Sales Debate: How will the manual 991.2 affect the GT3 market?
After the launch of the 991 GT3, everyone thought that the manual gearbox had been confined to Weissach’s history books. But now, with the 991.2 almost certainly set to come with the option of a clutch pedal, how will the new car affect the GT3 market? We ask the experts to lend their opinions.
“It’s a really hard one to make a call on,” says Parr’s Lawrence Stockwell. The independent specialist’s customers fall into one of two camps according to the head of PR: those who want the latest and greatest (“as long as it’s faster and better”), and those who prefer raw mechanical feel (“the purists”).
The former will prefer the 991.2 with a PDK transmission, while the manual gearbox may not be enough to appease the latter according to Stockwell. “I still think there is a question mark over the level of electronic involvement on the car. I don’t think the manual transmission is the fixer,” he explains.
“I think it will help to restore people’s confidence but I still feel as though there is not a lot of love for the 991.” Therefore, the Parr man believes that “as far as values go, it’s [the 991.2’s] not going to have a massive effect” on the GT3 market.
RPM Technik’s Sales Manager, Greig Daly, disagrees about the level of love for the 991.1 (“it’s a fabulous transmission and a great car in its current guise”). He does agree with Stockwell though that the initial readjustment on the GT3 market will be minimal.
Assuming that stock availability is the same as the last generation, “you won’t be able to get hold of one because they’ll all be sold,” explains Daly. This means he expects the 991.2 GT3 to hit the used market at around £140,000-£160,000, knocking the Gen1 991s back slightly to “the early £100,000s.”
But what about the 997.1 and 997.2 GT3s behind that? “I don’t really see that affecting them in the short to medium term because they’ve got a Mezger engine and race pedigree,” Daly says, perhaps validating Stockwell’s argument about the 991’s different character.
It may halt their appreciation but, as the RPM Sales Manager points out, “they’ve not really been moving” anyway. Instead, both Daly and Stockwell feel it won’t be until the sales split between manual and PDK becomes evident that the market will see any movement.
The Parr man concludes that, “the purists will want the manual gearbox and, maybe, initially those cars will fetch a premium. When the new car sales start revealing how many of each are being sold, then it will settle down.” It’s only once it has settled down (maybe a year down the line from launch) that the market will make any adjustments, according to Daly. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see.
For market advice on any generation or style of Porsche 911, check out our full selection of sales debates, where we ask the 911 experts the pertinent market questions so you don’t have to.
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