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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  No regrets on 2003 S - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By mfinntn - October 12 - 10:00 am

  I have driven my 2003 Boxster S 3000 miles in two months. Im totally satisfied. The only negative about this roadster is the price; I justified this over the BMW Z4 primarily because the Z4 looks odd and the Boxster has a classic beauty. I guess the women at my office agree on the looks issue: Ive had more compliments in the last 2 months than Ive had in the last 25 years! But I really bought it for performance and it has not disappointed on that score.. at all.

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  Turbo, the only way to go - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Jimmy Wu - October 6 - 10:00 am

  The turbo model is a true Porsche vehicle.

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  Wow--the best - 2009 Porsche Cayman
  By Tony - October 1 - 2:20 pm

  Great car--connected to the road, fast and plenty of low-end torque with the new PDK auto transmission, even in the my 2.9 model. Impeccable build quality, just dont overdue the options, or else it will get very expensive! (for example, standard manual seats are GREAT, no need for sport seats or even electric). Stunningly beautiful, espec in light colors (white, silver, etc.). The best handling car I ever had (including BMWs and Audis), it probably has changed my life some in that I LOVE (instead of dreading) my 45 minute commute to work back and forth every day. (Chose this over the 335i in the end, a great car too but so refined that some of the pure joy was engineered out of it)

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  AWESOME!!! - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By crowdedcloset - October 1 - 1:03 am

  Rides like a dream, waited 10 years to purchase one and well worth the wait. Love the triptronic and black leather interior. You will not be disappointed with the incredible space this vehicle offers.

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  a great weekend car - 1996 Porsche 911
  By docteeth - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for one year. It is an absolute blast to drive. Ive found the A/C works great in the south Florida summer. Go to TireRack for tires (love the Continentals). The ultimate iteration of the original 911 concept. An instant classic, looks like its brand new. My 2 daughters love to ride in the back seat - plenty of room.

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  Its not what I wanted but ... I cant help liking it! - 2007 Porsche Boxster
  By tomfla - September 29 - 6:47 am

  I really wanted an Elise, but ... I bought the Silver Bullet with 43K miles on her. I have had the base model 2007 Boxster for 3 months/ 7000 miles. I have had no mechanical issues with the car. I did have to replace the front brakes and rear main seal but that is to be expected in a used Boxster of this age. The black leather interior is quite nice, there are no cracks even at 50K miles. Interior comfort features are somewhat as space is at a premium. Build quality, fit and finish are better than I expected.

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  Well, its my 4th one..... - 2008 Porsche 911
  By Porscheguy - September 29 - 1:20 am

  Since 2000, Ive been the proud owner of 4 Carreras, Just traded my 06 C2 Cab for this C2s coupe. What can I say? Porsches are "the complete package". They provide super car performance, are great daily drivers, get decent fuel economy, are comfortable, good looking, reliable, have great resale value. Some cars give you some this - but none give it all to you like a Porsche. It truly is the "real deal".

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  2004 BOXSTER S...YOU CAN BY LOVE. - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By TONY THOMAS - September 19 - 10:00 am

  BUILD QUILITY IS LIKE NOTHING IVE EVER OWNED BEFORE. ITS TOLERANCES WITH PANEL GAP CAN ONLY BE LIKENED TO A SWISS WATCH. THE TORQUES NOT THERE COMPARED TO A V-8, BUT WHAT HOWL THE EXHAUST MAKES AS THE REVS CLIMB TOWARDS RED LINE ARE A EXCEPTED TRADE OFF. GOOD ERGONOMICS..EVERY THINGS JUST IN REACH. NO XM RADIO IS OFFERED IS MY ONLY COMPLAINT. ALSO PRICE OF OPTIONS IS EXTREAMLY STEEP AND MORE SHOULD BE STANDERD AT THIS PRICE RANGE.

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  great suv - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By great suv - September 16 - 3:00 pm

  This is a great vehicle if you are looking for a fun vehicle to drive this is it. The Cayenne is an SUV that feels like a sports car , great on the highway and offroad. I recomend this machine to anyone.

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  Favorite sports car! - 2010 Porsche 911
  By freddys555 - September 14 - 11:43 pm

  41,000 miles giving me many smiles each time I drive her. The dual clutch PDK system made by Aisin is flawless and communicates very well with my input. The smart HID headlights by Koito was a major improvement when compared to my 2006 model. I bought the base model coupe because I have a 06 Turbo. Huge driving impression difference, a totally different car than the Turbo. I hate to say that I have had numerous reliability issues. Engine, oil consumption, electrical problems! Replacement of EGV took 4 weeks, failure to diagnose electrical issues for 3 weeks, and a few more hellish issues. But this is an amazing machine and its driving impressions outweigh all the demerits experienced...