How Much Porsche Models Cost In 1976 Vs. 2026

There was a point, long long ago, when Porsche built aspirational sports cars for the everyman, or at least the upper-middle-class dentists. These days it seems that a Porsche is reserved for only the most well-to-do. You can't get a 911 for under $100,000 anymore, and even the entry-level Macan four-cylinder is at least $67,750 (including a $2,350 destination fee). I own one of the 2,099 examples of 1976 Porsche 912E, the entry-level model built exclusively for U.S. Porsche buyers, and it was just $10,845 when it was sold brand new. 

I wanted to know just how expensive Porsches have gotten in the last 50 years, when accounting for inflation, so I decided to run through the entire lineup to compare the two years against each other. The company only built sports cars like the 911 Turbo in 1976, and today it offers a wide variety of sedans and SUVs, so it isn't a one-to-one comparison. We'll get as close as we can to an apples-to-apples in our breakdown, showing the full lineup of cars available, including some race cars. 

Obviously the cost of living is quite different today than it was 50 years ago. There's no doubt in my mind that it was easier to afford a Porsche sports car in the mid-1970s, as wages were better, housing costs were significantly lower, groceries were cheaper, and even in the aftermath of an international fuel crisis, the cost of a gallon of gasoline was still better than it is now. More than that, though, the cost of an entry-level Porsche in 1976, adjusted for inflation, was massively less expensive than it is today, and I'm going to prove it to you. 

The Porsche lineup was in flux for the 1976 model year. Porsche's contract with Volkswagen and Karmann had run out for 914 bodies, and production of the watercooled 924 hadn't yet begun. With a gap in the all-important U.S. market, the company decided to take some of the flat-4 Volkswagen Type 4 engines from the end of 914 production and stuff them in 911 bodies to build the 912E as a stopgap entry-level model. Here's what they cost to buy new in 1976. 

Porsche 914 — $7,260 ($43,740 in 2026)

Porsche 912E — $10,845 ($65,339 in 2026)

Porsche 924 — $9,395 ($56,603 in 2026)

The 911 lineup was also expanding for 1976, with the narrow-body 911S 2.7-liter still on sale relatively unchanged from 1975, while the widebody Carrera 3.0 was sold in Europe, derived from the then-brand-new 911 Turbo (Type 930). Each of these was a step up in performance from the one that came before, and the 911 Turbo Carrera offered world-beating supercar performance for its era. 

Porsche 911S — $14,420 ($86,878 in 2026)

Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 — 47,700 deutsche marks, or $18,935 ($114,080 in 2026)

Porsche 911 Turbo — $25,975 ($156,495 in 2026)

What about race cars? Porsche has always thrived in selling factory-supported racing cars to privateer teams to enter in major international events. Porsche's top-flight prototype class Le Mans-winning 936 was reserved exclusively for the factory team, but the new-for-1976 934, developed for the Group 4 category, was selling in droves. It wasn't cheap, though. 

Porsche 934 — 97,000 deutsche marks, or $38,509 ($232,010 in 2026) 

Here in 2026 the Porsche lineup has grown significantly, as have the price tags. Porsche has continued to make its cars better across the last 50 years, pushing to massively improve power, acceleration, comfort, reliability, etc., though it's up for debate whether the new ones are more fun to drive than the cars from 1976. I'm firmly on the side of the oldies. 

What does an entry-level Porsche look like these days? A single compact crossover. With the 718 Boxster and Cayman ending production in late 2025, you can't even get a non-911 sports car anymore.

• Macan — Starting price $67,750
• Macan EV — Starting price $82,650 

(All prices include a $2,350 destination fee.)

If you have more money, but don't want a 911, Porsche has you covered with an electric sedan, a large executive sedan, and a larger SUV in gas and electric variants, each with a starting price over $90,000. 

• Taycan — Starting price $114,250
• Panamera — Starting price $115,350
• Cayenne — Starting price $92,250
• Cayenne EV — Starting price $111,350

To get into a Porsche sports car these days, you have to order a new 911. There isn't anything below that, and there isn't anything above that, but there are so many variants of 911 that you can go hog wild and select just about anything. 

• 911 Carrera — $137,850
• 911 GT3 — $238,150
• 911 Turbo S — $272,650

Porsche will still sell you several race cars. Four 911-based race cars can currently enter a variety of international series, plus Porsche is offering its 963 prototype to privateer teams. 

• 911 GT3 Challenge — $275,000
• 911 GT4R — $375,000
• 911 Cup — $375,000
• 911 GT3R — $661,070
• 963 Hybrid — $2,900,000