Porsche are one of the most beloved automotive brands worldwide, known for their sleek, timeless designs and superlative performance on the road. Founded by Ferdinand Porsche, the former chief engineer of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche was built from experience in innovative design, the strength in German engineering, and the acute knowledge of the hidden desires of the car owner.
Having developed his reputation through work on ‘The People’s Car’ for Volkswagen in 1931, Porsche formally founded his company in 1947 following the end of the world war. Having crafted many popular racing cars in his time, Porsche’s honed skills in sports car manufacturing was instilled into the Porsche brand, resulting in the creation of the 356 Coupe by Porsche’s son in 1948.
Following this success, Porsche went from strength to strength, resulting in the first iterations of the Spyder. With a commitment to delivering even faster performance, Porsche worked on developing a six-cylinder vehicle. The product of their endeavour, the 911, became a hit within the racing circuit upon its release in1963 and marked Porsche as a world-leading car brand, which remains true to this day.
The Most Popular Commercial Porsche models (+ Value)
PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN
Debuting in the market in 2016, the Porsche 718 Cayman was developed as a successor to the original Cayman model and followed the unveiling of the 718 Boxster in the same year. The 718 signage was first used by Porsche in 1957, as a premium sports car of one or two-seat design, specially adapted for Formula racing.
The 718 signage was resurrected for the new Cayman model, giving modern-day customers the opportunity to own a 21st-century update on a classic model. Unlike the racing focus of the 718 models of the past, the 718 Cayman is designed to elicit a vintage feel and evoke a nostalgic feeling but is thoroughly intended for modern lifestyles and driving excursions.
Offered with either 2.0l or 2.5l engines, they are a perfectly robust option for everyday driving in style, but operating at a more leisurely pace that the sports cars that Porsche is usually known for. In its third design iteration, the 718 Cayman remained popular on the market since its debut and is often the choice for buyers looking for a more affordable alternative.
In essence, they are a sensible Porsche entry point for first-timers to the brand. The three iterations of the 718 Cayman have slight differences that affect value. The 2018 version updates the original with slightly enhanced launch controls and the new GT option for more powerful driving. The 2020 version furthers these developments, with the unveiling of a 4.0l engine for the first time in the model’s history.
Being a modern model in the Porsche repertoire, valuations for the 718 Cayman follow standard practise as other car brands. The original model of 2016 will have seen marked depreciation in value from new, especially as a Porsche model already pegged as a cheaper alternative.
PORSCHE 911 CARERRA
The Porsche 911 Carrera is a flagship model for the German manufacturer, first debuted in 1973. The Carrera was an adaption of the much revered Porsche 911, introduced to the world back in 1963. This historic model has been a stalwart on the racing track, frequently modified for major world championships, from Daytona to Le Mans.
The Porsche 911 iteration continues to be manufactured today, including the Porsche 911 Carerra. The Porsche 911 Carrera is arguably the most popular variant on the 911 model, possessing the finesse and unique style of the classic car, but with none of the flaws of previous models and enhanced performance.
The unique history of the Porsche 911 is defined by the multiple relaunches it has experienced over the decades, with many standalone variants of the 911 created then discontinued within a few short years. These models include the 928, the 944, the 3.2 Carrera and the more recent 991 and 992 series. Models from the 1960s, due to their antique status and revered history as the first of its kind, have been known to be valued in excess of £1,500,000. These figures continue on a sliding scale as you move through the years, though certain models have retained a certain prestige. These include the 911 Carrera 3.2 models of the 80s, which can still command between £100,000 – £200,000.
The most modern variant of the 911 model is the 992 Series, which was launched in 2019. Before this, the most recent variant, and the most driven variant today, is the 991 series. Slightly larger in size than its predecessor, the 991 series took the 911 design philosophy and updated it for a modern age, developed to improve fuel economy while maintaining the expected Porsche performance.
This sturdier model reinforced the sleek edges and sporty origins of the 911 and made it more suitable for small families and couples, with advanced interior controls making the car an easy, smooth drive even at its fastest speeds. 7 releases of the 991 series were made available to the market, which creates a knock-on effect in terms of valuing your model.
PORSCHE TAYCAN
The Porsche Taycan is one of the most recent innovations of the Porsche brand, as its first-ever fully electric sports car model. Debuting to the world in 2015, the Taycan is now in full manufacture and expected to release globally this year. It has thus far received rave reviews globally for its performance, equivocal to the power and speed of a standard petrol-fuelled car.
The name ‘Taycan’ is of Turkish origin, roughly translated to mean ‘lively, young horse’, and is directly inspired by the famed steed in the Stuttgart coat of arms, as featured in the Porsche logo. If going by power, speed and reliability, the Taycan lives up to the name. As a brand new model and new frontier in sports car engineering, the Porsche Taycan is an exciting prospect for the automotive industry and will be a unique provision for pawnbrokers in the future, who will already be making plans for loan agreements regarding electric-powered vehicles. Four variants will be released at launch – The Taycan 4S, the 4S with Performance Battery Plus, the Taycan Turbo and the Taycan Turbo S.
With specifications that place the Taycan as a high-performance vehicle, with speeds of up to 260 km/h, the undisclosed price is rumoured to be in the region of £200,000. There are plans to release an SUV model in the future, currently known as the Taycan Cross Turismo.
