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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  BEST SUV - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By kwoktoa - July 14 - 10:00 am

  This is definitely a fun car to drive. The four-wheel system, the engine sound, the 6-speed tiptronic system are excellent. There is no way that you can compare with other SUV in the market.

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Roady - July 14 - 10:00 am

  This SUV is a blast to drive, handles exceptionally well, and drives like a sports car. Lots of power.

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  Nothing else comes close... - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Raceray38 - July 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my first SUV, after many years of BMWs. This car / truck is great! Handles better than all but my M3s! Good on gas for its size - almost 20mpg. Drives all the Detroiters nuts! Needs more low end torque...

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  Porsche SUV Fills Out my Garage - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By jminco - June 28 - 10:43 pm

  Every year when winter sets in and I put in storage my 911 Carrera 4S I would wish I could find an SUV that would drive similar to my 911 and at last I have. Not to be confused with the performance of a 911 the Cayenne S fills out my seasonal needs better then the 5 other SUVs I have owned, which include (2) Toyota Land Cruisers, Lexus Lx 470, and (2) BMW X5s. The handling and performance are Porsche familiar. I to was an advocate of Porsche not building an SUV until I got one as a loaner during service on my 911, that very next day I purchased one for myself. I would recommend any true Porsche fan to try one on before you judge it on the Porsche Legacy alone.

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  Need for speed..in an SUV??? - 2006 Porsche Cayenne
  By Mike - June 27 - 11:10 pm

  I just bought the Porsche Cayenne Turbo in titanium with black interior. I wish I would have gotten black with aluminum air intakes. The titanium doesnt look excellent with the aluminum air intakes but it does give it an aggressive look. I didnt want to wait for a Turbo S so I bought the Turbo. Its acceleration is amazing and 3 setting for ride are great (comfort, normal, sport. and ajustable ride height). It is a bit bouncey but its a 450 hp SUV!

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  Great Car!!! - 2000 Porsche 911
  By KaptHero - June 27 - 3:46 am

  I picked this car up used, one owner, 48,000 Miles and its been a dream. No oil leaks to speak of, mechanically sound. This is a great daily or just weekend driver. I change my own oil for under $50 and that is with a K&N Filter and Mobil 1.

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  MY 4s - 2003 Porsche 911
  By carlonne - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Generally I am very pleased with the car except for the poor gas mileage. This is further complicated by the fact that it has a very small gas tank. Be prepared to refuel every other day!!!

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  what a car ! - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By supergirl - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I love the power and looks. The interior is first class, with a lot of controls and adjustable seats. Computer readout and Porsche Crest on the computer and NAV is beautiful.

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  The best for your money - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By vikrantvir - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the car for 3 yrs. It is head-turner with plenty of power. People who complain about lack of power, perhaps need to use the Tiptronic to their advantage. It is truly absolute fun. Yes, you can get a more powerful engine with less money but that is not PORSCHE. These are show- and-tell toys for big boys.

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  Catastrophic Engine Failure - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By Michael_W - June 10 - 12:16 pm

  Leased the 2005 Boxster S in February. Other than sidelight issues and a tire blowout in the upper peninsula of MI that required an excursion via flatbed trailer for 150 miles to the nearest town and a two day wait for the replacement tire it would have been an uneventful trip. The real fun started in the 2nd summer of ownership when the counterbalance shaft snapped in half with 10,127 miles on the odometer. Porsche replaced the engine 6 weeks later at their expense with a remanufactured 2006 version. Michigan summers are noted for their brevity so the six week layup took the fun out of the relationship. I flipped the lease in spring of 2007 and still miss the car. Reliability is an issue.