5 MOST OVERRATED PORSCHES EVER (5 THAT ARE SEVERELY UNDERRATED)

Porsche is one of the best automotive manufacturers in the world, building some of the greatest sports and performance cars this side of Ferrari. Porsche’s cars are brilliantly balanced for both long-distance cruising and hardcore track-work in intense conditions.

The funny thing is that Porsche isn’t actually an automaker, but rather an engineering company that happens to make cars. The company was founded by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 and has since built the VW Beetle, engineered the Mercedes-Benz 500E, and redesigned the Porsche 924 from a VW-commissioned sports car into a proper Porsche model.

Porsche’s cars are usually pretty great, but there are some which are simply overhyped and had their brilliance exaggerated over time. Here are five of the most overrated Porsche models ever and five which deserve some more praise.

Overrated – 2016 911R

Starting out with a doozy, the 2016 911R. The 911R is a special edition model based on the 911 GT3 RS but with most of the aero parts taken off – almost like the current GT3 Touring. The 911R was the culmination of the best of the best of the 911, even having its air-conditioning and audio systems as options to save weight – depending on what the owner wanted to do with the car.

The 911R features the same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-6 producing nearly 500 hp and 340 lb-ft of torque mated to a 6-speed manual transmission only. With the deletion of the aero parts, the 911R gained a top speed of 200 mph, accelerating to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. The 911R is a great car, but the ridiculous price coupled with the horrendous second-hand value makes the car overrated – despite its awesome engineering.

Underrated – 2015 Cayman GT4

In 2015, Porsche created a track-focused version of the Cayman, called the GT4. It had lots of suspension and handling upgrades over the regular Cayman, sporting a revised body and a fixed spoiler on the back. It also got a detuned version of the 3.8-liter flat-6 from the 911 Carrera S, producing 380 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.

The Cayman GT4 was only available with a manual transmission, accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and topping out at 183 mph. The Cayman GT4 also set a lap of the Nurburgring in seven minutes and forty seconds – not at all bad for a small-ish sports car. The Cayman GT4 is one of the best track-orientated sports cars, perfect then for track use – or simply showing off in town.

Overrated – 1980 911 Turbo 3.3

The original Porsche 911 Turbo from the 1970s was an absolute monster in terms of power delivery and speed. It featured a 3.3-liter flat-6 fitted with a turbocharger, which boosted power to 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque – a lot back then, especially since the car weighed in at only 3,000 lbs.

While the 911 Turbo is a historical vehicle in terms of the history of Porsche and turbocharged performance vehicles, it was a model that resulted in many fatal accidents – giving it the nickname, the ‘Widow Maker’. The reason for this was that the turbocharger produced all its boost at the same time, often resulting in the wheels losing traction and causing the car to spin. For the reason of danger, the 911 Turbo 3.3 is totally overrated.

Underrated – 1995 944

The 944 was the second generation of Porsche’s 4-cylinder sports car, and it was better than ever. The 944 truly embraced Porsche and the 944 is one of the best small sports cars of the past – along with being quite affordable. The 944 featured a Porsche-designed 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, which gradually rose in displacement to 3.0 liters by the end of the production run.

The 944 produced between 143 and 247 hp – depending on the model – and came with either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic. The 944 sent all its power to the rear wheels only and the car was available as a hardtop coupe or a soft-top convertible. For the price the 944 is currently selling for on the used market, it is a severely underrated sports car.

Overrated – 2020 911 GT2 RS

Another 911 model which is probably an unpopular opinion is the last-generation 911 GT2 RS. It is the most powerful of the track-focused Porsche models, producing 691 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque from its 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-6. The only transmission option is the 7-speed PDK as it can handle the power and torque.

While only 1,000 units were ever produced – 1,004 with the restart of production due to losing 4 units in the Grande America cargo ship sinking – it was bought and scalped by buyers, who wanted to sell the car for much more than they are worth. The GT2 RS is a fantastically fast track car but is currently mostly used to show off.

Underrated – 1985 928

The Porsche 928 was originally designed as the 911’s replacement, still keeping the traditional Porsche styling, but moving the engine to the front of the passenger cabin. The engine in question also morphed into a V8 rather than a flat-6 – much to the dismay of the hardcore fans. Midway through the 928’s production run, Porsche realized that it could not replace the 911 and turned the 928 into more of a grand tourer rather than a sports car.

The 928 started out with a 4.5-liter V8, producing 218 hp before growing to 4.7 liters, 5.0 liters, and eventually 5.4 liters, producing 345 hp. The V8 engine was mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 3- or 4-speed automatic transmission. The 928 may have some electrical issues today, but it is still a brilliant vehicle that is perfect for a project car.

Overrated – 2020 Taycan

The Porsche Taycan is the fully electric alternative to the Panamera, built on its own platform and featuring new and innovative technologies. It made headlines when it debuted and remains relevant, even three years after its launch. The Taycan features various power outputs and battery sizes, with power ranging between 402 and 751 hp.

The Taycan is a cool car, but it costs a huge amount of money and isn’t much better than the Audi e-tron GT – a car that shares most of the Taycan’s parts and performance. The Taycan does come in Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo body styles, but with the base model starting at $90,000, it is wholly overrated.

Underrated – 2003 Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne is a massively impressive SUV that continues to deliver throughout its production run. While the current Cayenne Turbo GT is one of the best sports SUVs on the market – out-pacing even its Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga Speed, and Audi RSQ8 siblings – the original Cayenne from the early 2000s is still an impressive vehicle.

The base Cayenne started with the 3.2- and 3.6-liter VR6 engine from VW, before moving on to the 4.5 and 4.8-liter V8s in the Cayenne S, GTS, and Turbo/Turbo S. The Turbo and Turbo S models gained a low-range transfer case, height-adjustable suspension and a locking differential, making it perfect for off-roading enthusiasts to modify into overlanding vehicles. The turbo V8 also provides great performance and torque, making the older Cayenne an underrated vehicle.

Overrated – 2020 Macan Turbo

The Cayenne was such a big success when it launched, that Porsche sought to make another SUV to help fill their money bags even further. The Answer was a smaller, but still Porsche-like SUV which could bridge the gap between the Panamera and Cayenne. The answer was the Macan, an Audi Q5-based model, but without any of the Q5’s drawbacks.

The Macan is a pretty good vehicle, often getting praise from most comparison tests. The issue with the Macan is that it is the highest-selling Porsche model, outselling even the Cayenne. While it provides a massive amount of income for Porsche to create other models of the 911 or even a new hypercar, it isn’t exactly what you would typically call a Porsche.

Underrated – 2002 911 Carrera S

The 996 generation of the 911 is probably one of the least liked as it was the first water-cooled model after the great air-cooled models of the past. As such, the 996 is among the cheapest of 911 generations on the used market, all without sacrificing performance or handling.

The 3.4-liter flat-6 behind the rear wheels produced around 300 hp in its Carrera and Carrera 4 trims. There was also a complaint by the 911 owners that their more premium sports car shared a similar look to the Boxster, which wasn’t quite as premium. This all means that the 996 911 Carrera is currently for sale on the used market for under $20,000 – an absolute steal for a really good sports car, making it vastly underrated.

2023-05-27T21:36:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd