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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  Boxster -- Youve got to get one. - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By Heidinger - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Great car that is a absolute blast to drive! Perfect drivers car!

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  A Great SUV - 2006 Porsche Cayenne
  By NurburgDriver - May 2 - 7:23 am

  I read some of the negative reviews about the Cayenne and had to respond with some qualifiers. This is the best "handling" SUV you can buy. It handles corners and drives better than any other SUV however, if you are expecting superior acceleration then please dont buy a 6 cylinder. If you buy an SUV and expect acceleration from a 6 cylinder you need to study up on "power to weight ratio". Get this truck if you want an SUV that handles and drives beautifully. Do not get this truck if you think its a Porsche which you can take on the track. I think Porsche did a fantastic job. If you are looking for an SUV that handles great and drives very well, look no further.

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  Look at that S car go! - 2007 Porsche 911
  By mcspeed - April 22 - 2:51 am

  Mine is a metallic black 07 Carerra S Coupe manual Ive driven for 15 months. No real complaints. Fast and very good handling. Drive this car on smooth but curvy roads too get the best of it. Tire noise is a problem on straight concrete, but you dont notice on blacktop. Rear grip is excellent. Acceleration is strong-pulls hard up to 6500 revs. Just the right amount of under steer for an amateur. Way quicker than my previous, a 96 Carerra 2 normal coupe.

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  97 Boxster - 1997 Porsche Boxster
  By Lloyd - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Great fun car. Very reliable and tight. Comfortable with great handling. Can be noisy with the top up. Newer models have very noticeable performance improvement. Our 2nd Porsche, both are daily drivers with no bas manners.

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  Devil in disguise - 2009 Porsche Cayenne
  By Turbo addict - April 12 - 11:20 pm

  A sport car in a large body...the turbo provides awesome power on demand and the PCCB provide instant stopping power. I love driving this incredible machine, it is one of the best Porsche made for the road. You almost forget you are in an SUV most of the time and the numbers are out there to prove it.

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  2013 Boxster S blue/blue roof/grey - 2013 Porsche Boxster
  By ttibio - March 21 - 6:52 pm

  Took delivery late June to replace a 996. Pretty much fully loaded with PDK, Sport Chrono, etc. It is an excellent looking vehicle - I had ordered it sight-unseen in January but was not disappointed. Maybe a bit fussy versus the 991, but that is too much of a grand tourer now. Not really budget constrained, but do think that at $80k I paid, the base+6spd starts to look GREAT value. The PDK is incredibly snappy, steering/handling super sharp, etc. - its just as the reviewers reviewed it - an excellent driver all round. Not sure the interior is super luxe - bit plasticky if you look around a bit. Anyway it gets an A-. Like it a lot and will keep it a long time I am sure.

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  Poor Reliability - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Dan - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Parking Brake broke after a few tries. Replaced transmission drive at 40K miles and gear shift really poorly. Climate Control awful making so much noise. LED dashboard was so bad that needed to replace as warranty item. Sun Glasses box broke and cost $250. Oil change or minor maint. is very expensive. I wouldnt buy it if given second chance. Stylist and good performance but reliability is not in the design process. Beside the design for perf. must take reliability and cost-efficient sustainability seriously. Good name Porsche is tainted.

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  World Class Sports Car - 1999 Porsche 911
  By rh888888 - March 8 - 8:33 pm

  I have always thought Porsches were ugly and never got what the hype was about, until I drove my buddys. It only took 15 miles and I was hooked. I "GET IT" now and will never own any other brand of sports car. I suggest getting a warranty though. Minimal problems are expensive. Also buy one with good tires they are $250 each for the rear.

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  Water Leaks - 1998 Porsche Boxster
  By CrPlater - March 6 - 7:10 am

  Lots of fun to drive but, water leaks into the area underneath the seats. Electronic control box is there and expensive to replace. Once it gets wet its shot. There are drain tubes that have to be kept clean - and even then, a heaving rain will still leak in.

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  Great ride, poor quality and reliability - 2009 Porsche 911
  By david - March 4 - 2:36 pm

  Leased a car in April of 2009. After 1,500 miles had to replace a front strut. After it was replaced there appeared an annoying shaking and vibration in the steering wheel. Went to 2 different dealerships and no one can fix the problem. Otherwise, car offers amazing ride, especially in Sport mode. Recommend this car if you do not mind spending at the service shop at least twice a month.