Porsche 987 Cayman

Porsche has announced that the Boxster and Cayman will be rebranded as the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman. Another big change is that the Cayman will now be the entry-level model in the lineup with the Boxster receiving the same amount of power and a higher price tag than the coupe version.

One more huge change is that the 718 models will be powered by a turbocharged flat-four engine for both the base and S models. All previous models of the mid-engined sports cars have featured a naturally aspirated flat-six power plant (as likely will be any future GTS, GT4 and Spyder models).

The earliest 986 Boxster variants can be had for less than a new Honda Civic. There a plenty of very good examples of models from 1997-2000 that can be purchased for less than $10,000. You can even find a well maintained more powerful 986 S model for under $15,000.

Start looking at 987 models and you gain the option of the Cayman. Base model 987 Boxsters in good condition can be found in the $20,000-$25,000 range depending on the year and mileage. Jump into the $25,000-$30,000 range and you can get a 987 Boxster S. The 987 Cayman coupe is within your range if you have $28,000-$36,000 and the S can be had for the $35,000-$45,000 range.

If you are wanting the 981 Boxster or 981 Cayman then plan on spending new or near new money. These cars haven’t depreciated too much yet, so you will plan on paying anywhere from $40,000-$80,000 depending on the model, year and mileage.

In the long run the 981 variants will likely be the most valuable thanks to their more powerful engines and more aggressive styling. The move to the 718 is likely to make these 981 models retain more of their value.

But what of the 987 and 986 variants? The 987 has depreciated to where they are within reach of many of us, but they are still likely to see some more depreciation in the coming years. What the 718 changes should do in the short term is likely reduce the speed of the value loss. In the long run it should help the 987s start to become more in demand which will raise prices.

For owners of 986 Boxsters the 718 changes could be the best news ever. These early cars are less loved, but the move to a turbocharged flat-four powered 718 Boxster should help stop the bleeding. These cars have depreciated a lot, but they may not see their values decrease too much more. Right now it doesn’t look like the 986 will get down to the values we see in some of the 944s and the 718 change may help guarantee this.

The move to a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in many ways is similar to what happened to the 911 when it changed from an air-cooled car. Most Boxsters and Caymans will never be blue chip investments, but they should now be more valuable than they would have been. Just look at how the values of 912s and 914s have risen in recent years.

The earliest Boxsters are nearly 20 years old, this means in about another 10 years they will hit the all important 30 year mark. When they do (and possibly a little before that) prices should start heading up. So, now just may be the time to start keeping an eye on the Boxster and Cayman markets as they could heat up very quickly.

Picture Source: Stefan-Xp