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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  ONE "SICK" CAR - 2003 Porsche 911
  By BADBOYJOE - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I HAD I FERRARI 355 (2001) SOLD IT!!! GOT THE 911 TURBO IT BLOW IT AWAY MORE FUN TO DRIVE ,PLUS YOU CAN DRIVE IT EVERY DAY AND NOT BREAKE DOWN LIKE THE FERRARI DID

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  Super performance - 2010 Porsche Panamera
  By antonio01 - April 10 - 10:10 am

  I own a Turbo and the performance numbers provided by Porsche are very conservative. This car goes 0-60 in 3.3- 4 and I tell you one forgets that it has 4 seats! It truly changes the game in the super sedan category. What a car!

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  perfection? - 2008 Porsche Boxster
  By Zenith - April 9 - 11:50 pm

  I have owned many sports cars. Previously owned a NC Miata and Nissan 300ZX TT. I hoped and was successful combining the best features of each car with the Boxster S. Its an all out blast to drive. Quick, nimble, powerful, classic good looks and with great exhaust sound. It loves winding mountain roads and hates logging trucks! Get the factory short throw shifter if you really love driving.

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  2013 Boxster S - 2013 Porsche Boxster
  By anandnatrajan - April 6 - 2:40 am

  I custom ordered a lightly optioned Boxster S with the 6MT. Only the premium package and Bose in Guards Red with a black interior along with red seat belts and the light design package. The model designation was deleted at no charge. The car was built and delivered in 2 months. Price, MSRP 67k and I was happy to get a 5% discount. Gem of a car. Brilliant 6MT with easy shifting requiring no effort except fingertips. Clutch pedal felt a bit heavy at first but not anymore. Wonderful sounding engine although I havent taken it past 5000 rpm. Very smooth and deceptive power. Extremely rapid acceleration and in the corners, the car is fantastic. Very strong brakes.

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  A Happy Teenager - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By Lebowski - March 24 - 2:00 am

  My father got this car a couple of years ago and its a helluva lot of fun. Its amazing taking a turn with a sign warning you to go 15 at around 60 and not have a second thought about it. Had a Z3 before the Boxster and it doesnt even compare in terms of handling, style or power. Pricing isnt great, but considering the alternatives, its not bad either. Just watch out cuz 50 turns into 80 real quick when your not payin attention.

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  Nothing short of amazing - 2002 Porsche 911
  By sanfraned - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I have always been in search of a car that offered the right combination of awesome performance at a high but not astronomical price and that had great curb appeal. Well, the Porsche 911 Turbo with the X50 performance package is nothing short of incredible. For the money, you cannot find anything more impressive than a Porsche 911 Turbo X50. Good safety features including 4 wheel drive, and ESP (PSM in Porsches lingo), which make the car much safer in risky situations and allows novice drives to drive it with confidence. Blazing speed, which according to manufacturers specs, make it one of the fastest production cars in the world.

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  Porsche Cayenne S - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By LORI - March 18 - 10:26 am

  This SUV is awesome. I have had every other high end SUV, but none give you the thrill of driving as the Cayenne does. With this package you get the best of both worlds. It handles like a sports car and you can still pull your boat to the lake on the weekend. I have had mine for over 3 years now and still love to see what it can do. There is nothing that sounds better than the sound of a Porsche when you put your foot into it with psm off.

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  Great - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By ABMC - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Great fun to drive and fast

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  Boxster Spendar - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By Peter - March 9 - 6:50 am

  I bought the Boxr in Feb of 08 with 16000 KM. Always loved Porsche so when I found this low mileage perfect example I bought it on the spot. I put 5500 KM on it last year with not one problem. It is a fun car only (I have a daily driver) which makes this car feel fresh every time I drive it...I love it. It has very good power and the handling characteristics are absolutely unparalleled. I go top down everywhere...favorite time is early in the morning. Best time of year is in the Canadian fall with a good chill in the air with the seat heaters on and the leaves falling...it does not get any better than that!!!!!!!

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  retired ole goat ! - 2017 Porsche Macan
  By P. Mason - March 8 - 1:27 am

  Reaching our late 60s, my wife and I have had Blazers, Tahoe, BMW X-5, Mercedes ML series. We needed a somewhat smaller SUV but still haul grandkids, dogs, groceries, hardware around. The Macan S had all the accessories that we needed and wanted. The vision 360 degrees is great. Comfort is fantastic. Performance is perfect, this ole goat can run with any of them! The Macan is easy to maneuver and park. I took a close friend for a ride and he was astounded at the interior design and room! If you are considering updating an SUV and dont take a look at the Macan, you are cheating yourself.