Jay Leno Exposes Why This Manual Porsche Is Suddenly Worth $450,000
Park three Porsche 911 GT3 RS models together and most people will struggle to identify which one costs the most. They all have enormous wings, screaming naturally aspirated engines, and enough grip to make public roads feel insultingly small.
However, when Jay Leno and Donald Osborne compared three generations of the GT3 RS, the most powerful car was not the big-money winner. Collectors are instead losing their minds over the oldest-school Porsche in the room.
Three Generations Of Porsche GT3 RS Enter The Garage
The lineup starts with a 2008 GT3 RS from the 997.1 generation. Its naturally aspirated 3.6-liter flat-six produces 415 horsepower, while a manual gearbox, roll cage, weight-saving measures, and towering rear wing make its intentions wonderfully obvious.
Next comes the 2011 GT3 RS 997.2. Porsche increased displacement to 3.8 liters and output to 450 hp, but the important hardware remained. It still had a manual transmission and used the celebrated Mezger-derived engine, making it the final GT3 RS to offer this increasingly valuable combination.
The newest car is the 2016 GT3 RS 991.1. Its 4.0-liter flat-six produces 500 hp, while a rapid PDK transmission and more advanced aerodynamics make it the quickest machine around a circuit. It even has a pit-lane speed limiter, which is handy whenever your grocery run suddenly becomes Le Mans.
The Fastest Porsche Is Somehow The Cheapest
According to Osborne’s estimates, the 2016 GT3 RS is currently worth around $235,000. That is hardly cheap, but it looks strangely reasonable beside the older cars. The 2008 model has reportedly climbed from approximately $165,000 five years ago to around $395,000 today.
The 2011 GT3 RS is the shocking winner. Osborne estimates it was also worth around $165,000 five years ago but could now command approximately $450,000.
That means the fastest and most powerful Porsche here is worth barely more than half as much as its manual predecessor. The 2016 car would probably vanish into the distance on a track, yet collectors will pay substantially more for the slower machine because it asks them to use a clutch pedal.
Jay Leno Knows Why The Manual Car Is Worth $450,000
Jay correctly identifies the 2011 model as the most valuable before Osborne reveals the figures. His explanation is beautifully simple. Manuals sell.
The 997.2 combines its six-speed gearbox with the final appearance of the Mezger-derived engine in a GT3 RS. It also delivers distinctive graphics, a glorious mechanical soundtrack, and a driving experience that demands greater participation than selecting Drive and attacking the throttle.
Osborne warns that the massive grip produced by these cars can create dangerous confidence. Once a GT3 RS finally lets go, the average driver may discover that owning Porsche-branded racing gloves does not automatically make them Walter Röhrl.
Their rising values may tempt owners to hide them beneath silk covers, but these machines deserve to be driven. The 2016 GT3 RS might win the lap, but the manual 2011 car wins the argument and apparently empties the bank account.
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