Porsche is a brand revered by auto enthusiasts around the world. Though the Stuttgart-based marque is best known for its 911 range which tends to fetch top dollar, especially the older cars, it makes them inaccessible to the masses. But, Porsche DNA has blessed a lot of other models over the years that you can buy without breaking the bank or selling your kidney. Here are our top Porsche picks for enthusiasts on a budget:
Updated April 27, 2023: As times go by, more enthusiasts are starting to warm up to once-overlooked Porsche models. Those have just recently been recognized as viable options by those seeking the thrill of driving and owning a Porsche for less than the original sticker price. This includes not just the more modern representatives of Porsche's lineup, but also classics, which have started gaining much-needed recognition. Some of those classic models have already started appreciating in value, but are still an attainable way to get into the Porsche experience.
2008 Porsche Cayman
After the record-breaking success of the Boxster, it was anybody's guess that Porsche was going to follow it up with a coupe version. 2005 saw the introduction of the Porsche Cayman. The Cayman shared its chassis and engine with the Boxster, but the engine had a higher power output and the roof added more torsional rigidity, making it a sharper car overall.
The Cayman S was launched with a 3.4-liter flat-six that produced 295 horsepower (later, 320) and was capable of hitting over 170 mph. More astonishingly, it was four seconds quicker around the Nürburgring than the 911 from the same era. Facelifted models replace the five-speed Tiptronic automatic with a seven-speed PDK while a six-speed manual is available for any model year. Early examples can be had for as little as $20,000.
1987 Porsche 924
The 924 is yet another underrated icon with a Porsche badge. The entry-level Porsche was designed to replace the quirky mid-engined 914. The fact is that the 924 was intended to be a high-end VW at first. It was supposed to be a joint assignment between VW, Audi, and Porsche, but unfortunately, the other two bailed last minute, and Porsche was stuck with this front-engined four-cylinder coupe.
In 1976, the Porsche 924 arrived at dealerships packing 95 horsepower which made this the first front-engined, rear-wheel-drive vehicle from Porsche although mercifully the engine got a power bump to 110 horsepower in 1977. Eventually, the 924 S came out with a semi-decent, 150-horsepower engine. At the time, the 924 was the cheapest Porsche you could buy, at just $9,395. Now, you can find them for as low as $7,000.
2000 Porsche Boxster
Hailed as the baby 911, the Porsche Boxster is a true Porsche sports car that is now bringing mid-engined, top-down thrills to the masses. Introduced back in 1996, the original Boxster, as the name suggests, was fitted with Porsche's signature boxer engine. Originally a 2.5-liter, displacement eventually grew to 2.7 liters for the base engine and 3.4 liters for the Boxster S.
The 986 Boxster is considered the pocket-friendly Porsche of its day and the unsung savior of the back-then, financially-troubled German car company. The front end was entirely shared with the Porsche 996, including the controvrsial "fried-egg" headlights. For a fraction of the price, however, you are getting performance almost identical to the 911 Carrera of the time. Unfortunately, the 986 Boxster also shares many of the 996's mechanical weaknesses, including the infamous, IMS bearing. Look hard enough, and you might find a good example for under $15,000.
2004 Porsche Cayenne
At the turn of the 21st century, Porsche dropped a bombshell called the Cayenne, which quickly became one of the most heavily-criticized vehicles at the time. Back then, the thought of a sports carmaker creating an SUV was outrageous, especially by the same people who make the 911. It gave Porsche purists and enthusiasts nightmares for days until it became Porsche's success story. Ferdinand Piëch, VW Group's boss was so sure of this SUV that Porsche's LMP1 car was canceled at the time and that budget was relocated to the Cayenne.
If that didn't upset the purists enough, Cayenne was based on VW's PL71 platform that underpinned the Audi Q7 and VW Toureg. However, Porsche went to great lengths to modify the platform, giving birth to the 9PA chassis. The powerful V-8 engines with dry-sump lubrication and robust, seven-speed automatic gave the Cayenne great performance both on and off the road. You can find decent, early models for as little as $7,000.
1985 Porsche 944 Coupe
The best way to describe the Porsche 944 coupe would be to call it a slightly improved and upmarket version of the 924. Originally intended to replace the 924 in the Porsche line-up, it ended up being sold alongside the 924 for a couple of years. The 944 got a new, Porsche-built 2.5-liter Inline-four with a 144-horsepower, which was a significant upgrade over its predecessor's Audi-sourced 2.0-liter unit.
