Base Cayennes are not special cars. Sure, they have a Porsche badge, but they’re still just big, luxurious SUVs made in the tens of thousands. Go to any shopping mall, and you’re bound to see a few. Your average 10-year-old, V6-powered Cayenne with 60,000 miles on the clock is worth around $12,000 to $16,000, according to Kelly Blue Book. But one example just sold on Cars & Bids for eight times that.
The fairly pedestrian-looking Porsche Cayenne you see here sold on Cars & Bids Friday afternoon for a frankly unbelievable $125,500 at auction. On its surface, it looks like any other 11-year-old luxury SUV, albeit with a nice dark green paint job. The reason it sold for so much? It has three pedals. But even for manual Cayennes, this is an eye-popping result.
Manual second-generation Cayennes are rare things, but they come up for sale relatively often. Bring a Trailer has sold two in the past nine months, one with accident history for $24,250, and another, cleaner example for $40,350. Last year, Cars & Bids sold one with near identical miles to this green example for just $33,500. So why the hell did this particular Cayenne pop off?
I can think of a few reasons why this manual Cayenne might’ve sold for more than your average used, three-pedal Porsche SUV. The Jet Green Metallic stands out, and it has a neat, pinstriped wood trim I haven’t seen in many other Cayennes of this vintage (though it is aftermarket, according to the listing). Above all, though, these Cayennes are incredibly rare.
There’s not a lot of data on how many manual second-gen Cayennes left the factory (I’ve reached out to Porsche for an official number). After a quick nationwide search, I could only find one other second-gen Cayenne with a stick for sale. It’s a 2011 model with over 100,000 miles on the clock, and the seller is asking $39,900. Before, I would’ve scoffed at that price. Now, I’m eyeing my savings account.
Doug DeMuro, founder of Cars & Bids, echoed my sentiments on how rarity and spec likely drove the bidders into a frenzy. Here’s what he had to say in the comments shortly after the auction ended:
I’m surprised, but not THAT surprised. These manual Cayenne models are exceptionally rare, especially in nice shape, especially with relatively low miles, especially in a cool color. We always see strong results on cars where it’s basically impossible to find another, and this is certainly one of those!
For the right kind of Porsche fiend who absolutely needs something quirky like a manual Cayenne in their collection, this is a great example. In this case, two of those fiends—Cars & Bids users winw561 and AAMLA2142—got into a bidding war with little regard for price history or actual rarity. I sorta get it—while it’s likely not anything special to drive, this Cayenne is an incredibly special, rare thing from a brand that a lot of people adore. The more I think about it, the more I wonder why a result like this didn’t happen sooner.
I’m sure the hundreds (dozens?) of manual Cayenne owners out there are celebrating their car’s newly discovered value—I sure would be. The seller is probably also thrilled. Just four years ago, they paid $51,000 for this exact Cayenne on Bring a Trailer. All they did was perform some extremely subtle mods (clear reflector lights, new OEM wheels, that wood trim) and drove it for 7,000 miles. And they more than doubled their money. For a four-year investment, that’s pretty good.
Where does this leave the rest of the manual SUV market? The Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler remain the only two manual SUVs you can buy from a dealership in America—Porsche hasn’t sold one since the Cayenne you see here left production over a decade ago. If you’re a badge snob, there’s the equally quirky first-generation BMW X5, which offered five- and six-speed manuals throughout its lifecycle, but only paired with the base straight-six. Go a little bit older, and first-generation Cayennes can be found with a stick, too—though they’re about as rare as the green unit above, going by my nationwide search (I could only find one, and the seller wants 25 grand!).
You could also go even weirder and buy a Hummer H3. Hilariously, GM sold them with a stick paired to the base Atlas 3.7-liter inline-five. And after a quick search online, it seems there are a handful for sale right now, making them a far more attainable (and in my opinion, silly) buy versus the Cayenne.
Having recently purchased a late 2000s SUV myself, I now regret my choice not to more strongly consider a manual Cayenne. Because if I don’t own one already, I’m certainly never going to own one now.
Top photo: Cars & Bids
Am I mistaken or is that a nasty little gash in the front left fender and some compromised clear coat in the lede photo?
Part of me thought that it might have been one of the manual, V8 GTS ones, but I think that was only available in the first generation Cayenne.
$125k for a manual V6 Cayenne is sickening.
This could’ve bought what…
A PTS 981 Cayman GT4 or Boxster Spyder?
A manual 997 or 991 GTS Coupe in great shape?
To each their own, but there’s other Porsches I’d rather buy for $125K.
I’m fuzzy on Cayenne generations. Many years ago, I test drove a new manual V6 Cayenne at Rusnak in Pasadena, and I’ve always thought it was a first-gen Cayenne, ’cause my fuzzy memory suggests that the model hadn’t been out all that long (at the time). But I dunno. I knew the six cylinder was sourced from VW and that didn’t bother me, being a VW fan at the time.
It drove fine: feeling heavy and well-screwed together (not that I’d expect a new German car to rattle) and the engine definitely didn’t make it feel fast of course. I can’t recall exactly what the price was back then for one… something theoretically within my range as I was a busy bee professionally back in those days.
