Porsche 992 GT3 Pricing Is Out of Control; Consider These Porsche GT3 Alternatives Instead
Porsche Options
When I say Porsche options, I am not talking about leather covered air conditioning slats. I am talking about what other Porsche cars you can buy instead of a new GT3. I realize the prices of everything are inflated right now. However, the cars I suggest can more easily justify their costs. The 992 GT3 is the hot new thing. But what happens when the GT3 RS comes out? How about the Safari 911? Or the 992.2 GT3? Think your 2022 GT3 will still be the hottest thing and worth a huge mark up? Unlikely. So where would I put my $350,000 Porsche dollars right now? Here are some options.
993 Turbo
Oh, how I love the 993-generation Turbo. Make mine Arena Red with a period correct, ‘Kills Bugs Fast’ poster hanging above it in the garage. The last of the air-cooled Turbos and one of, if not the best looking. Over 400 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission, these were 959s for normal people. They are not making any more and they get more desirable every day. This is an enthusiast car. It will lose a race to a 992 GT3, but do you really care? For less than new GT3 money, you can buy one of the finest 993 Turbo examples in the world.
1989 911 Turbo Slant Nose
Does anything represent the decade of the 1980s like a slant nose 911? And 1989 was special as it was the only year Porsche put the 5-speed manual in the Turbo cars of this generation. Do you want exclusive? Only 60 of these cars were built in 1989. It is a unique, historic car in the Porsche lineup. Any Porsche collector would love to have one in their garage. It does not have the modern features of a new GT3. However, in my opinion it is much easier to justify the $250K – $300K price of a 1989 slant nose than a modern GT3.
1975 911 Turbo
For model year 1975 Porsche changed the automotive world with the new Turbo version of the 911. The wide rear fenders, big whale tail spoiler, and big power immediately made the 911 Turbo an icon. An early Turbo is a thing to behold. Like most cars on this list, it will get destroyed by the new GT3 in any performance test. And it is not like the 992 GT3 is devoid of character. But compared to an early Turbo even a GT3 seems a little pedestrian. This is another historically significant car for Porsche and one that is worth the steep asking price. If the asking price is similar between this and a new GT3, I would invest in the classic Turbo without a doubt.
1958 356A Speedster
To land one of these you would have to be comparing it to one of the more outrageously marked up 992 GT3s but they are out there. It is possible to find a base, 70 horsepower 356A Speedster for about $350K. And I know if I did, I would snap it up over a new GT3 every day of the week. Yes, it is painfully slow by today’s standards. It won’t rev to 9,000 RPM and it doesn’t have a massive wing on the back. But when you are talking about classic Porsche models, the conversation begins and ends with the Speedster. Beautifully simple, this was the beginning of the stripped-out Porsche models. For new GT3 money you won’t be able to get into one of the four-cam Carrera motor Speedsters. But you could get a base model that is a legend in the automotive world.
1967 911S
For 1967 Porsche debuted the 911S model. A more powerful version of the base 911 the S model was the first 911 to have Fuchs alloy wheels. They were only 4.5 inches wide, but they were there. This is the first of the ‘more performance’ 911 cars. Today we have the GT3, Turbo, GTS and of course the S models. But back in the day the S was the very first step in offering more performance. The car is a classic and a key Porsche milestone car. A fantastic example can be bought for what a new GT3 would cost you. It might not perform as well at a track day, but these cars can justify their current high asking prices.
2010 911 GT3 RS
If you yearn for performance that the older cars can’t muster how about a 2010 GT3 RS? It might not equal a 992 GT3 lap time but no one would ever call it slow. 450 horsepower from a screaming 3.8L flat six connected to a short throw 6-speed manual gear box offers plenty of thrills. It is smaller, lighter, rarer, and more visceral than the 992. Yes, it is also slower and less powerful, but everything is not about lap times. Most of you reading this do not get paid to set fast laps, so who cares? In a long line of Porsche GT cars, this is one of the best. For even money, give me this older version.
A Collection
This is when things really get interesting, and you start to realize just how silly spending over $300K on a new GT3 is. There are endless combinations of cool Porsches that you can buy for that kind of money. How about this for a garage? A 1988 944 Turbo S, a 1995 928 GTS, and a 1970 914/6. You could have nice examples of all for the price of a new GT3. Or how about a 996 GT3 as a collectible and a new 992 Cabriolet to cruise around in? Perhaps a spec Boxster racecar, a new Cayenne S to tow it and $50K in leftover cash for parts and racing expenses? The possibilities are endless.
