Investment 911s
For most, purchasing a Porsche 911 is an emotional investment, yet for some, the investment is purely financial. Total 911 looks at two very different models from different eras and assesses their investment potential
Whisper it, but some buy a 911 to invest in rather than drive. We assess a classic and modern example
They sit at opposite ends of nearly 40 years of Porsche 911 production, one representing the flamboyance of the air-cooled era, the other a performance icon of the watercooled generation. The 930 Turbo and 991.2 GT3 are very different 911s indeed, but they are Porsche 911s nevertheless – and what they do have in common right now is significant appeal to collectors.
Collectability is not something we’re generally keen to tout in Total 911, yet it is an undeniable facet of Porsche culture today, and so it’d be wrong for us to readily dismiss what is a major appeal of these cars for some. Besides, how else could we meaningfully assemble a beautiful 930 and 991.2 GT3 for a spirited drive? So, while we won’t be comparing and contrasting the drive of these very different 911s, we will be assessing their merit as collectables, which evens the ground up between them rather nicely.
Between the 930’s unveiling at the 1974 Paris
Motor Show to, arguably, when the first GT3 arrived in 1999, the Turbo was Porsche’s poster car, the car that was featured in movies and the sports car that wealthy individuals bought. During its 15 years of production, there was simply no faster, no better 911.
Those air-cooled 911 Turbos implemented some of the technology Porsche used in racing, but it was the GT3 that took on that mantle at the turn of the Millennium. Before the arrival of the GT3 in 1999, there were basically only two lightweight, driver-focused, naturally aspirated 911 mainstream production models. In 1973 Porsche released the
2.7 Carrera RS, and in 1987 to 1989 the Carrera 3.2 Clubsport. However, little did we know that the 996 GT3 would start a long list of the most enjoyable, focused and collectable Porsche 911s to have ever been produced.
As often happens in the automotive industry, if a single engineer is responsible for a car, magical things can happen. Andreas Preuninger arrived in Weissach in 2000 and became the head of the GT car division. The result is that except for the first generation of GT3 (996.1), he has been responsible for every GT product, including the Cayman GT4.
Some of these cars were limited in their production numbers, for example the 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0 (600),
997 GT2 RS (500) as well as the 991-generation 911 R (991). For the rest they were mass produced, although their production runs were at times relatively short or replaced with a new model a couple of years later. Needless to say, Preuninger and his team have had a perfect and clever approach to the type of models they have released over the years. Each one has been a success and all have been gobbled up by 911 enthusiasts.
Their comparatively high production numbers do not necessarily make them less collectable. It has often shown that a very low-mileage example with the correct specification and a unique colour – maybe Paint To Sample (PTS) even – will achieve a higher value than a more run-of-the-mill version. Several years ago, the values of some of these GT cars, especially models like the R and RSS, had gone through the roof, although in the past few years they have stabilised again.
We spoke to Adrian Crawford of Porsche specialist Williams Crawford, to hear his thoughts on a 911 like the manual 991.2 GT3 Clubsport. “I like these cars. They are fantastic to drive – we all know how good they are. For the future a Clubsport car will give it an added element of interest, then the fact that it is a manual car makes it brilliant and a good place to put your money. The demand for manual is unlikely to diminish until the generation that buys them doesn’t know what the third pedal is for.
“It is the poster car of all Porsches and will always be recognised as the Porsche from that era”
However, the danger with the GT3 is always that the next one is going to be better.”
Asking Adrian about a 1989 930 Turbo, he is immediately of the opinion that it is highly collectable: “Five speeds and final year of production. That gives you two bonus balls of the specifications improvement. Investment potential is always going to be down to desirability and how many are on the market. There are never many five-speed cars on the market. It certainly ticks the rarity box. As for the future, well, the 930 Turbo had a very long production run of around 15 years and they all look broadly the same. It is the poster car of all Porsches and will always be recognised as the Porsche from that era. It is a very good, solid car and a safe place to be involved in the Porsche world.”
However, Adrian was quick to point out there is more to an investment than purely financial terms: “I think investments should be about your life, enjoyment and the experiences you had. On that basis, the 930 Turbo is an excellent place to put your money. I don’t think it has massive growth potential, but I do think it has massive enjoyment potential without any fragility. A nice car is not going to come apart, it is going to be available to drive all the time and it is an absolute thrill and blast to use.” From the point of view of a financial investment then, both models here have their pros and cons. But what about the emotional investment? We’d better assess how they drive.