PORSCHE PANAMERA
The Porsche Panamera is a full-sized model, manufactured specifically for standard driving in comparison to traditional Porsche sports cars. Colloquially known as the ‘XXL Version’ of Porsche’s beloved 911 model, the Panamera has developed a reputation as being the choice of the seasoned Porsche owner looking to mature their style and invest in a more robust option. Unveiled in 2009, the Panamera has survived criticisms from Porsche purists to garner its own fans in its own right, helping to bring a new cohort of owners within the Porsche brand and widen their appeal across international markets and age demographics.
A heavy-duty drive, this four-door model is one of the heaviest models that Porsche have released in their history as a company, weighing in at 1800kg. Equipped with a 3.0l up to a 4.8l engine, the Panamera has 9 variants to currently choose between, including hybrid and diesel models. The oldest of these current variants, from the original 2009 launch, can be valued at an impressive £30,000 if in mint condition.
The GTS is a rare customisation on active Porsche Panameras, and the 4.8l can get an impressive value of up to £60,000, even for models that have passed their 3-year warranty period.
PORSCHE MACAN
The Porsche Macan is the German brand’s flagship SUV model. The five-door drive was formally debuted in Japan in 2013, before going on sale in 2015 alongside the Panamera and Cayenne models. Delivering the same classic Porsche performance, The Macan was intended to form part of a new generation of Porsche manufacturing, appealing to a new kind of customer that do not usually show interest in sports cars. The Macan has since been redesigned and released in two new iterations since its debut to the market.
The 2016 update featured improved steering controls and extensions on both the exterior and exterior. 2016 also saw the launch of a four-cylinder model. The most recent iteration debuted in 2019, delivering an overhaul in terms of LED lighting, colourways and wheel modifications, as well as a formal introduction of advanced controls for parking and traffic assistance. Equally to the Porsche Panamera, the Macan was initially met with some resistance. However, it has overcome negative opinions to have a successful launch, with 350,000 models active worldwide, including 100,000 in China. Available in Turbo, GT and Diesel variants.
PORSCHE CAYENNE
The Porsche Cayenne was Porsche’s re-entry into the market of off-road vehicles, first debuted in 2002. Since joined by Porsche Macan, the Cayenne is a mid-sized luxury SUV model. Following its debut, the Porsche Cayenne received rave reviews and became a popular addition to the Porsche repertoire in the years following, before receiving its first update in 2010.
Its first generation models were the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo, powered by V8 engines, before being joined by Diesel and VR6 variants. Soon after launch, the Cayenne became available in a GT variant, and also saw the release of many limited edition variants on the market. This included the Transsyberia racing model, of which only 26 we built, and a rare GT variant in 2010, of which only 1000 exist worldwide.
PORSCHE 718
While the moniker has been recently resurrected for new models, the Porsche 718 of decades prior is an esteemed, much loved model within Porsche’s history. The original manufacturing run of the Porsche 718 in 1957 to 1962 will be where the most valuable versions originated from. For those lucky enough to possess any variants from this era in mint condition, value in excess of £30,000 are achievable, especially for aesthetic idiosyncrasies in terms of colour way or interior.
Beyond this, further variants on the 718 from the 1970s can also command impressive numbers. The famed 718 Spyder can fetch in the regions of £25,000, while GTR Coupes are also an attractive proposition.
PORSCHE BOXSTER
The first generation Boxster was officially debuted in 1996, as a variation on the established 718 and Cayman models. The Boxster moniker has an illustrious history, a portmanteau derived from its boxer engine and roadster design. Over its four generations of manufacture, the Boxster has become a popular sports car, frequently named Car of the Year by popular media outlets and publications, including Top Gear and Playboy. First edition Porsche Boxsters will fetch between £5000 to £15000 depending on condition, idiosyncrasies in design and mileage.
PORSCHE 928
The Porsche 928 was a flagship sedan model sold by Porsche between 1978 to 1995. Combining the comfort and ease of a regular sedan with Porsche’s pedigree in sports car design, the 928 became a must-have model for over 25 years. Because of the rarity of the 1988 and 1989 CE models, with only 61 made in total, they can command values in excess of £30,000.
PORSCHE SPYDER
The term ‘Spyder’ can be confusing to those not inundated with Porsche’s history. Often mistaken as a standalone model, ‘Spyder’ refers to the roadster build of many Porsche cars throughout history, particular early racing models in the 1950s and 1960s.
Since being debuted as a variation on the 718, different iterations of the Spyder build have appeared throughout the decades, and are considered of significantly higher value than standard models. Modern day iterations of the Spyder are found in the newly-launched 718 and Boxster models, commanding in the realms of £60,000 and £80,000 depending on specifications.
The Spyder build is perhaps most famous for its use in the Porsche 550 model. A beloved car in the 1950s, it became a symbol of notoriety as the car driven by James Dean when he died, and was one of only 90 cars made in this design. It is highly unlikely that many pawnbrokers have come across an original Spyder 550 from the 1950s, having passed through the hands of many noted vintage car companies.
The highest recorded sale of a Spyder 550 happened in 2016, when the model owned by comedian Jerry Seinfeld sold for $5.5 million at auction. Rebuilds of Porsche Spyders based on the 1955 iteration are a popular collectors’ item.
Porsche 356 Coupe
Often considered the first ever Porsche model placed on the market for general sale away from the race track, there are astonishingly still many 356 classic models in action to this day. Many original 356 models are often placed on auction for excess of £1,000,000, with standard models of good condition accumulating offers within the region of £500,000. Variants that attract custom include the Carrera models of 1961 and 1962, as well as the Speedster of the 1950s. Many of these models can easily command offers between £150,000 to £300,000.
