Stuttgart’s Finest: The Hunt for the ‘Porsche Model Year of the Century’
Best Model Year Runner-up – 2016
To be honest, when I first thought of the idea of naming the best Porsche model year of the century, I was planning on making 2016 the winner. The 2016 lineup is strong and significant for a number of reasons. Let’s take a look at what Porsche had to offer us in 2016.
911 R
The Porsche 911 R was available only in 2016. Well, in this century anyway, so don’t beat me up for forgetting the 1967 911 R. In 2016 Porsche was selling the 991.1 GT3. It was a fantastic car, but a key element was missing. There was no manual transmission option. The 911 R addressed that, and came equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission.
It was bolted to a 500 horsepower, normally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine. The 911 R also ditched the big wing that as affixed to the regular GT3. This was a pure driver’s car. The 991 examples were quickly sold and then showing up on the used market at double or triple the original price.
Porsche didn’t take too kindly to the speculators, so they eventually made the GT3 Touring and again offered a manual in the 991.2 GT3. But the 911 R is still a special car.
Cayman GT4 / Spyder
For years the Porsche Cayman and Boxster were brilliant cars, but maybe a bit too brilliant. Their mid-engine design and smaller size gave them an inherent advantage over the flagship 911. So, Porsche purposely gave them weaker engines to ensure the 911 would remain top dog. In 2016 this all changed with the GT4 and Spyder release.
They finally got the power they deserved. It borrowed the 3.8-liter flat-six from the Carrera S. The Spyder was still tuned to be a bit less hardcore than the GT4 but was still the best Boxster to date. And the GT4 was fantastic.
Like the 911 R, 2016 was the only year for these cars until they came back in 2020. But some folks still prefer the rawer feel of these 2016 models. They also have been depreciation proof thus far and could become future classics.
Base Cayman / Boxster
The reason these belong on the list is 2016 marked the final year that you could get a Porsche flat-six engine in a base model Cayman or Boxster. Sure, the 4.0-liter in the new GTS, GT4 and Spyder models is wonderful, but they will also cost you six figures to obtain. In 2016 a base Boxster cost about half that.
Yes, it doesn’t make the same power as a new 4.0-liter, but the sound and sensation of the flat-six was still there. The 718 base Cayman and Boxster will outperform the 2016 cars without question. However, there is no denying that something was lost in the crossover.
Porsche
911 GTS Club Coupe
One of the rarest 911 models in a long time is this 2016 model. Limited to only 60 units it was a celebration of the Porsche Club of America 60-year anniversary. The car was given the GTS engine and painted in a beautiful Club Blau. The other exterior changes were a ducktail spoiler, special wheels, and some black painted trim.
It is a beautiful car with 911 GTS performance and so rare that you will likely never see one in person. Another win for 2016.
Joe Kucinski
911 GT3 RS
In 2016 Porsche gave us the 991.1 GT3 RS. This was the only model year that the RS model was offered on the 991.1 platform. In typical RS form the car was lighter, more powerful, louder, and faster than the standard GT3. It was a fantastic way to bid farewell to the 991.1 generation 911.
Porsche
And the Rest
In addition to the special cars listed above 2016 of course had many other Porsche models to choose from. The Macan Turbo and Cayenne Turbo S were out in 2016. There was the Panamera Turbo and a slew of 911 models to choose from. Overall, 2016 was an amazing model year for Porsche. However, it was not quite the best of the century.
Porsche