This left-hand-drive 930 Turbo is painted in Linen Metallic, and it suits the car perfectly. In the right light it looks like it is covered in a combination of molten silver and gold. It further looks the part by being more hunkered down than most other 930s, as it has those wider side sills. This specific car also came fitted with the following options: a locking differential, short shift gearlever, headlight levelling system, sunroof and a Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 radio/cassette. Of all these options, it is the first one mentioned that is, of course, most important.
Open the door and the accompanying solid click satisfies just as much as we have become accustomed to when closing the door on a classic 911. Behind the steering wheel the seats’ side bolsters offer some support, while you sit close to the dashboard and the fixed steering wheel. There is one aftermarket upgrade to this car though. In 1989 it was the subject of some in-period tuning by RS Tuning in Germany. The visual result is that the analogue dial on the far right, which will usually indicate the time on an analogue clock, is fitted with an RS Tuning boost gauge – a subtle reminder of the added performance on offer and in line with where the boost gauge was placed in some turbocharged 911 race cars.
For the 1989 production year the Turbo was fitted with the more sought-after and better shifting
G50 transmission, an attractive lure for many 911 enthusiasts as it also offers five ratios – a world away from the four speeds offered on the 930 Turbos that came before.
As I pull away, there is nothing to suggest this is a serious sports car. It is quite docile as I potter around the 2,000 to 2,500rpm mark. The gearbox is notably heavier in its shift action compared to other G50s
I’ve sampled though. Up to 3,000rpm it almost feels like a naturally aspirated engine. But, unobtrusively the turbo has been building speed. From 3,000 to 3,500rpm I realise something is about to happen, and then, just before 4,000rpm the boost is there and
whoossssh, the rev needle runs clockwise with pace, quickly passing the 5,000 and even 5,500rpm mark.
The steering provides good feedback, but you also sense the amount of understeer there is. You will be able to correct this with a measured amount of throttle, but then you also risk giving too much. Needless to say, it won’t be an easy car to drive on the limit, not because of the low grip level, but managing the torque flow to the rear axle will be a challenge. The old term ‘Widowmaker’ once again springs to mind, which is part of its appeal.
The GT3 is slightly heavier than the 930, but that will pale into insignificance very soon. The near 40year jump in technology is immediately evident the moment you cast your eyes on the GT3. This model is also equipped with the Clubsport package. There is a roll cage in the rear and a five-point harness has also been fitted, although the standard seatbelt thankfully remains in place. As expected, the cabin is modern, yet still simplistic. More importantly, there is a short, stubby analogue gearlever protruding from its transmission tunnel.
It’s easy for me to become a little emotional here, since the last time I drove one of these models was in 2017 during the international launch. I drove those press cars hard, because you never know when you’ll be exposed to a manual GT3 again… and 9,000rpm.
The damping on the GT3 is superb. Part of our test route is covered in rough tarmac, but the GT3 just sails over it. Yet you get feedback from each corner of the car. Press the Sport button and the autoblip function works a treat. Suddenly the engine revs are perfectly matched before you engage the gearlever into the next slot. If you are worried about executing the perfect heel-and-toe downshift, confidently dispel your fears.
Grip levels are high and the nose of the car darts perfectly into a corner. Use 6 to 7,000rpm of the available rev range and you feel like you are maximising all the engine has to offer; using that final few thousand revs is a pure indulgence.
These are vastly different 911s, providing very different pleasures. I felt like I had to drive the 930 Turbo with a higher level of respect, firstly because of its age and secondly because of the Turbo’s torque delivery. The GT3 is easy in that sense, with its linear and immersive power delivery. They’re clearly very different cars indeed, but which does a specialist believe is the better investment?
Robert Jordan of Canepa in California says, “The Turbo is very collectable and a great car to own, drive and definitely an investment-grade car. The ones we sell are in the $240,000 range. This will be for a Porsche Club of America show-level car. We have around six examples a year that become available – it is a car we specialise in. They will be investmentgrade cars, but at the same time the owners would also like to enjoy and potentially drive them cross country. These cars need to fulfil both scenarios, otherwise it is not an investment-grade car.” Our final sentiment comes courtesy of Crawford: “Both are definitely low-risk cars in terms of future value,” he says, underlining the fact that really, any 911 is a sound investment – emotionally or otherwise!
“The danger with the GT3 is always that the next one is going to be better”
Thanks
Special thanks to Porsche Centre Cape Town for making this feature possible.