2024

Competition invites progress and in the automotive world, there are plenty of rivalries, pushing the limits of what can be achieved with an internal combustion engine (or an electric motor). You know about Mustang vs Camaro, BMW vs. Mercedes, Ford vs Ferrari, and Lancia vs Audi, but one rivalry I feel isn’t talked about enough is the Porsche 911 vs Nissan GT-R. Since 1969, the Japanese performance model has been shooting for motorsport domination, the same as Porsche.

After the Top Gear trio, I’m talking about Clarkson, Hammond, and May, one of the most influential personalities from the automotive world that has had a profound impact on my career has got to be Doug DeMuro. If you haven’t heard of the guy, he is most renowned for his ’quirks and features’ video format for reviewing cars. Now I had the pleasure of speaking with Doug last year to talk about his online car auction site ’Cars & Bids’ for modern classics (’80s) and I routinely keep tabs on the cars he reviews. I’m also a fan of his annual Doug awards, 8th year among the many categories that he had, I was surprised that he chose his ’Biggest Surprise of the Year’ to be the Porsche 911 S/T. Here’s why.

Oliver Blume, Porsche’s Chairman of the Executive Board, is one of the few automotive leaders who isn’t afraid to make bold moves in a rapidly changing industry. In an insightful interview with Porsche’s Christophorus magazine, Blume pulled no punches about Porsche’s strategy for the future. The key takeaways? Porsche is doubling down on electrification, staying flexible with drivetrains, and betting on synthetic fuels to ease the transition to electric mobility. Here’s why this strategy may either make or break the brand in the coming decade.

Evolution sometimes requires sacrifices and Porsche’s sports cars are a great example of that. The Porsche 911 has always followed the philosophy of “evolution, not revolution” and while the latest 992.2 update introduced a couple of novelties to the model, the distinctive shape of the rear-engine sports car from Germany has remained largely unchanged over the past six decades. The 911 is not the only Porsche sports car that has given us great things, only to take them away later. Models like the front-engined 928 and V-10 powered Carrera GT have contributed to the brand’s heritage in their own way, but the 911 makes it easier to trace what we have lost over the years. Air-cooled Porsches are in a class of their own and purists believe anything from the 996 generation onwards isn’t a true Porsche. I am not going to get into whether that’s the case or not. Instead, I’ve decided to list things we love about the Porsche 911 that have gradually been taken away from us with each new generation.

Catering solely to car enthusiasts may seem like the best way for a company to go bankrupt unless you are Porsche that is. The German carmaker has realized people still want gasoline-powered models and the declining demand for EVs has inadvertently forced Porsche to make some strategic changes and adjustments, that have been widely welcomed by some of the brand’s biggest fans. By now, everybody has heard of how many automakers originally planned to electrify most of their lineup by 2030, with some even planning a full transition to EVs. Porsche meanwhile has now taken a slightly more flexible stance due to a slowdown in demand for electric cars, and it appears that we will continue to get some interesting ICE-powered models. However, this may come with a few sacrifices, as you’re about to find out.

Porsche’s 986 Boxster was a model that until recently, did not get the recognition it deserved. It gave Porsche enthusiasts a more affordable, mid-engine sports car that offered 80 percent of the 911 performance at around half the retail price when both cars were new. The entry-level Porsche from the 1990s came with a downside though – it wasn’t the quickest. While even the base-model 986 Boxster can smoke a Mazda Miata from the same period, automatic variants were especially strangled, with 0 to 60 mph times being 7.2 seconds.

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.

Beyond Cars & Coffee at your local auto club, if you are an ardent Porsche fan, I believe that there are a couple of key global venues, shows, and events that you must attend at least once in your lifetime. Think Luftgekühlt, and Rennsport Reunion; the kind of shows that are all about pure air-cooled bliss, historic racing heaven, and a deep dive into Porsche’s DNA. While not exclusive to Porsche, events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed and 24 Hours of Le Mans allow you to witness some of the German brand’s most noteworthy cars up close in all their glory.

