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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  911 Porsche delivers! - 2003 Porsche 911
  By CWB - January 29 - 2:00 am

  The performance and handling of the Porsche 911 border on telepathic! It deleivers on the promise of exception performance, comfort nad reliability. This is a true drivers car; not Spartan but neither is it burdened with clutter and unecessay bells and wistles. What is most remarkable is that such a capable sports car can be so civilized!

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  great - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By E - January 23 - 4:36 am

  It has great handling and has great turning. It can also accelerate very quickly.

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  Best Decision Ive Ever Made! - 2007 Porsche 911
  By redcoud - January 15 - 3:10 pm

  I am simply pleased with everything about my 911. There are no peers with regard to a total driving experience, quality of fit and finish, and sheer curb appeal.

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  Rocketship - 2008 Porsche 911
  By turbodickie - January 12 - 8:23 am

  This is my 25th Porsche turbo since 1976 and my first GT2. This car is insane for the street. It is almost impossible to drive sanely. The handling is precise. The gas mileage is unbelievable considering it has 530 hp. I can get 27 mpg if I can somehow manage to do 55mph. The brakes are very close to simulating hitting a brick wall. Very overpriced but worth it. Buy one if you can find one!

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  Go 4 It - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Eddie Bishop - January 11 - 2:23 am

  Awesome car... So much fun to drive ... Others come up and ask " hey what is it ? " LOts of looks and cool comments

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  Great Experience - 2006 Porsche 911
  By rlf3md - January 8 - 5:00 am

  This is a great, great, great, great car! I am thinking of getting the 911 Turbo now. Im not sure why I didnt buy one sooner.

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  Best Sport/SUV combo out there! - 2017 Porsche Cayenne
  By Michael Elwell - January 5 - 1:42 pm

  Shopped them all, drove them all. Porsche there is no substitute!

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  Best Car I have ever owned - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By TH - December 27 - 8:23 pm

  I have owned this car for one year. It has been great. Two major trips of 1,000 miles, plenty of room for luggage for two. No need for trips to the dealership, reliability is the best I have seen in years. Well put together, a great engine sound, seats and ride is very acceptable for a sports car. Great Fuel economy - average 24 mpg around town and 31 mpg on our two trips.

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  My C4S - 1996 Porsche 911
  By Forrest - December 23 - 10:00 am

  The interior could use a cup holder. There is a fair amount of wind noise through the sunroof at low speeds. The handling is phenominal. I drive this car 43.6 miles each way to work. I average slightly under 22 mpg. I have put over 23,000 miles on it already, and have had ZERO problems. It is simple to maintain; my long time family mechanic takes care of it, with laudatory comments on its simplicity of design (He is NOT a Porsche specialist) The front bumper cover takes a fair amount of abuse from all the highway miles, as do the rear quarter panels. In my opinion it represents all of the best things Porsche.

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  East Texas at high speeds - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By Josh - December 21 - 10:00 am

  All I can say is wow! I purchased a used Porsche Boxster for 10k in Feb/Mar 2010, and could not have been happier. The car now has over 108,000 miles on it, and runs like a champ. It easily got up to 122 mph while passing cars driving down that middle lane* (stupid thing to do, but it was just too easy) without realizing how fast the car was going. Driving country roads in East Texas at high speeds (90 mph around 40 mph curves and 120 mph ++ on straight-aways) is a breeze.* apparently there are 2 radiators and it holds 7 gallons of coolant. My water pump went out while I was on the freeway and all that extra fluid saved my motor. *I no longer drive like I mentioned above, but had to share