As this is written, there’s a 2015-registered 911 Carrera 3.0 PDK with 28,000 miles and full Porsche service history advertised for £59,895. It’s an early example of the facelifted Porsche 911 launched in 2015. At close to £60,000, it’s not something you’d buy on a whim, although it’s certainly cheaper than it was new, when it would have cost £76,400.
Better still, like so many 911s, it’s not in standard trim. Instead, it has uprated wheels, a Bose sound system and the Sport Chrono package that takes the chassis, engine and transmission to new levels of responsiveness.
It’s a great example of the facelifted 991-series 911, whose most notable advance was the adoption of a 3.0-litre flat six engine fed by twin turbochargers. In standard Carrera trim, it produces 365bhp and has 20bhp and 44lb ft more than the naturally aspirated 3.4 that preceded it. The Carrera S uses the same engine but with bigger compressors to produce 414bhp and the same margins of improvement over its 3.8-litre forebear. If you find yourself poking around 2015-reg cars unsure whether you’re looking at pre- or post-facelift 911s, the latter have bigger engine grilles and extra vents to keep those big blowers cool.
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Of the two facelifted versions, the more powerful Carrera S is, naturally, the more thrilling and also the more numerous. New, it cost almost £86,000, or £10,000 more than the Carrera, but today that gap has narrowed to the point that you can snag a pukka 2016-reg Carrera S PDK with 25,000 miles and full Porsche service history for £62,500.
The car we’re thinking of has £20,000 of options fitted to it as well, including adaptive sports seats, interior carbon package, Sport Chrono, illuminated privacy glass… It’s a good example of how, when shopping for a 911, more than comparing prices, it pays to compare specifications, too.
If you’re seeking an even purer driving experience than the S can muster, check out the Carrera T, launched in 2017. Based on the standard 365bhp Carrera, it weighs 20kg less by virtue of having no rear seats or infotainment system but has some vital kit as standard to the extent that it feels as fast as an S. A 2018-reg with 4000 miles costs around £75,000. (New, it was £85,500.) It’s a classic in the making.
For even more driver focus, there’s the 434bhp GTS (prices from around £70,000) while those of a more savage temperament are served by the twin-turbo 3.8-litre Porsche Turbo (532bhp) and Porsche Turbo S (572bhp). Used prices for these four-wheel-drive icons start at £87,000. Beyond them dwell the rarefied GT3 and GT2 RS.
