The many "Special Editions"

Some of the older air cooled S variants hold great value. For the most part, I think that there are just to many "special editions" to be considered special. Porsche seemingly makes one for every model, where Ferrari does it every few decades.

 

I like the RS60 as well, but I'm wondering if you couldn't just find a "regular' Boxster in silver with red leather.

it really is a great looking color combo.

and yes, the "special editions" are largely not so special.

 

Look up how much a Martini or Sebring edition 924 goes for. They really don't go for that much more than any other 924 in decent shape.

 

No. I don't think there were any 924 convertibles -- 944/968 only.

 

Because the 993 series was/is a very desirable one. Even good base C2 coupes hold value well, and the Turbos are one of very few post-1990 cars that are legitimate investments.

 

I love porsche's but they make a special edition for special editions, just way to many editions. I think the only one that will be of any value in years to come is gt3 rs 4.0 and that is about it. Just my 2 cents

 

is the GT3RS 4.0 based on the GT1 block or the 997 direct injection block?

IMO only the GT1 block cars will end up being collectible.

 

All the GT3 variants 996 and 997 including the new 4.0 use the GT1 derived motor. That includes all the 996 and 997 Turbos until the newer ones that use the direct injection type, that's why now the Turbos can be ordered with PDK.

 

in that case, then only the GT3RS 4.0 and GT2RS will be really collectable.

 

The only thing is that I believe the GTrs4.0 will be Porsche's "288GTO" in the long run, if they don't produce many of them. And I'm not stating that they will command the same premium, but you get my feeling.

The GT2rs is limited, powerful and all, but the looks aren't all that great as with the regular GT3s and that counts a lot.

I don't know how many GT3rs4.0 will be made, but if they are as limited as the GT2rs, then I can see them selling for the same price and maybe even the GT3**** commanding more in the future.

 

500 GT2RS's, 600 GT3RS 4.0s.

styling is subjective but I think they both look a bit dorky.

I think the 3 will be favored by the track guys, the 2 by the garage queen collectors. we shall see.

all I know is my base 997 C2 is just a used car

 

Cheer up!, my brother is got a C2S with power kit and is a great car, I think they are great cars, maybe too many made but that doesn't change the fact.

 

it's a fabulous car, and it's a shame that it's brilliance will be lost to collectors because they're "too common".

 

Chas, where are you getting the number for the GT3 RS 4.0? According to my friend at PCNA the number is 126 for the US and I believe it was 300 or 400 for the World.

 

every number I've seen has been 600 cars built (global production).

I would assume Porsche would bring at least 200 of those to the US (since the US consumes ~ 1/3 of global production).

Your friend at PCNA *might* be right, but then again when I bought my GT3 the dealer told me they only imported 200

 

He specs him, so that is what he told me, but you never know.

 

1 of 126 of 600 of 50,000

 

Actually it seems like they've had 10 special editions.

It probably is time for the 911 Carrera Special Edition Edition, which has all the badges and garnish from the previous 10 special editions collected on one convenient model.

To compensate for the 18 pounds of added badging and dash plaques, engine power would be bumped slightly.

 

I have a 2008 RS 60 and I like it a lot. The extra 8 HP doesn't make a difference in actual driving. They claim the car has an extra 1 or 2 miles per hour top speed over a regular S of the same year.

The main thing about these cars is they have a lot of nice features that were pricey extra cost options if you spec'd an S out almost identically it would have cost you about another $10K. The 19" wheels are nearly a $2000 option, 5mm wheel spacers $500, the sport exhaust is around $2,500, the Porsche active suspension another $2,000, full leather interior with sport seats in Carrera red or Natural Gray (no longer available) are around $4,600. The car also has front splitters (not sure the cost if bought separately), aluminum shifter ($300-400), and the exterior color GT Silver is a $3,100 extra cost option. They also painted the windshielf frame black to draw less attention to the windshielf frame so that it might look like their old RS racers that had no windshield frame.

There are 3 color combinations, "Full Red" GT Silver with red interior and red top, "Black/Red" GT Silver with black top and red interior, and what people call "Full Gray" GT silver with black top and natural dark gray leather.

Some of these cars are a good value on the used market compared to their original MSRPs and most "Porsche guys" do know these cars are a bit different compared to a standard S, and I've gotten a few comments about it being an RS60. If you get one with the sport chrono, the sport button automatically turns on the sport exhaust, stiffens the suspension to sport setting, and remaps the throttle response for a more aggressive feel.

The RS's seem to go for a bit more than a similar Boxster S, but not much more and they have many more features.

We got the RS60 because it was fun to drive, and offered modern comfort items like a working air conditioner (ac in nearly useless in a 930 or Carrera 3.2), and some safety features like ABS, traction control, etc (in the event my wife ever learns to drive a manual transmission...which she hasn't). If you are really concerned about depreciation or even potential appreciation, I'd suggest getting an air cooled 911 3.2 Carrera, a 930, or a 993.
Porsche's water cooled cars just don't have a great track record of becoming appreciating in value with the exception of maybe some very rare cars like the Porsche 924 Carrera GTR or the possibly a Carrera GT some day.

Good luck and best regards,
Dino

Below is a quick photo of my RS60
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You have really nice car.

Our 99 Boxster was getting long in the tooth & a used RS60 w/red interior was going to replace it...then the Boxster Spyder was announced.

If I were smart, I should have waited another year for the sure to follow 1 Year Anniversary Boxster Spyder Special Edition.

 

Thanks, its a fun car.

A friend of mine got the Boxster Spyder, and he likes it a lot. Its a beautiful car! Below is a photo of our cars together.

We actually found numerous small differences neither of us noticed before such as the sound of the sport exhausts on each, the mirrors (they are smaller on the RS). I toyed with the idea of getting a Boxster Spyder when it was released, but my wife loves the ease of our being able to press a button and the top is down in 20 seconds vs. getting out of the car and "folding up the tent." Not to mention when we originally bought the RS we thought we might use it several times a week because it has all sorts of creature comforts, but its really become another weekend car (although we drive it more than the 328). I really want to see what the next generation of Boxsters has to offer before considering another Porsche.

Best regards,
Dino
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If you look up "Special Edition" in the dictionary there is a picture of a Lamborghini.