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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  Love it, but - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By tonyrocker - September 28 - 6:33 am

  I love this car. It is my first Porsche and I have it just over 2 years. Will "upgrade" to the 911 soon. The car has had its problems. After 6,000 miles engine blew for no reason (new engine put in but covered under warranty), clutch went after 7,000 miles (maybe that was the wife driving??). Now the convertible roof has stopped working and is currently in the shop getting fixed. With all that I still love this car.

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  What a great car! - 2016 Porsche Macan
  By Harold Broberg - September 26 - 6:38 am

  Drives like a boxster with more room and more power! Same great 7-speed PDK transmission as the boxster with smooth shifting that is difficult to feel. Mileage is about 23 mpg overall so far, so the factory mileage obviously depends on the driver and the conditions. This is mostly suburban driving but I believe the smooth engine turn-off and turn-on when you stop/go is part of the solid mileage for this 4100 lb, 340 HP car. My wifes car and she loves the ride and ease of driving and the handling. It just goes where and when you want total smoothness. The standard ride package is excellent so we did not get the sport package.

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  2007 Porsche 911 Turbo - 2007 Porsche 911
  By 07911Turbo - September 23 - 3:13 pm

  Simply put, it is the epitome and the pinnacle of all super cars to date.

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  rocks - 2004 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By bigmak40 - September 22 - 2:00 am

  absolutely the best car ever so much fun its rediculous all carbon fiber chassis/body = super stiff

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  Love to drive - 2003 Porsche 911
  By arneely - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Having owned and Mercedes 500SL and a 2000 Corvette the Porsche had some very good competition. The car is a joy to drive. Being a true German sports car it doesnt have all of the tech toys but it makes up for it with the sheer joy of driving a great machine.

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  Best pure sports car anywhere - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By Chris C - September 20 - 2:30 pm

  Porsche has finally given the Boxster its own terrific style and the performance it deserves. This car has unequalled handling, the best braking and slalom times in magazine tests, usable cargo space, amazing seats and upmarket interior, drop dead roadster style ala Carrera GT. For me the Boxster S is so good it is a steal compared to the base Carrera Cab at $30,000 more! Its quality has been excellent, service is reasonable...but buy it for the pure sports car driving experience. I traded a BMW M3 on my 987S because some German cars have forgotten that less weight is more fun than more hp. Porsche has the perfect recipe for performance, style and prestige with the new Boxster!

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  2008 model is so much better - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By Andrew M - September 18 - 3:40 am

  People say only Porsche enthusiasts can tell difference between 08 and older Cayennes. Well I just switched from 04 Cayenne S which I loved to new 2008 model and I have to disagree. Front of new S has been redesigned to give slicker lines, more aggressive looking grilles and there is an unknown something but when my wife and kids saw it (in same color) they all said it looked much sportier. The extra power in the new S (extra 45hp) makes a big difference. If you want you can drive in sports mode (change gears at 6k) and acceleration and smoothness of change is noticable. New nav system is much better than the old. What can I say, I think new model is big upgrade on old and worth looking at.

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  Thats my car! - 1999 Porsche Boxster
  By LVTODRV - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Every time I get in my car to go anywhere I say to myself I love my car! It just fits my style and need for speed. Best driven on the open road with the convertible top down. It doesnt get any better than that. Great stress reducer! Great for the tan! I driver it year round, but desperately need snow tires. The car wash people love when I come through for detailing. Will upgrade the engine before I trade this car in!

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  I Love it! - 1999 Porsche Boxster
  By M - September 11 - 11:00 pm

  I Love my Porsche Boxster. She purrs perfectly, has sleek curves and drives the way a high performance vehicle should. She has more than enough storage space, front and back and looks sexy!

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  Best overall sports car - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By biscon - September 10 - 5:10 pm

  The 05 Boxster S is the best sports car on the market for the money. Why? It has performance, styling, ride, utility (2 trunks fore and aft), economy (23 mpg overall)and technology (top stores in 10 seconds).I still get positive comments from passersby after 3 yrs with this car.