911 GT3 : Spotted (again)

One of the cheaper 997 GT3s, and the one that probably makes most sense to buy

We'll understand if you feel like you're trapped in a holding stack circling a Porsche-obsessed airport. Because we're here again - with another 911 GT3. Indeed, pretty much exactly the 911 GT3 that many non-millionaire PHers will fantasise about buying.

Still looks great, even in grainy dealer pics

Last week we had a cheeky look at a screw-your-eyes-up-and-it's-convincing 996 GT3 copy. That car was let down by the presence of a Tiptronic gearbox and an interior the colour of a dirty protest, but it was yours for £7,395 without haggling. The fact the advert has been removed suggests that somebody has indeed bought it. And, of course, it's only four months since we told you about the 2,200 mile GT3 RS 4.0 that was being offered for £289,000 - practically as much as a Carrera GT.

Which brings us to today's offering; one of the very few real GT3s left on the market that you might be able to buy without signing for a Premiership football team or smuggling containers filled with narcotics. It's a nice looking '06 3.6-litre 997.1 that's being offered by a Porsche dealer in Surrey with 37,780 miles on the clock. For £65,995 it's currently the second-cheapest GT3 in the country by our reckoning, and the least expensive with a manufacturer approved warranty. And given the way GT3 values have moved in the last couple of years, it might well prove to be a canny investment.

Of course, there is some rationalising to do before spending this sort of money on a middle-aged 911 when you could buy a superficially similar car for a third as much. You've got to recalibrate for the strange rules the senior 911 market plays by, and the vital importance of high demand and very low supply.

Functional, fast - and grey

The best example of this is the 996 GT3. You know, the one that has just had its Nordschleife lap time pretty much matched by a 2.2 ton SUV. Just 106 of the 'mk1' 996 GT3 were registered in the UK, and 247 of the 2003-2005 'mk2', and in consequence they're rarer than hen's fillings. At the moment there are precisely none on sale in the PistonHeads classifieds, and when they do come up they normally create a stampede of buyers wanting to snap them up for considerably north of £100,000.

The 997 GT3 is more plentiful, and the earlier 3.6 cars are less desirable than the later 'mk2' 3.8s (and the Holy Grail 4.0), hence their relative affordability. For now at least. And although this car would have cost its first owner £79,540 before its modest options workout - meaning it's still worth around 80 percent of its original value - it's actually one of very few 997 GT3s in the classifieds being offered for less than its original list price. It's got nav and a sunroof, and GT Silver Metallic is still one of the nicer colours.

Based on what's happened to this bit of the market for the last few years, you'd be hard-pressed to argue it doesn't have strong potential to see its value climb further. You can use that justification to remortgage the house for one. And, of course, you'll also bag yourself one of the finest-driving 911s of all time; consider that a welcome bonus.

PORSCHE 911 GT3 (997)
Engine: 3.6 litre flat-six
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 415@7,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 298@5,500rpm
MPG: 22.1mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 307g/km
First registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 37,780
Price new: £79,540
Yours for: £65,995

See the original advert here.

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shoestring7

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