In the market for a Porsche 911 GT3? What do you buy and more importantly: which versions do you need now before it’s too late?
The name ‘GT’ in the automotive world can mean different things. Nowadays you call a car GT for Gran Turismo or Grand Tourer and then you mean that a car is a good mix between a sports car and a comfortable cruiser, ideal for a road trip. At Porsche, the GT name still has its origins in racing. After all, you can also associate GT with the name of the racing classes called GT, including those that still exist today (GT3, GTLM, etc.). A Porsche GT is a powerful sports car.
GT3
We discussed the origins of the Porsche GT relatively recently when a tasty 911 (997) GT2 was for sale. Then we focused on the three generations of 911 GT2 (non-RS) that have existed. Now we have to talk about the GT2’s brother, the GT3. There are now five generations of the Porsche 911 GT3 and it is clear that enthusiasts know how to find the right versions. Thanks to figures from ClassicCarRatings we have some ins and outs and these things stand out.
993: Too far gone
The 993 is a bit of an outsider in the GT3 series. To start with, it wasn’t actually called a GT3 and was homologated for the GT2 class. It was even officially called ‘911 GT’ if you could believe the badge. Porsche actually built this version for racing, but homologation rules forced the brand to sell a street version. This was done in an edition of 57 pieces.
A car from the 90s with 430 hp, racing genes and so rare: the Porsche 911 993 GT is (too) expensive. In December another one sold for 2.2 million(!) euros. Since 2012, six copies have sold for more than a million and three of the others just missed the million mark. A contrast with 2012, when one sold for 250,000 euros. 993 GT prices have exploded and the chances of them ever coming back are slim to none.
996: the cheapest, but…
We are not going to use the Porsche 911 (996) as a piss-off again, because growing up means realizing that it actually makes no sense to label this as the worst 911. Yet the 911 GT3 of that generation still has the lowest values ​​to its name. An original 996 GT3 from before the facelift sells for an average of 75,000 euros. If you have one with the Clubsport package, the average price is 95,000 euros. A 996.2 already does more than a tonne (114,000 euros). So buy a 996 if you want to experience the dip in the market now. Even though you could once get them a little cheaper.
Moreover, there are already 996 models where values ​​have risen quite explosively. A GT2 will cost you just under two thousand euros (191,000 euros), while with the Clubsport package you are already well above that amount at 212,000 euros. The most expensive is the very first Porsche 911 GT3 RS that debuted with the 996 generation. An average of 241,000 euros is collected for this.
997: facelift sacred
For those who didn’t know: at Porsche the generation is often followed by .1 or .2, which indicates the ‘phase’ (.1 is pre-facelift, .2 is post-facelift). That’s not the official name of the cars, but every car or Porsche fanatic knows what you mean by it. Speaking of facelifts: in terms of values ​​there is a fairly big difference between the 911 GT3 (997). A 997.1 collects about 125,000 euros on average, with outliers far below that. That was the version with the 3.6 liter block.
The median for the 997.2 with the 3.8 is much higher. They collect an average of 187,000 euros. And that line is rising, so it has nothing to do with the fact that the .2 is more recent. So you can win prizes with a .1 that is not really on the rise.
991: soon the cheapest?
The Porsche 911 GT3 is actually a bit too ‘mainstream’ to always retain its value. The 996 and 997 are now also on the rise, while they were declining for years. The 991 is now in that process. The pre-facelift 991.1 drops from around 125,000 to around 100,000, which means it is almost at the level of a 996.1 Clubsport. The line of the 991.2, even though it is a bit more recent, does not drop nearly as fast and is still around two tons. With these cars, the number of kilometers driven also matters. A well-run-in 991.1 can offer a lot of value for money, but not driving it keeps its value a bit more stable. Although we have the feeling that this type of car will soon be on the rise.
992: manual and Touring
The Porsche 911 is also where the 911 R saga took place. Where this mix between puristic Carrera body and hardcore GT3 drivetrain ensured that the ultimate driver’s Porsche was not driven to maintain its values. Porsche introduced a 911 R-esque variant of the 991.2 GT3 to lower the values ​​and that became the 911 GT3 Touring Package. That recipe was copied one-on-one for the 992. The most important differences are the absence of the fixed rear wing, only being supplied with a manual gearbox (although you can now also order a PDK for the 992) and a slightly more comfort-oriented interior.
The result is quite simple: the Touring Package is the much more desirable version. A GT3 PDK costs an average of around 231,000 euros, with 236,000 euros for the manual gearbox. A GT3 Touring PDK still costs 267,000 euros, with even 270,000 euros for the manual gearbox. Of course, this model is still so new (even available new) that it doesn’t say much, but it does say something about what a smart move the Touring Package was.
Header photo: a tastefully composed 911 GT3 Touring Package, by @ecnerualcars on Car Whiz Spots.
