Here's a redundant opinion.
The Speedster replica market is pretty well spread out in price and function/use to suit the budget and needs of nearly any potential buyer. You can go low end with a very nice VS or top it out with what most consider the best in the market, an IM. Or you can go for a low maint. water cooled SAW that fits in the upper end of the market. All of them are nice cars... and all of them have a place in the Speedster Replica market.
Where pricing gets sticky, in my opinion, is when any of the air cooled (meaning all but SAW and an optional water cooled IM) turn-key Speedster Replicas are loaded out with options. The line between pricing and a good buy is blurred when you spend so much on a VS (or other level of pricing Speedster) getting Discs, wheels, a bigger engine, and all the other options... that you are into the next level of the market and could have spent that money on a more finished, detailed, and framed Speedster (or you are happy with you have and plan on making your improvements over a longer period to spread out the cost.)
I would urge potential buyers that do not have a definite choice based on research and/or prior 356-replica/Porsche experience to consider buying a good used and well sorted out Replica. The depreciation on a used Speedster-Replica is not that big of a loss if you decide that it's not for you, or that you want to step up to the next level in the market.
I bought a very nice new turn-key VS nearly 6 years ago. It was and remains a good Speedster for the money invested. After I had it for a year I began considering improving it so that it met my growing desire to make it into a first class road warrior. I priced out the changes I wanted to make..... increasing HP to a bigger CC engine, putting rear discs on and changing the bolt pattern, adding Speedster style seats, trying to tweak a heating system on a car that leaked in cold air and rain (with no way of really overcoming that obstacle) buying a bigger exhaust for the bigger engine, with bigger heat boxes, and on and on. When I put the costs down on paper I realized that I had a proposed budget (counting my initial investment in the new VS) that would buy a new IM Speedster loaded with the features, high quality, handling, all weather capability, and other details that I was seeking.... and so I sold the VS and bought the IM. There's no way I could have made that car into what I own now.... but then, not everyone would do what I did. We all have our expectations, planned use, and a bottom line on what we want to invest.
There's nothing wrong with loading out a VS, or any other brand, as long as the owner knows that the basic car fits his or her long term needs. I think some buyers new to the market don't know what exactley their long term desires will be..... and so buying a used Speedster to test the waters makes sense to me in many cases. (But then buying used in any car market makes sense.......)
If you DO KNOW what you want... a Sunday, sunny day day fun car, or an all weather, detailed, top end car, water or air cooled, or something in between, then by all means go for it.
Finally, one last subjective thought; I have seen very few 356 Replicas that I did not like and none of those were based on brand. New or used, black, purple, or red, they all seem to be fun and cool cars, as long as the owner is into the hobby, likes driving them, or is into the details of his or her Speedster. Much like the street rods.... rat rod or a full tilt Boyd rod, they are all fun cars.
