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:

• 

  The car that changes your life - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By mdstevens - July 26 - 10:00 am

  After looking at all of the possible convertables on the market, it became clear the Boxster was by far the superior auto - design, performance, comfort and value. I gave a hard look at the Honda S2000 and it was nice, but it just didnt come up to the magic of this car!

• 

  Cayenne S - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Lorene Olsen - July 24 - 4:26 am

  I just purchased a Cayenne S last month. I have had many SUVs over the past 10 years, and this one definitely takes the cake. It feels much larger when your are inside. I love the quality that Porsche put inside and out.I also have a Cadillac Escalade with a super charger on it. It may have the power, but not the handling of the Cayenne. When you are driving it you feel like you are in a Porsche, not an SUV. The nice thing about it is you can still tow if you need to. The best of both worlds.

• 

  A disappointing street car, but... - 2007 Porsche 911
  By khaug - July 21 - 7:20 pm

  After 9 months and 3400 miles, Ive come to feel that my GT3 is so capable that driving it on the street is an exercise in fustration. You cant use even 50% of the cars performance without risking a ticket or endangering other motorists. So mine sits in the garage most of the time. On racetracks, its a totally different story. The car is very easy to drive to the limit and will do lap after lap at the max with no sign of strain whatever. It is really a piece of work!

• 

  The Ultimate SUV - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Ethan - July 20 - 4:56 pm

  I purchased a used but untitled Porsche Cayenne Turbo about 8 months ago. I have put approximately 10,000 miles on it (it previously had 5,000). It has had absolutely no problems. Its acceleration and handling are on par with most sport cars. Its off-road handling is also excellent. The adjustable ride height is a must if you plan to do any significant off-road driving. However, this option also improves daily driving, allowing you to set a fairly low, more car-like ride height.

• 

  A dream come true... - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By Harrison - July 19 - 10:43 am

  I love this car. I had a problem with the heating vent directors breaking. 2 of them broke in normal use. The dealer replaced them. They are fine now. My only complaint - the clothes hanger hooks on the back of the seats are so shallow in depth that you cannot get even one hanger on them. They are totally useless. This is a design oversight that needs attention. Other than that...well, the windstop does rattle a bit, which others have mentioned. Indeed, it could fit more snuggly. But hey, this is such a fun car to drive! Everytime I get in, put the top down, crank the tunes on the Bose system (excellent!) it is like a mini vacation. The 05 model is a huge improvement over previous models.

• 

  yolo - 2017 Porsche Macan
  By burke - July 18 - 1:05 pm

  shop around because you will find $3500 differences. And test drive a few times also tube the reviews

• 

  Porsche 994 Carrera 4 - 2001 Porsche 911
  By teflon_jones - July 14 - 2:00 am

  I had quite a few electrical system problems with the car, plus a major coolant leak. This was more than I expected with this vehicle considering how highly rated their reliability is! However, the car is a blast to drive and Im glad I bought it! I highly recommend Porsche cars!

• 

  Wow!!! - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Cayenne Fan - July 14 - 2:00 am

  This SUV really drives like a sportscar with enough power to pass most other cars. The interior is very luxurious and the instruments are easy to read. The navigation system is very userfriendly. Great Bose sound system. I had occasional problems with the remote key which would not open/close.

• 

  Best Porsche Ever - 1995 Porsche 911
  By Armand - July 12 - 10:00 am

  This is my fourth Porsche and first convertible. It is everything that I had thought it would be. It goes where you think it to go, its that quick. Great sound system, seats and handling.

• 

  Transmission woes... - 1997 Porsche 911
  By CTarna - July 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car used with 9,500 miles on it. Thought buying through a dealer was the right thing to do. WRONG!!! At just over 15k miles, the shift fork for 1 and 2 gear cracked. Called Porsche, wrote letter. They said the original cast fork had a known weakness. They paid the $150 for replacement with a new, updated, forged piece- I got stuck with the $4600 labor and misc. parts bill. This dealer is horrible and I would never recommend them to anyone.

  BUYER BEWARE