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 one year of ownership review - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By aorobert - August 31 - 11:36 pm

  LOOKS: Its a beauty. No it is not a VW. FEEL: I have never driven such a tight vehicle. I traded in a Mercedes ML430 for this and never looked back. GAS: Lousy gas mileage, more like 12/15. But for some reason when I get it above 80 my mileage improves to about 18. Too bad I cant stay at those speeds for very long.

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  SSSSSuper - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By mdb - August 30 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this used last June. It is awesome. It is like hitting to within 1 foot of the pin on a par three every time I get in it!

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  Dream Car - 2003 Porsche 911
  By wrbtu - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive wanted one of these since 1968, & finally got my dream car. Im a big guy, but the interior has plenty of leg room & shoulder room. Acceleration is excellent, but I got beat a couple of times by much less expensive cars, which really shouldnt have happened. Back seat is handy for putting bags onto. Its not hard getting into & out of; for those who think this is tough, try an Audi TT & see what you think then. Top quality materials throughout, but at this price, a little more metal instead of plastic would be nice. I get 21 mpg, which is surprisingly good.

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  Amazing!!!! - 1997 Porsche 911
  By Eric F - August 28 - 10:00 am

  THe best Porsche ever built!!!

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  Excellent - 2016 Porsche Macan
  By penmgmt - August 27 - 11:47 am

  Great car. Some electronic quirks(after 4,000 miles the mirrors starting folding in on door looking) not Mercedes ergonomics but excellent drive. Quiet and powerful.

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  Hits the "Sweet Spot." - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By E. Ward - August 25 - 12:43 pm

  A absolute joy to drive. It is stylish,responsive and powerful. Distinctly superior to every other car Ive owned, which includes not only a current model BMW M3 and an Audi TT 3.2 but also a Porsche 911 (996).

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  All-Around Performer - 1998 Porsche Boxster
  By Tim Stoops - August 22 - 11:23 am

  I bought my 1998 Porsche Boxster used with 45,000 miles and sold it recently with nearly 110,000. It was a wonderful car. So good, that we bought another newer one. The Boxster provides excellent performance and sophisticated engineering that can be easily used as a reliable daily driver. I needed to perform very little service on it. It only needed one pricey repair, an a/c evaporator. Buy one and startle the non-car people with the two trunks!

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  Fun to Drive...! - 2012 Porsche Cayenne
  By rgpitt - August 17 - 5:18 am

  After doing lot of reasearch finally got my new Cayenne S and this is the best car I have driven so far. If you like good ride go with Porsche. I recommend going V8 rather than V6. I test drove V6 but I was not happy for the price. Its better get ML 350 with V6. so far its been almost a month every one likes the car.

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  Awesome Sports Car - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By lakeman - August 11 - 2:06 am

  I was looking for the best handling, convertible sports car I could afford and I found it. The Boxster is awesome. I tested and reviewed BMWs, MBs, Mustangs and Miatas, new and used. I also looked at older Boxsters, but the moment I tested the new Boxster I knew it was the perfect car for me. The 2006 base Boxster has a much nicer interior, better sound system with the Bose (crucial as an audiophile), and with 18" wheels appeared faster than the 2004 S I had tested. The unexpected features that I like are how the top can be raisied and lowered at speeds under 30 with one touch, the surprisingly good fuel economy of 28 mpg, the comfortable ride for a sports car, and most importantly the excellent build quality.

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  Boxster S - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By boxster008 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  If you like to drive, buy a Boxster S. The regular Boxster is almost as good, but the "S" gives you just enough extra power to pass on an uphill curve in 6th gear. This is my first convertible and I wonder why I never bought one before. I drive it to work every day, rain, shine, snow or sleet. Even though the rear end slides a little when it is slippery, it never gets stuck. Indeed, the fun of a little drift is one of the reasons I bought it without traction control. Why let a computer drive your car for you? I cant understand why some drivers put these cars in the garage all winter--it means you dont have fun several months per year. I guess that is why Porsche made the Cayenne.