I’m not always the best person to write about the 911 Turbo when it comes to performance value. In part that is because I live in a city and drive a car with only 142 hp (though it is pretty light) and can’t even remember the last time I used a gear past third. And even third gear is only used for dawdling. So, power is never an issue and having three times as much horsepower almost seems confusing. That said, for most people this is not their typical experience and even I have driven much quicker cars and fully understand the allure of that extra power. While not necessarily what I would prioritize I do understand it, or in the words of Frasier Crane, “if less is more, just think how much more more will be!” Let’s get to the car here, which comes from our consistent favorite when searching for that elusive combination of supercar performance and reasonable cost: the Porsche 996TT. As the first of the water-cooled Turbos and with styling that most feel is a departure from the 911’s iconic design, the 996TT has long been a bargain and mainstay for those in search of the most bang for their buck. But that is starting to change, even if slowly. As prices for air-cooled Turbos create an ever widening gap between their values and those of their water-cooled successors, buyers appear to be increasingly turning their attention to these unloved models. We are even beginning to see collectors take notice, though for the most part that seems to be restricted to the GT2 and GT3 for now. Could it be that even the 996TT will soon see a sharp rise in value and value-conscious buyers again will have to search for the next alternative? The example we see here may shed some light on that question: an Artic Silver Metallic 2001 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe, located in North Carolina, with 16,430 miles on it.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe on eBay
Year: 2001
Model: 911 Turbo
Engine: 3.6 liter twin-turbocharged flat-6
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 16,430 mi
Price: Reserve Auction
Porsche Turbo AWD 2001
Porsche Turbo. Exotic looks, feel and sound, in a car that can be driven daily.
When this fifth generation 911 Turbo was introduced it was the fastest and most refined street legal example. The combination of 415 foot pounds of torque and all- wheel drive gives fabulous power and traction.This particular example has over $9,000 in upgrades.
This is a beautifully maintained coupe with no stories. A Clean Carfax is available. The paint is beautiful Arctic Silver Metallic. The wheels have been carefully taken care of.
No one can deny this is a World Class Icon only available to a few.
Features Include:
– 3.8 liter DOHC 24 valve flat 6 engine
– 415 bhp and 415 ft lbs torque
– 6 speed manual transmission
– Twin Intercooled Turbos
– Leather Sport Seats
– Full Graphite Grey Leather Interior
– Dual front airbags, dual front, side airbags
– Bi-Xenon high intensity discharge headlights (self- leveling)
– Carbon Trim Package
– 3 Spoke Carbon/Leather Steering Wheel
– Brake/Shifter with Carbon/Aluminum Package
– Stability Control and Traction Control
– Electronic brake-force distribution
– Climate Control
– Cruise Control
– Speed Active Rear Spoiler
– Alloy Wheels with Crest Centers
– Power Sliding Sunroof
The allure here in terms of potential value comes down almost entirely to the low mileage. The color combination and options are both fairly standard for a 996 and may not attract much additional notice. But that’s not a terrible thing, because while the mileage should command a premium, I think that at auction’s end this 996TT will remain a reasonable value even if the cost is higher than what we used to see. If it had the X50 package then we’d probably have a different story altogether as those cars do seem to be moving much more quickly (pardon the pun). Right now bidding sits at $39,433 with a few days left and reserve unmet. In itself that’s a very nice price, but with asking prices for the 996TT reaching well into the $40Ks I would suspect this seller will hold out for more, especially given the lower miles. We still have a long way to go before a 996 ever reaches the pricing of a 993 so for now these should remain a stellar performance value.
-Rob
