Sales debate
Will values of the 997.2 ever overtake the 991.1?
It’s the latest generation to be billed as the last ‘proper’
911 before its successor grew wildly in its proportions, moved the engine slightly forward and invaded the driving experience with electric-assisted steering and a host of other technological wizardry. We are, of course, talking about the 997 and the 991, specifically the 997 Gen2 and 991 Gen1.
While each new generation of 911 causes some form of controversy among enthusiasts with purist intentions, the move from 997 to 991 proved substantial. Those changes highlighted above encompass the crux of it, though people have also commented on the 991’s revised interior, which has arguably pointed the 911 further down the route of luxurious grand tourer than fully focused sports car. The 997.2 is looking ever more like the sweet spot of the generational 911 line-up on a day by day basis, so can we expect their values to leapfrog the 991.1?
“That’s a difficult question to answer,” says Paragon’s Jamie Tyler, a man who’s seen his fair share of model fluctuations in his 25 years working in the Porsche market. “Gen2 997s are brilliant, and being the last of the pure driving cars they will always do well. However, we don’t think they will overtake 991 prices. 991s will hold their value in being the last of the naturally aspirated cars and people have got over the size and electric steering. However, both cars will hold their value well in our opinion.”
It’s a view echoed by Karl Meyer of 2911, who himself has dealt in the Porsche sales sphere for the last decade. “The 997.2 is highly thought of among enthusiasts, but the reality is the 991 is the better car to drive. In terms of Carreras this is what counts over any real collector interest, which will keep the 991.1 ahead of the 997.2 – just.”
With both the 997.2 and 991.1 tipped to sit near to each other in terms of values in the long term, this looks to be good news for the buyer. You can expect to pay around the same money whether or not you’d like to plump for the traditional 911 set-up of the 997.2 or the technically advanced 991.1.