Later S2 models got a 3.0-liter, inline-four with 211 horsepower. It was regarded as one of the best handling cars by critics around the world, thanks to the transaxle design which lent it a 51:49 weight distribution. Even with the lack of power, it was a thoroughly enjoyable car and came into its own on a twisty stretch of tarmac. You can find this "Germanic Miata" for as little as $11,000 in good condition.
1969 Porsche 914
Porsche and Volkswagen teamed up occasionally in the past, and the 914 is one of them. This compact, mid-engine sports car was a joint-collaboration through and through, meaning VW had a say in every aspect. Sadly, this included performance. Before the desired, six-cylinder versions came out, the 914 came exclusively with VW-derived flat-four units. The base, 1.7-liter, flat-four produced 86 horsepower and although the car weighed just 1,980 pounds (898 kg), reaching 60 mph (97 km/h) felt more like an expedition than a sprint.
On the plus side, Porsche 914 is a very appealing, mid-engine baseline for builds and since the flat-four-equipped examples are not the most sought by collectors, you can do whatever you want with them. The 914 is also extremely simple and basic, making it very reliable and easy to work on. You can find good examples for around $20,000.
1977 Porsche 928
Porsche 928 was the carmaker's attempt to replace the 911 with a more conventional, front-engined sports car. This never happened, but the 928 was still produced alongside its rear-engine counterpart between 1977 and 1995. In the end, slow sales killed the model for good. The 928 was a more GT-oriented spors car than the 911 and even early examples have stood the test of time thanks to Porshe's build quality.
Powered exclusively by front-mounted V-8 engines, the 928 was a capable performance car, except for early US examples, which were strangled by regulations. Most cars were equipped with three or four-speed automatics. Sadly, very few came with the dog-leg, five-speed manual. The 928 is already on the appreciation route, but you can still find good examples for around $20,000.
2015 Porsche Macan
Porsche Macan is one of the latest Porsche models to be built out of necessity. To answer the increased demand for compact SUVs, in 2014, Porsche introduced what was essentially a smaller version of the Cayenne. Underneath the Macan, you will find Volkswagen's MLB platform, found in many Audi and VW models with longitudinally-positioned engine.
Unfortunately, the base, 2.0-liter, turbo-four engine also comes from VW, as do most other powertrain options. In this setup, the EA888 unit delivers 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet (370 Nm). The seven-speed PDK allows for a 6.4-second 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time. It may not be a sports car, but it has the Porsche badge and at least some Porsche hardware. The best part is you can pick a good example for under $25,000.
1991 Porsche 968
Porsche's front-engine sports cars are largely overshadowed by the iconic 911. For this reason, the 968 is one of Porsche's best-kept secrets. It was the logical evolution of the 944 and brought even more refinement to the table. Dubbed the ultimate, four-cylinder Porsche sports car, the 968 combined parts from the 944, 928, and 911 (993) in a relatively-affordable package. Porsche claimed the 968 was 80 percent new, although the chassis and much of the body were a carry-over from the 944.
The front could easily be mistaken for a 993, although the headlights pop-out like on a 928. All 968s came with a 3.0-liter, inline-four. In base trim, it packed 240 horsepower. The last, four-cylinder Porsche gave you a lot of choices. You could choose between a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic (although it's not really a choice) as wel las the choice of coupe or a soft-top convertible. The best part is decent examples can still be found for under $20,000.
2009 Porsche Panamera
Throughout the years, Porsche made a few attempts of creating a practical, four-door sports car. In 2009, Porsche engineers finally got it right, wit hthe first-generation Panamera. With the name derived from the "Carrera Panamericana" Mexican rally, the four-door, luxury Porsche certainly had to cover the company's big grand aspirations. Even in base form, the Panamera was capable of great pace.
The 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 packed 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) and was mated to a seven-speed PDK transmission. Early Panamera models are not exactly pretty, as they follwoed a function-over-form approach. Porsche's CEO at the time, Wendelin Wiedeking, said he wanted four tall adults to be able to fit comfortably. Since modern-day Panameras aren't that different, design-wise, the 2009 Panamera has aged rather well. The best part is, $25,000 can get you a decent example.
1998 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera
The 996 was the most advanced Porsche 911 of the time and sadly, that's one of the main reasons why it was met with controversy when it first arrived. The 996 was the first all-new 911 as the 993 before it shared the same basic structure as the 1964 original, albeit with many improvements over the years. Sadly, early 996 Carrera models were plagued by problems with the build quality as well as mechanical failures like the rear main seal and the infamous IMS bearing, which could cause catastrophic engine failure.