Between trying to stick to the 2030 electrification plans and keeping the internal combustion engine alive, Porsche has made some weird decisions of late. EV demand has decreased, prompting a few strategy changes from the German automaker. The all-electric Taycan in particular was affected by this market shift, as the performance EV went from being one of the most popular Porsche models to now suffering declining sales. Global Taycan sales have dropped by almost 50 percent during the first nine months of 2024 and this makes me draw parallels with another Porsche model from the 1980s that started out strong but ended up being axed due to slow sales. The 928 suffered a similar fate during the second half of its production cycle. Porsche had big plans for the 928 and its derivatives, which never saw production. All this begs the question: is the writing on the wall for the Porsche Taycan EV? There is more to suggest that this is the case and I am going to share all we know so far.

Porsche has gifted the automotive world with numerous legendary models, and among them, the 911 Turbo S and the Carrera GT stand out. The Carrera GT with its F1 derived V10 engine sounds phenomenal, and is a hero car for most Porsche people, particularly those who grew up in the 2000s, like myself. Given that it is widely considered the last analog supercar ever made, not just by Porsche, but in the wider auto industry, valuations are on the rise.

Porsche as a brand has existed since April 1931. After a successful stint with Daimler and the consulting business that included the design and engineering of models like the VW Beetle and the 16-cylinder Auto Union Type 52, things finally started to fall into place, with Ferdinand Porsche’s dream of making the perfect sports car which came out in 1939. That said, the first mass-produced Porsche performance car – the 356 – did not arrive until well after WWII ended, debuting in 1948. Since then, the German marque has developed a stalwart image as one of the most prominent performance car manufacturers in the world. With a history spanning 93 years and counting, there are many iconic models, many of which were significant to Porsche’s development as a brand. Given Porsche’s storied history and rich motorsport heritage, the list of truly noteworthy Porsche models is impressively long. However, I managed to narrow it down to seven Porsche models, with each one being historically significant through the decades, and paving the way for future Porsches.

Porsche’s rich heritage is a great place to draw inspiration for special-edition models. This is particularly true for the 911, which is the definitive Porsche sports car. The German automaker knows this too well, which is why every generation of the Porsche 911 gets a variety of limited-edition special variants. Back in 2009, Porsche introduced the 997 Sport Classic – a model that combines traditional traits from classic, air-cooled 911s with modern tech. More recently in 2023, the brand introduced a new iteration of the Sport Classic, based on the 992 generation. Conceived by Porsche Exclusiv Manufaktur that allows for limitless customization options, both vehicles follow the same philosophy, leaning heavily on the 911’s heritage. That said, the two 911 Sport Classic variants are very different and while the 992 is superior on paper, this doesn’t necessarily translate to a better driver’s car. I took a deep dive into both 911 Sport Classic models to determine, which is more worthy of the two, in finding a spot in a 911 enthusiast’s garage.

Porsche’s sports cars are often, considered some of the most usable high-performance models ever made. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and as capable as the 911 and 718 are out of the box, there is room for improvement. These models generally provide a solid base from which to build upon. But sometimes owners want to make their Porsche truly their own by spicing things up a bit with even more power or altering the aesthetics to suit their style. Beyond what Porsche themselves offer, there are plenty of ways to do so with a wide variety of aftermarket performance and visual upgrades being readily available for both the Porsche 911 and 718. While Porsche owners could turn to renowned companies like TECHART, Manhart, and others who can completely transform your car from the ground up, there are more affordable ways to modify your ride, without the need for a comprehensive conversion. As with JDM cars or muscle cars, certain trends are popular in the Porsche community as well, and in this article, I wanted to focus my attention on five, that are common on the Porsche 911 that sometimes also apply to Cayman and Boxster models.

Porsche revived its rally-dominating and iconic Dakar nameplate of the 1980s, as a limited-run model with the (992.1) 911 Dakar back in 2022. Now after 2,500 units, the final example has rolled off the production line as a Sonderwunsh model, which if you are unaware is Porsche’s special wishes program. Now, beyond the highlights of what makes this one-off Dakar so special, I also wanted to touch upon some of the highs and lows as we say goodbye to this modern-day rally-inspired 911.

