The Porsche 911 is a mainstay in the performance car market. It’s an unsurprising segment presence; the 911 might be one of the most versatile nameplates among the company it keeps. If you want a track-domineering 911, the GT3 RS has you covered. If you want a daily-driveable supercar, the 911 Turbo S will deliver. However, if you want open skies, a convertible Porsche 911 can handle your needs. However, the convertible has an issue: depreciation.

The Porsche 911 Convertible depreciates much more than the coupe version

Despite the Porsche 911’s mass appeal, the drop-top version loses much more of its original value than the coupe.

According to the latest data from an iSeeCars study, the Porsche model depreciates an average of 9.3% over the course of five years. That’s good news for current owners; the rear-engine performance car loses much less of its initial value than comparable sports car and supercar models. What’s more, the 911 ditches less of its original investment than the 718 Cayman, its plucky, more accessible sibling. 

However, take the top off the Porsche 911, and the story changes. The drop-top German depreciates an average of 26.0% in five years. That means $42,227 less than the average new car price on the convertible models. Considering the value retention of the coupe, the hardtop 911 is a much shrewder investment. 

Of course, fans who want to split the difference can opt for the Targa model. It’s one of the final performance cars on the market with a non-soft-top drop retractable roof option. Yet another way the 911 shares the segment with its perennial American foe, the Chevrolet Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the depreciation means a 992-generation coupe is that much less accessible for the rest of us. Oh well. I guess we’ll have to stick to the 996 and 997 generations.