The 10 Cheapest Porsche Models Money Can Buy
Some people desire a Porsche, yet it tends to be expensive. The price of a Porsche Panamera can start from $87,200, for instance. Why are some Porsche models expensive, you may ask? According to Porsche Austin, a few reasons why they are costly are due to their unique braking system, leather upholstery, and magnesium wheels, just to name a few. Although Porsche tends to be expensive, you can find some cheaper models today. So if it has been your dream to own a Porsche, you can still own one. Without further ado, here are the top ten cheapest Porsche models that money can buy.
10. 1995 Porsche 928 ($28,100 – 37,180)
An admirable feature of this car is its sunroof. Some people prefer to use air conditioners to cool themselves, but the drawback is that it uses fuel. Therefore, the car’s sunroof is a fuel-efficient way to cool yourself since all you must do is slide it. Once you slide it, some air will get into the car. Also, the sunroof provides more headroom. Therefore, this car is ideal for tall people. This car features a tilt-adjustable steering wheel.
Although this steering wheel is standard in most cars today, this car was one of the few to have it. Interestingly, the Ferrari and Lamborghini did not even have such a steering wheel. The car’s steering wheel moves the instrument cluster in order to provide gauge visibility at all times. Under the hood is its 4.5-liter V8 engine that produces 237 horsepower. The engine has a single overhead camshaft design that is paired with a transaxle. This pairing was supposed to achieve the car’s 50/50 front/rear weight distribution.
9. 2010 Porsche Panamera ($12,448 – $30,723)
Gasoline-driven cars release plenty of carbon dioxide into the air, and driving a car emitting less of the gas is necessary. If you want an environmentally friendly car, this would be the one to get. The car releases less waste into the air due to its Auto Start-Stop function. As soon as you come to a standstill, e.g., in a traffic jam, the function automatically switches off the car when you step on the brake.
Once the car is off, it will not combust any fuel and hence will not release any of it into the air. To turn it on, all you must do is let go of the brake. To all music lovers, you will enjoy this car’s Bose Surround Sound System. The system comprises 14 speakers and a 200 W active subwoofer. Due to the high number of speakers, everyone in the car will receive the same sound quality. That means the passengers at the back will not have to ask the driver to adjust the volume.
8. 1974 Porsche 914 ($8,200 – 32,000)
This car weighs 1984 pounds, which makes it a very light car. In the 1970s, most cars would take 13 seconds to accelerate from 0-60 mph. However, this car’s lightness caused it to take a shorter time by 3 seconds. Since it takes less effort to accelerate, you can expect to enjoy a better fuel economy. Cars usually consume a lot of fuel if you take a lot of time to accelerate. This would usually occur when driving up a hilly path. This car is exceptional in handling, thanks to its mid-engine layout.
The engine is placed in such a way the center of gravity lies between the front and rear axles. Due to the engine’s placement, you can negotiate corners without worrying about overturning. The car is equipped with a fuel-injected flat-four engine. This engine does not use a carburetor, which is why it has certain advantages. It is efficient in terms of fuel economy since the amount of fuel is controlled. By using the fuel it needs, the car does not waste fuel by excelling the waste into the air. Additionally, it prevents clogging since it does not combust much fuel at once.
7. 2000 Porsche 911 ($7,937 – 26,037)
This car has an all-aluminum 3.4-liter engine that generates 300 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. In previous 911 models, the torque was less powerful despite this car using the same engine as the previous models. The engine delivers more power in this 911 model due to an addition of an exhaust system. The engine’s horsepower may be too powerful for some drivers. To bring the power under control, the car has an independent suspension.
This suspension uses an optimized MacPherson strut design in front and a multilink setup in the rear. The car uses a 6-speed manual transmission as its default one. You can opt for another transmission called the five-speed Tiptronic S. The optional gearbox combines automatic five-speed operation with the capability of manual control. This gearbox has different gearshift patterns from “Economy” to “Sport.” Depending on your driving style and topography of the road, the gearbox selects the appropriate gearshift pattern.
6. 2008 Porsche Cayman ($7,775-19,728)
The car is equipped with a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder engine that generates 245 horsepower and 201 pound-feet of torque. It is paired with a five-speed manual transmission and delivers acceleration of 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds. If you want to accelerate a bit faster, you can opt for the six-speed manual transmission, which accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. If you buy this car, you will be in for a great driving experience. The car offers quick reflexes and precise control due to its variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering.
For a sportier feel, you can get the optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) suspension. Once you get this suspension, you can drive in Normal mode, and you will discover how smoothly it rides over bumps. If you want to negotiate corners effortlessly, consider switching to Sport mode. The car has plenty of cargo space thanks to its hatchback body. There is 9.1 cubic feet of space under the hatch. When you combine the space with the front trunk, you get a total of 14.5 cubic feet of space.