This was limited to the base Carrera models and many have already had it replaced - make sure to check for that when looking to buy one. Although all 911s go up in value, you can still find a good 996 Carrera with relatively low mileage for around $29,000. Ideally, you want the six-speed manual, which is how you get the most performance out of a 996.
1994 Porsche 911 (993) Carrera
Owning the last air-cooled Porsche 911 is a wet dream for many car aficionados. The 993's desirability has caused prices to skyrocket over the past years, but if you are willing to swallow a few harsh conditions, you can still get one relatively easy. First, you have to forget about the Turbo and RS models as those are deep into the six-figure range.
For about $50,000, you can still find an example with close to 100,000 miles that has the less-desirable, four-speed automatic, and is most-likely a convertible. If you want a six-speed manual coupe or a higher spec like Carrera S or 4S models, things can quickly head towards the $100,000 ballpark.
1965 Porsche 912
If you want the looks of the original Porsche 911, but don't want to pay the steep asking price, there is still a solution. It comes in the form of the Porsche 912 - an affordable version of the classic 911, produced from 1965 to 1976 that lacks the potent, flat-six engines of its more expensive sibling. Early versions came with a 1.6-liter flat-four that pumped out 90 to 102 horsepower, but were discontinued after just four years on the market.
In 1976, North America got the 912E, which was a collaboration between Volkswagen and Porsche. Despite the bigger, 2.0-liter engine, it had fewer horsepower and was discontinued the same year. Earlier versions packed decent performance for the time, and nowadays, you can find decent examples for $35,000.
2005 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera
Probably the biggest surprise on the list is the 997. According to many purists, it was what the 996 should have been from the start. Early base models shared the problematic M96 engine, prone to IMS bearing failure, but the percentage was, reportedly, too low to worry about. At any rate, most vehicles would have had that problem taken care of, but like with a 996, it's always worth checking.
Overall, this is a big step up in build quality from the previous 911. The 997 generation has already reached what is believed to be rock bottom and is bound to start appreciating in value, so now is the perfect time to get one. Around $45,000 can get yo ua decent example of the 997 Carrera and the chance of finding a manual car seems to be higher than with the 996. More pristine examples and higher trims can be had from $60,000.
1950 Porsche Tractor
Laugh all you want, but at least it's a real Porsche and not a replica. Those more familiar with the brand will know that Porsche also made tractors between 1950 and 1963. One of the most popular models is the Porsche-Diesel Super series, which came with a 2.5 and a 2.6-liter, inline-three diesel. The naturally-aspirated powerplant produced 35 to 38 horsepower and featured a 2,300 RPM redline. In the early years, Porsche collaborated with other manufacturers to build tractors, most notably Renault.
From 1956, the German company decided to have the entire Tractor production in-house. By 1963, slow sales, prompted Porsche to move away from tractors entirely, and focus on building cars. From 1956 to 1963, Porsche sold over 125,000 tractors. In certain parts of Europe, you can find examples for as little as $6,500 although fully-restored ones will set you back at least $35,000.
FAQ
Q: What is the least expensive Porsche
The least expensive new Porsche currently on sale is the 2022 Porsche Macan with a starting price of $57,500.
Q: What are the cheapest Porsches
The used car lots have plenty of cheap Porsches in-store, the cheapest of which include the early examples of the Porsche 924 and 944 which can be had for as low as $5,000, and first-generation examples of the Porsche Cayenne which can be had for around $10,000.
Q: Is a Porsche Boxster a good first car?
The Porsche Boxster is one of the best entries into the world of Porsches, and in extension, sports cars. Early first-gen examples can be had for around $10,000 and are relatively cheap to run and maintain.
Q: What year is the cheapest Porsche?
High mileage examples of Porsche 944 manufactured between 1985 and 1987 can be had for just under $6,000.
Q: What is the cheapest Porsche 2020?
The cheapest new Porsche as of 2020 was the Porsche Macan with a starting price of $57,500.
Q: What is a poor man's Porsche?
At the time of launch, the Porsche Boxster was dubbed the "poor man's Porsche" because it was the cheapest new Porsche at the time.
Q: Which Porsche model is the cheapest?
The 2022 Porsche Macan is currently the cheapest Porsche on sale and carries a starting of $57,500.