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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  It just doesnt get any better. - 1996 Porsche 911
  By pc - November 9 - 1:16 am

  First, the prices listed on this site are ridiculously low...expect to pay about $65-70k for one 30-50k miles range, and premium for lower mileage. This is one of, if not the highest rated sports cars of all time...but who cares about them, if you like the look, the craftmanship, performance and drive will not disappoint. My friend with an NSX said he felt embarrassed with his Nissan next to the 911 TT. The styling is classic - why do you think Porsche ran back to it for the 997. This car is quick, fast, smooth, unbelievably stable, yet utilitarian enough to be my daily driver. Whats the point of having a great car you never drive...otherwise its just a really expensive piece of art.

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  Love on 4 wheels - 2010 Porsche Panamera
  By RMB - November 4 - 5:06 am

  I hope I am not writing this review too soon, picked up the car last week. Traded in a Audi A8L for this beast. Performs well on the road. Difficult to maintain the speed limit. The Panamera style and performance has lived up to expectation. Interior styling compared to BMW and MB in my opinion beats both. The center console is a bit much, to many buttons and controls. The Sport Chrono package significantly improves the performance at high speeds. Porsche should build in a standard radar system or allow an option for one. Missing the GPS support such as GM On star or MB embrace. Paid 154k with lo-jack and tire/rim protection. The car get plenty of attention on the road. Happy @ 125 MPH!

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  Boxter S - 2005 - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By Barry Glover - November 2 - 7:26 am

  Traded my 2003 911 on this vehicle as I liked the styling better than the 911 and the performance is near identical at a much lessor price. Great folding top, nice fit and quiet in cabin. The mid-engine actually handles better on curves than the 911.

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  Hedonism on wheels - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By DoktorT - October 27 - 6:56 pm

  I am a true porschephile, but the nose never realy worked for me and I actually prefer the looks of the Touerag. Then I drove it. End of story. I own a dozen porsche 911s, and a couple of turbos, and this is fast. It also handles suprisingly well. Its possible to get 21MPG on the highway if you can keep it under 70 and keep the cruise on. I did this for a short while after picking the car up in tampa and driving it 1000 miles home. I found that I could cruise at 75-80 with ocasional burts up to 100 and still keep avg MPG at 19.4. Well worth it for the fun factor. This car is loaded. It has taken me 2 days to learn the nav audio system but now it seems intuitive. A blast!

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  Spectacular Cayenne - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By PorscheChap - October 25 - 7:46 pm

  I really love my Cayenne - after driving this vehicle, all other SUVs should be banned from our roads. How dare people make other lame SUVs and try to seel it alongside the Cayenne. The Cayenne is in one word - fantabulous !!! Porsche has done a spectacular job. Thank you I have just achieved Nirvana with this machine!!

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  997 4S - 2007 Porsche 911
  By bob - October 23 - 7:43 am

  Very fun, very fast a blast to drive. Maintenance expensive, but so what? So is the car. This car is a real head turner!

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  Nothing spectacular - 2017 Porsche Macan
  By Roger Peng - October 19 - 2:59 am

  I should start off by saying I am a Cayenne owner who got the chance to drive the Macan S as a loaner car for 4 days. I was generally quite disappointed. Ive driven many kinds of cars, and the Macan simply does not stand out. Im surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reviews, as the car does not live up to it. It is a rather average ride dressed up with a somewhat fancy interior that isnt particularly spacious or functional. Porsche has a way of making cars that are large on the outside and small on the inside (this complaint applies to the Cayenne as well). The rows of buttons in the center console is getting old, and the entertainment console is a joke compared to what youd find in a Tesla. The exhaust note is a gimmick aimed at impressing new-to-Porsche owners, as the car is not particularly fast. A small capacity engine aided by turbo charger just doesnt cut it. After you spend some time with the car, you really start to feel like "Hey, this drives like any other car!". After my short stint with the Macan, I couldnt be happier to return the loaner.

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  Amazing Car - Poor Quality - 2002 Porsche 911
  By Porsche bill - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Great car to drive, but rattles more than my Dodge pickup. Two weeks at the dealer did not fix the rattles, only created new ones. Now I know why Porsche has become the most profitable car company. I wont buy another. Dont buy a new Porsche if there is no dealer in your town. Im in the market for a MB.

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  A True Drivers Car - 2005 Porsche 911
  By Steve - October 15 - 3:23 pm

  My Dad purchased a 996 GT3 a couple months ago and all I can say is WOW! We had the privelege of driving the car on the track and it is unbelievable. The car sticks like glue and the carbon ceramic brakes are extremely powerful. He just had a new exhaust installed and the engine sounds even better than it did before. If youre looking for a car that can be used as a daily driver and also take to the track on the weekends, this is your car.

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  What Fun - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Scott - October 12 - 10:36 pm

  I have had the 04 Cayenne S for two months and it has exceeded my expectations. The vehicle is a blast to drive and handles great. The fact that it can handle like a sports sedan and still be an SUV is amazing. I have had a couple of warranty repairs - a rattle and a drivetrain issue, nothing crazy for a car with 37,000 miles. Overall I am quite pleased.