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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  abesreview - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By abe fischer - September 2 - 2:00 am

  great performance,stunning looks,comfortable to drive.I also own other porsches like a c4 cabriolet and have owned numerous porsches for over 25 years. I also like the Turbo but not practical. My final price was approx 65,000 with goodies.Turbo should be a ten grand differential at most. Performance chips and enhancements are also in my repertoire when they become available as well as removable.

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  Porsche, no substitute! - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Porsche Mama - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Just bought this baby for my wife. Took a 600 mile trip. Fun car to drive. It is excellent in bad weather. Its a Porsche, what more do I need to say. Besides, not many around. My wife loves it. And that is all that matters. I would recomend it anyone looking into buying a SUV.

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  Can I see my engine please - 2011 Porsche Cayman
  By wxsusilo - August 12 - 8:58 am

  I just had the car for 3 days and put 200 plus miles on it. Its a fun car to drive, the handling is superb. Mine comes with sport chrono and comfort package, paddle shift steering, sound system upgrade, natural leather(red), 19" wheel, and most of other options (bi xenon, etc). I regret my choice of an optional 19" wheel, it makes the car too stiff and feels heavier then the test drive car. Maybe it would be better combined with optional PASM which I didnt take.

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  Porsche - is it worth the money - 2002 Porsche 911
  By Bill M - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Excellent performance, fun to drive. Quality is a different issue - manual shifter is not very smooth (dealer claims it responds as specd). Blew rear main seal at 12,000 - dealer does not stock the parts (claim porsche needs specific VIN before sending replacement part - does this mean they are aware of a major manufacturing process problem ?) - takes weeks to get. Radio & cassette player are bogus

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  04 Cayenne S (demo) - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Stilcrazee - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Purchased 04 demo with 9k on it in Sept 03. Has been back to selling dealership 2 times. A bunch of petty things that I would have thought they would hav fixed before offering for sale. Biggest problem is that it dd and still does drift/pull right. It will go backa gain to a different dealer. Looking at lemon law too. I would never recommend selling dealer. NO follow up, no offer of extended warranty, complaint to Porsche refered me back to dealer manager who never himself returned calls.

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  1,000 miles of Cayenne - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By jsbraga - July 21 - 2:00 am

  The expectations were high. The reality blew away the expectations. This is a real Porsche, even though the qualifier is SUV. For what Porsche is this is the next level. I have owned a C2 and loved every minute of it. I predict I will love every minute of this vehicle.

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  absolute blast - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Ken L - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I have thoroughly enjoyed the vehicle since I purchased 9 months ago. Unequalled handleing when comparing all suvs tested. Acceleration more than adequate. Hang On. Operation on slippery winter roads at highway speeds is unreal due to Porsche technology employed. Golf clubs fit perfect. A real neck jerker for the onlookers, however very smooth handleing. Suspension is what one would expect from a high performance vehicle.Stiff.

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  AN EXPENSIVE MISTAKE. - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By LOUL - July 21 - 2:00 am

  NO DOUBT THE CAR IS FAST WITH A 450 TURBO. AFTER THE ENGINE, IN MY OPINION, IT IS ALL DOWNHILL AT BREAKNECK SPEED. THE CAR IS ANNOYING TO DRIVE AS IT HAS MANY SQUUKING TYPE RATTLES. THE LAG TIME FROM A DEAD STOP TO TRANSMITION ENGAGEMENT IS FRIGHTENING. G-D FORBID YOU NEED QUICK ACCELERATION FROM A DEAD STOP, COUNT TO 5. THAT IS ABOUT AS MUCH TIME AS IT TAKES TO GET MOVING. TRY CUTTING ACROSS A HIGHWAY WITH THAT OR MOVE THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE DEALER SEEMS UNINTERESTED IN FIXING THE PROBLEMS. I ALSO OWN A 2003 911 TURBO WITH THE X50 PACKAGE. THAT IS A MACHINE. THE CAYANNE IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE AN EXPENSIVE MISTAKE EVERY DAY.

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  NO CELL PHONE IN CAYENNE TURBO - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By hansstitt - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I decided on the Cayenne Turbo. I love the car except for one feature that was left out completly on all american models. THERE IS NO CELL PHONE FEATURE TO ADAPT A CELL PHONE INTO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM!!?? THIS IS POOR PLANNING AND PROBLEMATIC! WHY HAS PORSCHE LEFT OUT THIS FEATURE!!????? TAKE ME BACK TO THE STONEAGE....THIS IS THE 2004 TURBO MODEL....GET IT TOGETHER!!! A $100,000 SHOULD HAVE THIS!!

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  Owner - 2005 Porsche 911
  By 2 door coupe - June 26 - 12:13 pm

  Replaced transmission at 19000 miles and again at 46500 miles the total cost for the repair was $13500. Porsche refused to collaborate.