Okay, hang on folks, this is a long one – what’s the most class, speed and style that you can get for $10,000 these days in German motoring? I’ve lined up some of the examples of just how much you can buy – which is your favorite?
Tag: S2
Another great alternative to the E30 market remains the stellar Porsche 944S2. With nearly identical performance numbers to the E30 M3, for the most part these hidden gems remain considerably more affordable. They look great, have great boxflared fenders, are generally considered extremely well built, make you feel very special and are even reasonably practical as a daily driver. They’re also fairly rare – production numbers are below what the E30 M3 numbers are, with around a reported 3,600 imported to the U.S.. Also like the E30 M3, many fell by the wayside or were turned into track cars – but despite the similar trajectory of their history, the S2 remains a solid performance bargain. Check out this Cobalt Blue example with color matched interior:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Porsche 944S2 on eBay
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Pining over visions of just-out-of-budget E30 M3s? I recently covered a low mileage 1988 944 Turbo S, a phenomenal alternative to the E30 that’s – if anything – better built, more capable and faster. In my mind, thought the iconic M3 screams boy racer meets Park Avenue, the 944 – especially in Turbo/S2 guise – looks just as much the part. They’re also quite a bit cheaper right now, but likely not for long – Turbo values have steadily been on the rise, especially for good examples. And while there are plenty of enthusiasts who have daily driven 944 Turbos, you have to admit that they’re the best part of 30 year old technology that you’ll have to sink some money into. For everyday driving, a better option for most people would be to look at the slightly less complicated and only slightly less powerful twin-cam version of the 944; the magnificent 944S2:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Porsche 944S2 on eBay
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Although the appeal of the budget speed of the 944 Turbo is certainly large, the actual driving experience around town can sometime be a bit lacking and the expense of 25 year old turbocharged technology can be a turnoff. Luckily, Porsche offered its own solution with the 944S2. Well covered on these pages, the S2 offers early Turbo levels of performance from its 3.0 16V motor, with no turbo lag. I’ve said it was perhaps the best all-arounder Porsche has ever built, and I think overall that’s a realistic look at the S2; if all-out speed wasn’t your goal, the S2 offers practicality, lower ownership costs and enough power to take advantage of one of the best handling chassis ever made. Take a look at this 1989 example:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Porsche 944S2 on eBay
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What has the world come to? Are the days of the cheap 1980s cars dead? We’re in the days of $50,000 BMW M3s, $30,000 Audi Quattros, $20,000 Volkswagen GTis and $10,000 Sciroccos! And yet, there are still deals to be had, if you’re willing to look – and act, quickly. Because while the 944 Turbo and S2 have been on the “down low” for a few years, we’ve been watching clean examples rapidly appreciate, pulled up by their more expensive cousins. That’s as it should be, because frankly, of the lot, arguably the 944 Turbo is the best performance value of the 1980s, and the 944 S2 is perhaps the best all-arounder that Porsche has ever made. Those S2s are better balanced than all the previously listed cars, quicker than all of them, get better fuel mileage than all of them, and – arguably, I agree – look the best of the 944 production line. Yet the S2 has continuously been overlooked, almost taken for granted. Those days are going away, and opportunities to get a 944 S2 like today’s are going to be increasingly difficult: