Overview & Reviews

Porsche cars have a virtually untarnished reputation and are considered among the finest performance vehicles in the world. It's a reputation that's well-deserved. With razor-sharp handling and power aplenty, Porsche vehicles offer a driving experience like no other. It's little wonder that, for many, the marque has come to define the sports car category. For years, the only Porsches available were sleek sports cars, but the manufacturer recently expanded its lineup to include other types of vehicles.

The brand has its roots in the Porsche Engineering Office, founded in Stuttgart, Germany, by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931. Porsche brought with him years of experience as an automotive engineer; in the '20s, while employed with Daimler, his skill was tapped to create Mercedes' iconic SS and SSK sports cars. Porsche has long had close ties with Volkswagen, and the first Porsche vehicles were small two-seat sports cars that were largely based on VW chassis. From 1948-'50, most of these early Porsche cars (the brainchild of Porsche and his son Ferry) were actually built in Austria before production was switched to Zuffenhausen, Germany. Ferdinand's first real production car was the VW Beetle, so it was no surprise that his sports cars used those components and had their air-cooled engine mounted in the rear.

The 1950s saw the birth of two icons, the 356 Speedster with its low-cut windshield and the lightweight, midengined 550 Spyder. Both cars helped Porsche rack up a multitude of wins on the racetrack. In the mid-'60s, the 356 made way for the revered 911. Powered by an all-new six-cylinder engine, the coupe scored two consecutive wins at Monte Carlo. Following in the footsteps of its predecessors, the 911's air-cooled flat-six engine was located in the rear of the vehicle.

By the time the '70s rolled around, Porsche had introduced the 914 (the "affordable" Porsche with a midengine design and a targa top), the mighty 911 turbo, the disrespected 924 (powered by a weak front-mounted, water-cooled inline four) and the flagship 928 (front-mounted V8, four-seat coupe). The '80s saw the birth of the 956, a car that went on to become the most successful racecar of all time. The twin-turbo, all-wheel-drive 959 was also launched; it became the first sports car to win the Paris-Dakar Rally and the street version could hit nearly 200 mph. The athletic 944 debuted in 1983, as did a convertible version of the 911, something that had been missing for some years. The '80s also saw the rebirth of the 924, now with some muscle courtesy of the 944's strong-for-the-time (147-horsepower) inline four.

By the early 1990s the 928 had been discontinued and the 944 was replaced by the similar 968. Because of a lack of dynamic product and a tough market climate, Porsche was suffering financially. The company's savior, the Boxster roadster, debuted in 1997 and brought back the spirit of the old 550 Spyder. In 2003, Porsche committed what purists considered a sin as the company brought the Cayenne SUV to the market. However, once those enthusiasts discovered the Cayenne's sporting performance (especially in 450-hp turbo form) all was forgiven. The following year, Porsche brought out the ferocious (605-hp) Carrera GT supercar.

Today, Porsche's lineup is quite broad for a specialty automaker and now even includes a luxury super sport sedan, the Panamera. Throughout its history, Porsche has exhibited amazing resilience, weathering changes in consumer tastes and the economic climate. As such, it's safe to assume that this ever-robust company will continue to be known for making vehicles that excel at performance, luxury and usability.

User Reviews:

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  My Boxster - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By VRod - April 29 - 10:00 am

  The Boxster is just a fun car to drive. It handles like a dream. It is everything I hoped it would be.

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  fast fun all in one - 2003 Porsche 911
  By mangas - April 29 - 10:00 am

  very fun car TO drive and also attracts alot of people and alot of head turns

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  Rescued from the Soccer Moms SUV - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Carl - April 29 - 8:43 am

  As a single dad, I had resigned myself to the necessity (and boredom) of driving your standard SUV. Thank goodness for the Cayenne. It has plenty of room for the field hocky sticks and gear, yet when Dad wants to recall his younger years, the performance is great. The styling is sophisticated for a night on the town but not over done. The acceleration and handling are truly like a sports car with the practicality and benifits of an SUV thrown in. This has been a great vehicle which has been exceptionably reliable.

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  A dream to drive - 2017 Porsche 911
  By John M - April 26 - 1:42 am

  Dont hesitate. The best car made. I drive it every day, and have literally no complaints. Traded in a 2015 911S for the new 2017. So light and nimble, and love the turbo. The new styling additions are just beautiful. Worth every penny, and such a joy to drive!

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  Fun to Drive - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By derekbatesnyy - April 23 - 10:00 am

  It has been 9 months since my purchase and the thrill of driving this vehicle has not faded. What a well build machine. I am loving my 35 mile commute.

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  Wonderful - 2010 Porsche Panamera
  By RFRETRO - April 22 - 4:23 pm

  Truly astounding. Forget all the talk of controversial design. The car is stunning and it gets lots of favorable attention.

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  Great Automobile, Should be better!!!! - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By luvhatebenz - April 17 - 2:00 am

  With a price over $100,000 this vehicle should be near perfect. Dont get me wrong, I love the vehicle, but the design of the back seat, rear window and cargo height are serious problem for me and my 115 pound old english sheep dog. I traded in an ML55 Mercedes for this vehicle and while the Porsche is larger in overall size, there is significantly less head room in the Porsche cargo space, the rear window only goes down half way and the placement of the rear seats in reclined position is old school design and reminds me of my 98 5.9 liter jeep. It also has some shift hesitation problems when trying to accelerate quickly.

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  The REAL Ultimate Driving Machine - 2007 Porsche Cayman
  By JG - April 16 - 10:53 am

  This is my first Porsche after a myriad of other sports cars, Z4, RX-8, several Miatas, SLK, etc. The Cayman S is without question superior to all of the foregoing. Its sound is intoxicating as is its performance and handling, and brakes. It works well as a daily driver, too. It has very satisfactory storage space and holds my golf clubs in the rear trunk with a little juggling. It is just a great car that Porsche is holding back on to keep the iconic 911 on top.

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  Boxster 2.7 - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By Giulio Roverelli - April 15 - 1:56 am

  My 2000 Porsche Boxster S is a fun car. Its great with the top down. It does not have enough power though. the custom 18" wheels make a difference. Its quite a head turner for little money. Its aerodynamics are not great at high speeds. To enjoy speed or racing, it requires custom body kits, which are extremely expensive. I consider it as a charming go-kart with great handling, but poor performance. Dont get the tiptronic transmission. Shiftning makes this car more fun.

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  My Cayman S experience - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By dhsieh - April 15 - 1:13 am

  I bought a Cayman S on Jan. 2008 and have put in 1700 miles since. Overall I am happy with the performance and driving experience. In the past, I have owned Bimmer, Mercedes, Lexus & Infiniti in the past. By far, Cayman gives the most exhilaration and fun. Above all, it returns 19.7 mpg in average and this is simply incredible for a pure sports car.