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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  THE BEST - 2000 Porsche 911
  By RENE - October 24 - 10:00 am

  GREAT FUN TO DRIVE,LOVE IT.LOOKS AND DRIVES LIKE IT SHOULD. IT HAS BEEN SHEER JOY AND WONDER WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR

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  Fantastic Sports Car!! - 2007 Porsche Cayman
  By nuckinfuts7 - October 24 - 9:16 am

  I fell in love with this car at the 2006 LA Auto show and ordered it from the factory, specd just like I wanted it. Waited nearly 4 months for it to arrive, but well worth the wait. This car is special in every way. Plenty of power, handles better than anything Ive driven (I own two other sports cars that are very highly rated), and looks great! Im of average size and weight, and strapping into this thing feels like stepping into my favorite pair of jeans. (Might be a bit small for anyone taller than 62".) Handling is its strongest suit - feels like it will never break loose!

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  Amazing Improvement - 2011 Porsche Cayenne
  By Bif - October 22 - 10:00 am

  This is an excellent choice for those looking for a combination of sports car performance and carrying/towing capacity. The acceleration and steering responsiveness is amazing (am I really driving an SUV?). Plus, I can haul my family and pets where they need to go. Compared to the X5 or Range Rover, this Cayenne is a MUCH better value. The interior redesign and fuel economy improvement make the Cayenne a compelling choice

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  Fantastic everyday car - 2007 Porsche 911
  By J. Goodchild - October 19 - 6:23 pm

  After years of driving high-end sedans and wishing they felt more like a Porsche, I finally bought a 911. I use it everyday, and it is an absolute joy to live with. It is easy to drive around town, it performs well in the rain, its storage space is not large but its useful, and it is sublime at speed, highway or not. Everything about this car is perfectly placed, weighted, and coordinated. It gets amazingly good mileage for such an exciting car. I got the base 911 - no options and no "S", and I have to say that it feels like I got an awful lot for my money. If youre looking for a truly great car that you can use regularly as well as on the weekends, consider a 911 seriously.

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  best car ever - 2004 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By lilkreeper - October 12 - 2:00 am

  best race car ever.

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  Most Practical Porsche - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By beemaze - October 12 - 2:00 am

  This is the tightest, smoothest, most comfortable, and easiest to drive SUV period. I have owned or driven the BMW X5, Mercedes ML series, Range Rover. They cannot compare. 450 HP and excellent torque at anytime. Some earlier models had the hesitation problem, but Porsche has fixed this with a software update.

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  Great Car - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By Ben - October 6 - 3:40 am

  Folks who claim this car is a chore around town are just wrong. This car is no more difficult to drive around town than ANY other small car with a manual transmission. And the fun factor on this one wins out every time. There are faster cars out there, but overall the Boxsters performance at this price is a huge plus, not to mention that you dont see Porsches on every corner like other cars in the same price range.

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  What more do you need! - 2014 Porsche Cayman
  By casapulla - October 5 - 8:30 pm

  I just bought a 2014 Cayman S. Base price $63,800.00 after options sticker was over $ 84,000.00. The only negative about this car. But no regrets. I cant say how much I love this car. The feeling you get when you get behind the wheel and turn the key and hear that engine behind you is a like a natural high. And when you get it out on the road and hit the pedal in Sports Plus the rush is amazing. This car has all the power you need. Actually you cant really get to enjoy it because there is not many roads that you can really take advantage of what this car can deliver. This is my second Cayman. First was a 2007 Cayman Base. The difference in the 2014 is amazing. A total different car.

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  1 bad suv - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By gee gee - October 1 - 10:00 am

  i tell you i own a lot of other vehicles and nothing even comes close to this one . you can take your family shoping and drag race a vette at the same time (not recomended). off road or on it is the most impressive vehicle you can buy . i test drove a range rover what a joke it drove like a $80,000 ford .theres nothing else like the turbo buy it you will love it.

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  Love It - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By pindians - October 1 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. I love the styling and the look of the car. It has had a few problems, however, the dealer is great and quick to fix the problems.