Have we missed out on these five Porsches?

When it comes to cars, many of us view some decisions with a certain wistfulness, if not regret. As in love, or life in general, it is often missed opportunities that cause us particular grief. Sometimes it was just a thought, in some cases we got cold feet just before signing the contract. But all these scenarios have one thing in common: The inevitable feeling of “I wish I’d done it!” or the recurring question “What would it have been like if I’d bought that?” We take a look at five such missed opportunities from the world of Porsche sports cars. These five Porsches have particularly increased in value over the last five years!

Note: In this article we’re talking about asking prices from listings on Elferspot!

A pristine Porsche 964 Carrera RS for less than 200,000 euros – unthinkable today!

It is Roland Kussmaul’s favorite Porsche – the 964 Carrera RS. With it, Porsche revived the Carrera RS of the early 70s. It showed very clearly that the quality of a car can only rarely be judged by the pure numbers. Because the Porsche 964 Carrera RS is much more than the sum of its parts, as the saying goes.

All Porsche 964 Carrera RS offered on Elferspot

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Although it “only” had 260 hp, ten more than the 964 Carrera 2, Porsche subjected the Rennsport 911, which was only offered in 1991 and 1992, to a strict diet. With aluminum doors, lighter sports seats, magnesium wheels and many other little things, Porsche reduced the weight by 130 kilograms. So, instead of 1,350, it only weighed 1,220 kilograms ready to drive. Those who dispensed with the sound insulation could even save a further 70 kilograms. This turned the civilized Carrera into a breathtakingly raw driver’s car, even by today’s standards.

It took a few decades for the Porsche world to give the 964 Carrera RS the fame it deserved. This is also reflected in the prices. Over the last five years, average prices for the first “modern” Porsche 911 with the RS badge have risen by almost 100,000 euros. While a Porsche 964 Carrera RS cost an average of 184,700 euros in 2020, that has risen up to 272,600 euros in 2024. Our missed opportunity number 1 is therefore: A Porsche 964 Carrera RS in top condition with less than 100,000 kilometers for less than 200,000 euros.

Manual Porsche 964 Carrera 2 Coupés have also become drastically more expensive

Even the base model of the same series now represents a missed opportunity. The Porsche 964 Carrera 2 was relatively unpopular for a long time. However, the big backdate boom starting in the mid-2010s caused prices to rise, sometimes dramatically. Especially as a coupé with manual transmission, the 964 Carrera 2 is a sought-after classic today.

All manual Porsche 964 Carrera 2 Coupés listed for sale on Elferspot

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Since 2019, the average asking prices for Porsche 964 Carrera 2s in this combination have risen by more than 50 percent! A good five years ago, manual transmission coupés with a decent history and five-digit mileage were still available for around 60,000 euros. Nowadays, vehicles in this class command six-figure sums.

On average, prices are no longer quite as high, but the cheapest cars have become even more expensive

Although the average purchase price for 964 Carrera 2s was at its peak in 2023, the cheapest models have become even more expensive on average in 2024. Even in the event that average prices continue to fall in the future, we assume that the chance of getting a decent manual Porsche 964 Carrera 2 Coupé for under 50,000 euros is likely to be over. And anyone who does get one for less should perhaps go and play the lottery…

The Porsche Carrera GT has gained a whopping 75 per cent in value!

With its high-revving V10 engine, derived from an aborted development program for Formula 1 and later Le Mans, the Carrera GT is probably the most emotional car Porsche has ever built. Thanks to its low weight, paired with over 600 hp and a 6-speed manual transmission, many consider it to be the last analog super car. The Carrera GT was also a groundbreaking design, as its looks could still pass for a novelty today.

And what applies to sought-after classics in terms of price naturally also applies to particularly rare super cars. With only 1,270 examples sold, it was to a certain extent predetermined that its prices climbed over the years. Since 2019, the Porsche Carrera GTs advertised on Elferspot have increased in value by a whopping 75.3 percent on average! This corresponds to an increase in value of 587,000 euros in five years. Of course, even at 800,000 euros, a Carrera GT would be an incredibly valuable car. But as crazy as it sounds, at that price it could be called bargain in 2024.

Beauty has its price – The Porsche 993 Turbo has increased in value by more than 50 percent in five years

It is one of the Porsche world’s favorites – and quite rightly so. The Porsche 993 Turbo is the last air-cooled production Porsche ever. Almost three decades after the end of production on March 31, 1998, it still enchants with its hip swing and the flowing design of the rear spoiler. In 2019, it was still possible to get into one of the 408 hp super 911s of its time – we are deliberately excluding the WLS models here – for an average of 138,900 euros. Since then, prices have risen continuously until they peaked at an average price of €213,000 in 2024.

Whether this price rally has now come to an end is, of course, a completely different question. What is clear, however, is that the days when one of the last air-cooled turbos in good condition could be found for just over 100,000 euros are over. And it is currently not foreseeable that prices will fall again in the near future. So, just as for the Carrera GT, the same can be said of the 993 Turbo: You should have bought it a few years earlier!

Here you can find all Porsche 993 Turbo offered on Elferspot

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Missed opportunity number five: Buying a 911 for less than 20,000 euros!

It sounds a bit like grandpa telling about the war. But it wasn’t so long ago – in 2022 to be precise – that a Porsche 996 was last offered on Elferspot for under 20,000 euros. I myself sold my beautiful 996.1 Carrera 2 for less than 25,000 euros in 2020! And until around 2021, it was still possible to find at least a usable Porsche 911 of the first water-cooled generation for under 20,000 euros.

The chance to buy a decent 911 for less than 20,000 euros will probably not come around again. On the contrary, entry into the world of what is probably the most famous sports car in the world is likely to become more expensive in the future. Over the years, the 996 has undergone a transformation from an ugly duckling, the unloved 911, to a sought-after classic. While a 996 Carrera or Carrera 4 was advertised as a coupé for an average of €25,800 in 2019, the average asking price today is €37,300 – a whopping 44.6 percent increase.

What is particularly striking is that prices for top models have skyrocketed. Whereas five years ago a 996 worth collecting could be found for less than 35,000 euros, by 2024 you will have to invest at least 60,000 euros. As a former owner myself, I have to admit at this point: It’s a bit of a shame to have sold my 996…

What opportunity have you already missed?

There are numerous other examples from the recent past that followed the same path. As a result, owners of Porsche sports cars have spent the last few years safe in the knowledge that they would only lose little money on their treasures in the worst case. This does not necessarily mean that a Porsche offers great returns of investment – as we have discussed in detail in this article. But in some cases, prices have galloped away over the years to such an extent that many dreams have had to remain dreams. One possible interpretation would certainly be that you shouldn’t wait too long to fulfill a dream…