This being LA, I still see a lot of earlyish Cayennes around, relatively speaking. Their semi-ovoid styling seems to have aged fairly well: they definitely look related to current Cayennes and Macans. They’re certainly not beautiful (and never were) but not ugly either (to me). Whenever I occassionally get a ride in one, it’s always a V8, and feels noticeably faster than my V6 test drive decades ago.
Happily, I don’t feel a burning desire to own one, given their appreciation pricewise. Though that’s not bad looking in green with the factory wheels. 🙂
I once sold some VW GTI parts to a guy who rolled up in a manual BMW X3.
I wouldn’t pay a shitload of money for that one either.
This is hilarity and insanity rolled into an ugly (to me), lifted 911 jellybean.
Considering its relatively low miles and has the most reliable engine of that series – it’s probably worth the $50+k
But nearly 3x that much?
I’m still skeptical at even $50k, but over $100k is absolutely lunacy. They are nifty vehicles to be sure, but a “I must have this” holy grail the V6 manual certainly is not.
New buyer account with no transaction or bid history? No way this is going through at full pop.
I won’t say “no way,” but I will say: unlikely.
I thought the same thing.
It went through. Per the seller drew_baker in the Cars and Bids comments:
Hey everyone. Following up from Friday’s auction. The Cayenne has been paid for in full by the winning bidder. Stay tuned for my next listing here on Cars & Bids – a 2015 Lexus LS600h L coming soon!
Jokes on me! The day after hangover had to be bad on that one though.
I must admit I’m a sucker for the pinstriped and inlayed wood that Range Rover, Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche have done in the past.
I wonder if the buyer will actually end up going through with the sale? My understanding is auction sites like this don’t have much recourse beyond banning the bidder and not refunding the buyer’s fee. It appears neither the winner nor the second highest bidder have ever bought or sold anything on Cars & Bids, so they won’t be losing much by bailing on this deal.
A pool and his money are soon farted.
money laundering for sure
That is a hurtful thing to say about our high bidder, CryptoScammer6969.
Came here to say this
How much ya wanna bet the buyer got caught up in the moment and now has a massive case of buyer’s remorse. Maybe even a case of pending divorce.
More likely, a case of cancelled purchase and lost buyer’s fee.
That reminds me to put my laundry on.
I like sticks. My car’s a stick. It’s not a Porsche. It’s a Honda. Driving a stick is fun and good, most of the time. But My goodness, I feel like we’ve reached an internet-fueled near fetishization, the meaning of which far exceeds whatever perceived mechanical or driving satisfaction advantages a stick shift affords. Can we pump our collective brakes on this?
Have they not heard of the Touregg? 😛
Everytime something that probably shouldn’t sells for crazy money like that sells for crazy money. I can’t help but think someone has bought up a lot of them for cheap and wants to set the benchmark. It’s probably just someone who doesn’t care and has enough money it’s like nothing.
Like that guy that has a warehouse full of E36 M3 Lightweights (Ultralight? Can’t remember for sure – the white ones with the checkered flag graphics that cost $20k more to remove the radio.)
Exactly, those kind of guys pop up every so often it seems no matter how weird the car. There was a crazy Plymouth/ Chrysler guy who had stashed away a bunch of prowlers and PT cruisers. He sold a woodie pt for way over value. The simple explanation is always it’s just some drunk old guy at barret Jackson.
I was married in a drive-through ceremony in a rented Prowler. Is this guy trying to cash in on my awesomeness?
And the auctions always as attract the types who want to brag about how much they spent, rather than how little.
Oh yeah good point. Barret Jackson and world wide a very different group then a typical surplus auction. Plus they always have a bar to get the old guys drunk and over spend on things.
Sadly, I don’t think my “new to me” 957 VR6 manual Cayenne in black is going to reach those numbers (I paid less than half what it previously sold for during Covid). And the manual is all novelty as it shifts like my van (the 958 is supposedly smoother) and the VR6 feels underpowered for the weight of the vehicle (makes me want a GTS if I can ever afford a manual one!).
But one thing I got out of this auction was a link to a FB group where I found out Numeric just released a short shifter for the manual Cayennes!
I haven’t seen production numbers on the 958’s, but for the 957’s (2008-10) there are supposedly 141 VR6 and 335 GTS manuals for the US Market (I’ve only been able to verify 315 of the GTS VINs – I haven’t completed my VR6 search yet).
A manual GTS with a rear locker for me please.
Sadly, of the VIN’s I’ve collected, it doesn’t exist from the factory (but could be retrofitted). Even of the 3 manual Transsyberias from Canada, none of them came with the locker.
I’ll be content with my V8 Touareg with rear locker then…
Laundry day?
Please explain this reference.
Money laundering is the act of processing illegal funds through legitimate transactions in order to hide the illegal source of the funds.
Oh, I definitely know what money laundering is and have been tested on it; however, I didn’t realize that’s what you meant. I thought it was more of an inside joke kind of reference. That said, thanks for the clarification.
Auction frenzy fever is the only explanation. That, or people with boatloads of money.
Yeah, I don’t even.
This is the classic, “two people in the room” problem.
Dare I ask what’s in the boot?
I hope it’s 3-5 kilos of cocaine.
I hope the buyer had a good reason to want this particular Cayenne, because this doesn’t seem like six figures worth of P-car to me.