Porsche sports cars are some of the first to come to mind when talking about engaging, driver-focused performance cars that offer that classic driving feel. Much of that comes from being able to row through the gears yourself through a third pedal and a stick. While most automakers are gradually phasing out the manual transmission, especially in high-performance models, Porsche will still sell you a brand-new car with an H-pattern shifter and a clutch pedal.

The Porsche 944 comes from the German automaker’s transaxle era (1970-1990) when the brand experimented with different drivetrain layouts. It was part of the company’s efforts to make a sports car that was more affordable and balanced than the rear-engined Porsche 911. The front-engined 944 was an evolution of the 924 developed with Volkswagen. Today, the 944 is becoming a popular classic car, but unlike 911s from the time (930), you can still find them for a relatively cheap price. Good examples can be found for around $5,000.

Christmas is two months away, and if you are still looking for the perfect gift for the Porsche aficionado in your life, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. The Amalgam Collection, based in Bristol, U.K., crafts spectacular 1:8 scale model replicas of the 1971 Le Mans triumphing Porsche 917K racecar with its Martini Livery. It is an extremely detailed replica of the car driven by Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko in 1971.

Although Porsche has given us a staggering number of all-time great sports cars going back several decades, the German automaker has diversified its lineup over the past 20 years, by adding SUVs and sedans to its model lineup. This leaves the 911 and 718 as the only two Porsche sports car offerings, presenting Porsche with the opportunity to bring back iconic nameplates from its glorious past.

The limited-run 992 Porsche 911 Dakar has garnered widespread acclaim in its short time on the market. Its most recent celebrity fan is legendary comedian and all-around car nut Jay Leno. In a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, he was joined by Porsche brand ambassador Jeff Zwart as they took the 911 Dakar for a spin to see what it could really do. Straight off the bat, he calls the Dakar the most fun 911 he’s ever driven, which is high praise coming from a man with 200 cars in his collection. Jay is no stranger to the Porsche brand, having owned several rare and vintage models in the past. He owns a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, a 1957 356A Outlaw, and a 1963 Porsche 356 Carrera 2. So it begs the question, could the Dakar really be Jay Leno’s next Porsche?

Making a lightweight production sports car is becoming increasingly difficult in modern days. With the ever-increasing safety and emissions requirements, cars are becoming more tech-heavy, as they feature more advanced and complex systems than their predecessors. Then, there is the electrification trends in the automotive industry, which even Porsche couldn’t evade. That said, the German autormaker still has a few tricks up its sleeve that ensure its sports car models remain relatively lightweight to most of their competitors.

Not a lot of automakers have as many iconic engines as Porsche does. The German company is responsible for one of the most iconic sports cars ever made – the 911. The boxer engine is a staple across several Porsche models, but this is far from the only engine configuration Porsche knows. What makes an engine iconic? Is it the sheer power or is it the groundbreaking engineering? Perhaps the reliability or soundtrack? As it turns out, it is all of the above, and Porsche has more than a few engines that fit the bill.

There aren’t many sports cars that can match the heritage of the Porsche 911. The car first saw the light of day back in September 1963, at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Since then, the 911 has been following the “evolution, not revolution” formula, which is why it is the only rear-engine sports car to this day. Each generation of the Porsche 911 has a version for everyone, which is why deciding on the perfect one is a difficult task.

No Porsche can truly be called slow, but then again, no Porsche is truly affordable either. The sports carmaker has long traditions in motorsport, which has nicely transitioned into its road cars. While much can be said about the Porsche 911, you need to put together a hefty sum of money if you want to buy one. The base-model 992.2 Carrera starts at $122,000 and special-edition models like the GT3 RS are over $240,000. Not long ago, you could get behind the wheel of a 911 for under $100,000, but that is no longer the case with the 992.