If you need something to do for the rest of the day week month year, you can start to make a list of every special edition Porsche 911 that has ever been dreamed up in Stuttgart and produced. Speedsters, GT3s, Turbos, and Targas are just the tip of the iceberg.
But a few stand apart, especially the 2014 911 50th Anniversary Edition. This one may represent modern Porsche perfection, aside from the one-off millionth 911 that was painted Irish Green. But you can only visit that one at Porsche’s museum. It’s not for sale. I’ve asked. Several times. Several times this week, I mean.
For the rear-engine sports car’s golden birthday, Porsche built 1,963 examples painted in either dark gray, black, or a divine Geyser Gray hue. Those colors didn’t really point to the past, but the Fuchs-style 20-inch wheels with polished spokes and rims accented by matte black trim and painted center caps are a clear nod to the wheel style used up until 1989. At the rear, the air intake wears chrome and a red “50” badge sits under broad Porsche script between the taillights.
Inside, the cars wear deep brown leather with houndstooth fabric inserts. Aluminum trim adorns the dash, center console, and door panels. Porschephiles will note retro touches like green instrument labels with white needles and silver center caps, which look like a modern version of the elegant, purposeful 1960s designs. Each car rolled out of the factory with an individually-numbered badge.
The 50th Anniversary models built on the Carrera S and were treated to a combination of the automaker’s best features at the time, including adaptive dampers, the Sport Chrono package with its stopwatch and special sport mode, and a specially-tuned exhaust system. Underhood, Porsche’s 3.8-liter flat-6 came with a factory power kit good for 430 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. Though not air-cooled like the original, the 50th Anniversary came toward the end of naturally-aspirated 911 production. A choice of 7-speed manual (MT) or dual-clutch automatic (DCT) gearboxes were offered, though all were rear-wheel drive.
As with any Porsche, a host of additional options were available to bump the approximately $125,000 list price by as much as its original owner may have wanted. Few would have arrived in dealers with less than $10,000 in extras.
These 911 50th Anniversary cars aren’t too hard to find today. Though not quite moneymakers for their original owners, they have hardly depreciated in the last seven years. Here’s a Geyser Gray one with just 25,000 miles for $117,500 at a dealer in Connecticut. This one has the optional sunroof, dual-clutch gearbox, Bose audio, and even adaptive cruise control. If Geyser Gray isn’t your thing, this Graphite one at a Porsche dealer in suburban Chicago has half the miles and similar options for about $124,000.
In contrast, a 911 Carrera S coupe without the 50th Anniversary bits and provenance can be had for around $80,000. Here’s an Agate Gray one with 23,000 or so miles at a used car dealer outside Dallas for $78,000. Find a Porsche 911 for sale
