Porsche 911: Carrera or Turbo? Which is better value per horsepower? [For those unsure about which used car to choose: 3rd article]

What is the relationship between vehicle price and price per horsepower?

The current 992-type Porsche 911 will undergo a minor change in May 2024, appearing as the new 911 Carrera and new 911 Carrera GTS. Pre-orders for the turbo models, the 911 Turbo S and 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, equipped with the T-Hybrid, will begin in September 2025.

The current 911 Carrera is equipped with a 2981cc horizontally opposed 6-cylinder twin-turbo engine with a maximum output of 290kW (394PS) and a maximum torque of 450Nm. The output per displacement is 96.0kW/liter (131.0PS/liter). The vehicle price is 18.53 million yen. Here, if we divide it by the familiar PS, the price per horsepower (PS) is about 47,030 yen.

The 911 Carrera T has the same engine specifications as the Carrera. The vehicle price is 20.06 million yen, which is naturally more expensive since it has the same maximum output. The price per horsepower (PS) is about 50,931 yen.

The 911 Carrera S also features a 2981cc flat-six twin-turbo engine, but this one has a maximum output of 353kW (480PS). Maximum torque is 530Nm. The output per displacement reaches 118.0kW/L (161.0PS/L). The vehicle base price is 22.39 million yen, and the price per horsepower (PS) is approximately 46,645 yen. Despite having 86 PS more than the basic Carrera, the Carrera S is slightly cheaper per horsepower.

Is the Carrera GTS surprisingly good value for money per horsepower?

The 911 Carrera GTS combines a 3591cc horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine with a T-hybrid. The engine’s maximum output is 357kW (485PS) and maximum torque is 570Nm. System output reaches 398kW (541PS) and system torque reaches 610Nm. Output per displacement is 99.0kW/liter (135.0PS/liter). Output per liter is 26PS less than the Carrera S. However, the vehicle’s base price is 23.79 million yen, and the price per system total horsepower (PS) is approximately 43,974 yen. The price per horsepower is lower than the Carrera S.

Taking the 911 GT3 into consideration, its 3996cc horizontally opposed 6-cylinder naturally aspirated engine produces a maximum output of 375kW (510PS) and a maximum torque of 450Nm. The output per displacement is 93.0kW/liter (127.0PS/liter). The vehicle’s base price is 28.68 million yen, and the price per horsepower (PS) is about 56,235 yen, which is a bit expensive, but this is likely due to the car’s focus on cornering performance on the circuit.

What is the price per horsepower of the 911 Turbo S with T-Hybrid?

The most powerful model to feature the T-Hybrid is the 911 Turbo S, which is equipped with a 3591cc horizontally opposed 6-cylinder “Twin e-Turbo” engine. The engine’s maximum output is 471kW (640PS) and maximum torque is 760Nm. The system output is 523kW (711PS) and system torque is 800Nm. The power output per displacement is a powerful 131.0 kW/liter (178.0PS/liter). The vehicle’s base price is 36.35 million yen, and the price per system output (PS) is approximately 51,125 yen.

If we rank the current 911s in order of cheapest price per horsepower, the 911 Carrera GTS is about 43,974 yen, the 911 Carrera S is about 46,645 yen, the 911 Carrera is about 47,030 yen, the 911 Carrera T is about 50,931 yen, the 911 Turbo S is about 51,125 yen, and the 911 GT3 is about 56,235 yen.

Comparing the price per horsepower, the 911 Carrera GTS is the cheapest, and the most expensive is the 911 GT3, not the Turbo S. It was also surprising that the 911 Carrera T and 911 Turbo S are so close.

The 911 has a variety of specifications in addition to the models picked out this time, and the number of used cars of the current model in circulation is also increasing. Currently, the most widely distributed model is the basic Carrera. There are also many Carrera Ts in circulation, but the price per horsepower is relatively high, and it seems that the price of new cars is reflected in the used car market.

Related reading

BMW M3 vs. Mercedes-AMG C63: Which is better? [For those unsure about which used car to buy: Part 2]

This time, we’ve picked out BMW’s signature sports coupe/sedan, the M3, and the Mercedes-AMG C 63, a representative example of a genuine AMG model. Both models are high-performance sports cars that make you think, “I want to own one someday,” and if you buy a used car, it might suddenly become a reality.