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 good, the not so good but not bad - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By blue - July 19 - 10:00 am

  The Good: Excellent handling especially around turns, fun with the top down, overall design, steering wheel, cup holders, quick, good engine sound, Dealership response to problems usually within the same day. The not so good: plastic rear window, rattle in door, manual seat adjustments, minor electrical issues. They dont call it a boxster for nothing. What you buy is the box...everything else is extra. For the money, some things should be included (wheel emblems, floor mats, etc.). It just feels like they are nickel and diming you.

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  the good, the not so good but not bad - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By Blue - July 19 - 10:00 am

  The Good: Excellent handling especially around turns, fun with the top down, overall design, steering wheel, cup holders, quick, good engine sound, Dealership response to problems usually within the same day. The not so good: plastic rear window, rattle in door, manual seat adjustments, minor electrical issues. They dont call it a boxster for nothing. What you buy is the box...everything else is extra. For the money, some things should be included (wheel emblems, floor mats, etc.). It just feels like they are nickel and diming you.

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  More fun than any other P car Ive owned - 2006 Porsche 911
  By mark - July 14 - 8:06 pm

  Ive had 911s, 996, 996 C4S, and a few Boxster S for for second home drivers. Nothing compares to the 997 CS. It has plenty of speed, wont tire you out like a GT3 or a box S, the handling is superb, in or out of sport mode. Bought this used with 8500 miles on it. Got rid of a 04 C4S, no comparison. Been driving P cars for almost 30 years and this one has me smiling. Drove the Big Sur coast this am with the sun coming up with a big grin.

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  1997 Targa -third week imperssions - 1997 Porsche 911
  By porsche in Atl - July 12 - 2:00 am

  All around great performance car. Could be a bit faster but what car couldnt. Smooth ride, tight handling and excellent style.

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  UNNNBELIVEABLE - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Thomas Enge - July 6 - 2:00 am

  This is a truly and amazing vehicle. Power and handling are superb. Fit and Finish are a step above the current Porsches. If can afford only 1 Porsche this is the one to own. You will never feel left out of the Sports Car experience.

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  Drove Both, Bought Cayenne S - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By SRV - July 6 - 2:00 am

  My dealer gave me a head start on Friday the 14th, allowing me to drive the S and Turbo. Both cars were equipped with PASM and most of the options available. Turbo was awesome, but impractical for me. Both drove identically, excccept for acceleration. Both had very civilized interiors, terrific Bose audio, no wind noise. I bought the S, based on practicality.

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  Why cant they build a truck - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Currieel - July 6 - 2:00 am

  This is the best adaptation of a sports car to a truck on the market ever. BMW came close but the folks at Porsche made it fit real world drive- abilty. You can ford bodies of water up to 22 inches deep and still hug a turn better than any of the leading sports sedans. At track speeds the only thing you can feel is the desire to step on the gas harder.

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  Get a leak down test! - 1996 Porsche 911
  By digdoug - July 3 - 1:36 pm

  This is a great sports car, but buyer BEWARE! Get a leakdown test and compression test before buying. There are tricks that can be done to these cars to make the engine appear to be in good shape when the are clearly not. These cars are know to burn oil as the engine expands and contracts, but they also are known to have issues related to inferior metals used. A top end rebuild will set you back $6,000 or more! My car is definitely burning a little oil but it runs well. The biggest problem is the car will not pass emissions because of the burning oil. Eventually I will get the top-end rebuild. Do yourself a favor and RESEARCH these cars. They are fun but can be very costly if you get a bad one.

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  best one - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By tommie - June 29 - 6:40 pm

  This is the best SUV i have ever driven in my life! It is better then any toyota 4 runner

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  I want to leave a 10 review but... - 2009 Porsche 911
  By JOHN ON LONG ISLAND - June 28 - 11:06 pm

  I Bought this car brand new about 3 months ago. I love the car.. it brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.. Although lately. its a little more difficult to smile. 1st problem.. water in the tail lights. (condensation) but ALOT.. Second.. My Cell phone will not link to the cars system. Its a $400 phone. dont understand why its not compatible. Im pretty good with electronics and the simple directions were clear to understand in the manual. Third problem. it will not learn my Garage Door Code.? Today, The Radio seems like the antenna disconnected. its not tuning in clearly on any station. I hope this car wasnt built on a Friday..:(