Dimitar Angelov

The 1980s was a truly crazy time. On the one hand, we’d just experienced the oil crisis, which had led to some horrendous cars and ruined previously great ones. On the other – it was a time of innovation, futuristic styling, and some very radical design decisions. Pronounced fender flares, side gills, and pop-up headlights were the norm in those crazy days. When it comes to the Porsche 911, one design stands out as the definitive 1980s styling element – the Flachbau which translates to Slant Nose or flat nose in German.

Ever since the 992.2 update began rolling out in May this year, and gave us the first hybrid Porsche 911, we wondered what this would mean for the other variants of the rear-engine sports car. The Porsche 911 prides itself on a few things: "revolution, not evolution", being one of the most usable high-performance vehicles, and being one of the most mass-produced sports cars. That said, the 911 is still not a mass-produced vehicle compared to, let’s say the Macan.

The 992.2-generation Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 Touring were officially unveiled a month ago. Both models are available on the Porsche configurator to spec as you see fit. If you are a track enthusiast then the 911 GT3 would be the logical choice, with its aggressive aero kit, providing plenty of downforce. But if you want the GT3’s legendary, normally-aspirated flat-six that revs to 9,000 RPM, without the crazy aero, the more civil GT3 Touring would be more your cup of tea.

Normally, when we think of reimagined or resto-modded classic 911s, the work of Singer is probably the first to come to mind. Of course, there are others like Theon, Gunther Werks, Kalmar Automotive, and so many more. Then, there’s Erbacher – an outfit based out of Dornach, Switzerland, dedicated to making its own epic iteration of the often-reimagined Porsche 964.

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.

The 992.2 update for the Porsche 911 is an interesting case. On the one hand, we got the first-ever production hybrid 911 with the GTS earlier this year, but on the other, for the first time, we didn’t get a power bump on the track-focused GT3 model. The 992.2 lineup is slowly being updated as new 911 variants are coming out, and with the GT3 and GT3 Touring models being introduced on 18 October, we know the 992.2 GT3 RS should be around the corner. The most track-focused, normally-aspirated 911 will undoubtedly feature slightly more power out of its signature 4.0-liter flax-six. But what if you don’t want to wait? If you already have a 992.1 GT3 RS (or if you are considering one), Porsche Super Cup racing veteran and tuner, Manthey Racing based at the Nürburging has a solution for you. The company’s kit will take your 992.1 GT3 RS and infuse it with much-needed chassis and aerodynamic enhancements, which could make the 992.2 GT3 RS look like an unnecessary upgrade.

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.

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.

The Porsche 911 spans eight generations and counting. On paper, the latest 992 is measurably superior to every 911 generation, but just like the controversial water-cooled 996, it also brings a lot of innovation, perhaps too much for the Porsche purists. The 992-generation Porsche 911 is also the largest, heaviest model of the iconic, rear-engine sports car. This is frowned upon by some enthusiasts, especially those fond of the much lighter 997 and 991 that came before it. The 992.2 update brought with it the first hybrid Porsche 911 and it seems impressive, given that the mid-range GTS model is now about as capable as the range-topping 992.1 Turbo/ Turbo S variants thanks to the electric assist from the new T-Hybrid system. But what about the noise? How has this revolutionary bit of tech impacted the sound profile of the Hybridized 911? Does the all-new 3.6-liter mill sound better than the 3.0 unit found in the 992.1 GTS? Well, I did some digging on YouTube and Reddit, and here’s what I found.

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.