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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  Cayman S PDK & Sports Chrono - 2009 Porsche Cayman
  By Cayman S PDK - November 27 - 6:16 pm

  We stopped by a Porsche dealership to test drive the 911 S. My wife saw the Cayman S, and she wanted to test drive it as well. We ended up with the mid-engine Cayman S. Best decision Ive made.

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  Very Good - 2004 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By Mark Twain - November 25 - 10:00 am

  The one thing about this vehicle is that when I shift it into 4 gear, the engine kind ofs hummmms until I shift again or shut it off.

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  Happy 65th - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By crick - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding birthday gift from my son. Will never part with it.

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  oil and coolant mixing - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By Bruce Gray - November 18 - 11:43 pm

  My car at 8 years of age, but only 39,000 miles developed mixing of oil & coolant. There is no fix except a rebuilt engine ($14,000) from Porsche. One mechanic stated ran into problems needing parts on teardown that Porsche wouldnt supply. Turns out my problem not unique, Could not find one mechanic (coast to coast) or PCA or other tech advisers who had any other fix. Do your own research before buying any Porsche with M96 engine family which includes all Boxsters and 911s from 1999 through 2008. Bruce Gray, Roadrunner Region PCA

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  Satisfied - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Kev - November 10 - 12:43 pm

  I am 62 and have desired a 911 even before I could afford one. However, I refused to pay that much for a vehicle I could not be comfortable in. My prayers were answered with the Cayenne. I love this vehicle, like no other SUV on the market. Certainly, I have encountered small issues that were addressed and fixed quickly. This SUV is the best: Performance, power and comfort.

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  My 2001 Carrera 4 is Awesome - 2001 Porsche 911
  By K.M. Davis - November 7 - 10:00 am

  The performance is exhilerating and is enhanced by the factory sports exhaust. The handling is superb due to the optional sport seats and 18" w/sport design wheels and Pirelli P-zeros and with the lowered ride from euro springs the C4s AWD. Other than a few nusance interior items, the only problem was a repair to the oil sending unit that had sprung a leak shortly after delivery. No other problems to report. The only complaint I have is the complicated radio/CD that Porsche designs.

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  The Ultimate Daily Driver - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Speed Racer - November 1 - 6:30 am

  Having owned 17 cars in my lifetime with most of them being sportscars this is my second Porsche 911 and I have finally found a car that I will purchase for the rest of my life. It is very predictable, even when pushed to the limit, it is fun to drive, and the sound of the engine is pure pleasure. But the best thing of all is that it can be used as a daily driver unlike many exotics. Why only use your sports car on the weekends? If there is anything to critizise, it would be minor build quality issues, but all warranty related issues are graciously handled by the dealership.

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  Wow! - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By magovesx - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Could not be happier with the performance of this vehicle. Not even in the same catagory as the FX45.

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  Its Almost Unfair - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By RevDSC - October 31 - 10:00 am

  The Cayenne is the ultimate blend of performance, utility, and reliability. Ive never driven nor owned any vehicle that simply satisfied every automotive desire. Once you drive one, youll know what I mean.

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  V6 Cayenne - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Porsche owner - October 30 - 8:00 pm

  Purchased as an intended economical second car. Paid $39K for stripped model with heated seated/steering wheel. Compared against BMW, Volvo, and Audi and decided on Porsche SUV. Just hit 10K and car has been very reliable and solid to drive. Since this car is not widely owned, you do receive many inquisitive looks and comments; but these come at a price. You are forced to have the car serviced at a Porsche dealership. First service light came on at 10K miles (even though book states first oil change at 20K), and it cost $250