6 of the Best Porsches You Can Throw Your Bank Account At
Daily Slideshow: After driving almost every Porsche made, these are the best on sale today.
All Things Porsche
During my time as a mechanic, I had the good fortune of driving almost every Porsche ever made. From the 1950s 356 all the way up to modern 991s, I’ve been behind the wheel of almost everything. As a professional coach, people are always asking me what’s the best and why. After giving it some thought, these are the cars I would buy above all the others. If you’re in the market you shouldn’t pull the trigger until reading this, so let’s go.
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Any 993
My first experience behind the wheel of a Porsche was a 993 Turbo. Despite being hellaciously fast, this car didn’t make the list because of the turbo or because it was my first experience with this remarkable brand. The 993 makes the list for two reasons: robust build quality coupled with a driving feel that is unlike anything else on the road. These models feel different than anything that came before them and anything that came after. Part of it is down to the weight, which at 2,976 lbs is light by modern standards. This adds to the overall impression these machines leave and is very noticeable in corners where you begin to throw the car from left to right in rapid succession. Turbos came with roughly 400 horsepower which means they’re not slow even in 2019. Not much has changed over the years either—these cars still feel every bit as insane as the day they leave the showroom floor. It’s a brilliant car that blends refinement, great power, and superb handling all in one and you can have one for $40,000 to $80,000 depending on trim. Very affordable even by Porsche standards.
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997 GT3 RS
Race tracks are where Porsche has made their name and when it comes to road going race cars the 997 GT3 RS is arguably the best they’ve ever produced. From a driver’s perspective, it’s easy to see why—450 horsepower and the only option for a transmission was one of the best manual gearboxes you can row through. This alone puts the 997 GT3 RS on the list and that’s before you consider how ridiculously good the engines in these cars were. Revving to over 8,000rpm they make a noise that makes every hair on the back of your neck stand up—and that’s before you plow through a corner at speeds only a time traveler can rival. Seriously, these things are quick and they drive better than anything else that was on sale at the time. You can’t go wrong with a GT3 RS (the best GT3), but you can pay a lot of money for one given they are almost 10 years old. Prices come in at a very cool $140,000 and can increase depending on mileage and options. Worth everything the moment you step on the throttle with few cars being able to keep up the bends. The ultimate driver’s car.
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GT4 Club Sport
Working for the Porsche Experience Center gave me the opportunity to drive many new cars within an inch of their life around the famous handling circuit in sunny Carson, CA. What stood out was never the onslaught of torque from the Turbo S or the raw handling provided by a GT3. Instead, it was the GT4 that always stood out as the best-balanced car the company offers on sale today. That’s where the GT4 Club Sport takes things to the next level by letting highly experienced engineers do what they do best: slaughter lap times and bruise the egos of any competitor foolish enough to line up next to this mid-engine legend. Power increases to 425 horsepower from 380, but the suspension design is where things get interesting. Borrowing components from the GT3 Cup Car the GT4 Club Sport is a kind of factory hot-rodded version of something that is already serious fast. Costing $209,000 it has to be the best value for money the company has ever put out. You can race these knowing you have the best team behind your build: Porsche themselves.
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356 C
So far the list has been compromised of cars that are all about handling and neck breaking engines with mega horsepower. That’s not what this company is all about despite managing to do it better than the rest. In the 1960s they came out with the 356 C which featured 4-wheel disc brakes and a smooth engine that chucked out roughly 100 horsepower. Prices vary greatly on these with a range of $40,000 all the way up to $600,000 depending on mileage and configuration, but that’s what makes them so cool. You have to hunt around a little bit for your 356C, but once you find it you’ll be promised a driving experience that involved you in every single aspect of motoring. They also handle insanely well for something built in the 60s. I can personally attest that on a winding downhill mountain road, you can give a 3-series BMW a run for its money—something that will surprise both you and the other driver as you pull up to the next traffic light. These things scoot for an old car with all the quality you expect from Porsche. Absolute 10/10.
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944 Turbo S
Mid-engine, rear-engine, and front-engine too? You might not hear the 944 Turbo S praised like a vintage 911, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t stellar cars to own and drive. These little guys packed a big punch thanks to an upgrade in boost over the “standard” 944 Turbo which enabled them to reach 250 horsepower. Adjustable shocks from the factory, a better final drive ratio, and brilliant balance made these cars one of the most memorable I’ve ever driven. 1,000 examples were produced and if you can get your hands on one it’s rather hard to say exactly what you’ll pay. Low mileage 944 Turbo S models have been listed for upwards of $60,000 which can make them slightly unobtainable, but if you shop around you can find them for much cheaper. Great looking cars that drive very, very well indeed.
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Carrera GT
Although I have never had to privilege to drive one of these, I have been a passenger in two different versions—both for testing purposes after work was done to them. Words simply can’t begin to describe what these are like. It’s the best Porsche to me and will always be no matter how much faster the 918 is pushed, or even what comes after the 918. It is the rawest supercar that has ever been produced, one that requires immense attention and commands respect from the driver.
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Porsches in Summary
Buying a Porsche isn’t necessarily about spending a fortune to have the latest and greatest technology—although that is one aspect of new 911 ownership that is tempting. Many times, the older models are like hidden gems that you only discover once you have driven them. I for one did not expect the 944 Turbo S to be as good as it was because of the low horsepower by comparison to cars built today. Nor did I expect something from the 60s to amaze me and drop my jaw on a canyon road I have driven in 500 horsepower supercars. If you're in the market and don't consider the cars on this list you're missing out. Happy hunting.
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