highest chance of going up in value. The cars in the following list have been arranged from most expensive to most affordable.

Despite Porsche making one of the most iconic sports cars of all time – the 911 – the German automaker was in financial trouble for much of its existence. It was only after the 986 Boxster and the Cayenne SUV in 2003, that Porsche managed to stave off the threat of bankruptcy. Of course, the acquisition by Volkswagen helped, and because Porsche’s lineup is a lot more diverse, for better or worse. Four-door models like the Taycan and Panamera are selling well, despite the Panamera’s recent sales drop by 25 percent.

Back in the 1980s, the front-engined Porsche 944 turned heads with its pop-up headlights, sleek curves, and practicality owing to the hatchback body style. Even today, it remains a seriously cool and affordable way to get into the world of classic Porsches, offering a blend of ’80s style and driving fun that’s hard to beat. However, the 944 Turbo S, built only for the 1988 model year, was special. It was a limited-edition, more beefed-up version of the standard 944.

The Porsche 959 is a halo supercar from the ’80s, that was ahead of its time for a number of innovations. Essentially, a predecessor to the 918 Spyder and the iconic Carrera GT, the 959 started out as a Group B Rally car, known internally as the 953. The 953s were initially entered in the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally, finishing 1st, 6th, and 25th. Porsche built the 959 as a road-legal version to satisfy F.I.A. homologation regulations, which required a brand to make at least 200 units.