5. 1985 Porsche 944 Coupe ($6,600 – 10,230)
This Porsche model became one of the first to use a water-cooled engine. According to Motor Trend, the change to this engine was due to Porsche finding air-cooled engines old and tired. One critical advantage of water-cooled engines over air-cooled ones is that they warm up quickly hence maintaining the engine’s temperature. As a result, you will hardly experience cases of the engine overheating with this model. Drivers who desire speedy cars may not be fond of this model.
It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds. However, this is a good model for people who like to cruise. Also, the car is suitable for drivers who constantly step on the gas pedal by mistake. In case the driver does so, they will not cause accidents due to the slow acceleration time. Another advantage of this model is its handling ability. Its handling is all thanks to its transaxle design which gives it a 51:49 weight distribution. With a nearly equal distribution, the wheels stay firmly on the ground. That means you can negotiate corners without losing control.
4. 1992 Porsche 968 ($4,194 – $17,478)
This is a sports car that emphasizes performance. As great as the performance may be, you will have to bear with the noise. It is equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-4 engine that generates 236 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. With its incredible power, it can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds, which is fast for a classic car. This car’s torque is powerful, thanks in part to its Variocam technology.
It can boost low- and mid-range torque without incurring a penalty at the upper end of the rev band. This technology is controlled by an exhaust cam through a chain. The movement of the exhaust cam triggers rotations which have to be managed by the engine’s Motronic electronic management system. One more feature we should discuss is this car’s power assist steering system. The aim of the system is to provide easier maneuverability and complete control of the car. Without the system, you would use a lot of effort to steer this car. This system forces fluid to help turn the steering and is hydraulically assisted.
3. 1987 Porsche 924S ($4,495 – 12,999)
This car weighs 2,566 pounds, which makes it a heavy car. Some drivers prefer lightweight cars due to the quick acceleration, but there are some benefits of this car being heavy. First, you will receive less impact during a collision. That is because the car is not light enough to be knocked over by another car. Generally, heavy cars tend to be spacious. In case of a rollover or crash, you will have enough wiggle room in this car. The car has a wheelbase of 94.49 inches.
According to Off Road Manual, a wheelbase is considered short if it falls within 80-96 inches, which means the car has a small wheelbase. There are certain advantages to this car’s small wheelbase. Due to the car’s small wheelbase, you can park it in tighter spaces. So, you will likely remain unaffected if a car double-parks in the parking lot. Additionally, the car’s small wheelbase makes it agile, so it can effortlessly cross over between lanes. The lubrication system found in this car is a wet sump. In this system, oil is in the sump and acts as a reservoir. The sump is usually placed below the engine to collect oil when it is at rest. Since the sump is like a reservoir, you will cut down on spending on fuel since the oil in the sump must first be exhausted.
2. 2001 Porsche Boxster ($2,959 – $7,027)
There is a lot to like about this car in terms of lighting. The lights on the main beams, high beams, and turn signals are teardrop-shaped, which makes the car visually appealing. Besides being appealing, these lights provide maximum illumination due to the use of “free-form” reflectors. Another thing worth pointing out is the strong polycarbonate (plastic) that covers the headlights to minimize cracks or scratches. This car is excellent in terms of comfort.
Its seats feature integrated headrests and partial leather trim. For further seat comfort, the car has power recliners and manual seat height adjusters. Another aspect of comfort to consider is its automatic climate control system. The system in the car includes a dust/pollen filter and quickly responds to sunlight intensity. When you drive this model, you will be impressed with its quick brake release. The quick release is because the car uses disc brakes that use innovative “monoblock” brake calipers.
1. 2004 Porsche Cayenne ($1,021 – $7,893)
This car offers air suspension thanks to its PASM technology. PASM operates electronically by adjusting damper forces infinitely depending on the surface conditions and the driver’s driving style. The technology’s role is to steady any sway and dive motions, and it achieves this by monitoring the body movement through its five accelerometers. PASM allows the driver to choose from its three damper settings: Normal, Comfort, or Sports. Another reason to like this car is its safety.
First, its body is made of 60% high-strength steel. The metal does not easily dent upon impact, so you will be relatively safe in case of collision. Another safety feature in this car is the combination of longitudinal support and crossbars at the front section. They help to minimize the force of a collision by redistributing it. Lastly, it has front, side, and curtain airbags to cushion you from injury. To experience that sports car feel, this model is equipped with Porsche Traction Management (PTM), a four-wheel drive system. It feeds the engine’s power through a multiple-plate clutch operated by an electric motor. It feeds 62% of the engine power to the rear wheels and 38% to the front wheels, which achieves the same feeling as driving Porsche’s rear-engine sports cars.