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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  Almost Perfection - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Smerj - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The only thing wrong with this car is the rather stiff ride (his car only comes with regular suspension unlike the Turbo model which has three different suspension options). It rides like a dream on smooth payment but is rather jarring when driving in the city or on bumpy roads. Otherwise, this car is a joy to drive and truely worthy of calling itself a Porsche.

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  2004 Porshe Boxter - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Alejandro Magno - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Overral is the ultimate machine. Need to improve the quality of the interior of the car.

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  boxter - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Rmracer - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Great car for the price!

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  BMW X5... EAT DUST! - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Austin-Powered - September 14 - 2:00 am

  After owning a BMW X5 and a Mercedes ML320, I grew tired of the typical looks of a "soccer-mom" SUV, so I was considering the Porsche Cayenne S for a while; however, after driving the Cayenne Tiptronic V6, I concluded that it was worth saving the $10,000 difference between the V8 and the V6 models, and thus opted for the Cayenne Tiptronic V6; what a great choice! You gotta love the performance, and the sound of the exhaust! Fantastic! Not to mention the fit-n-finish quality; just look around the window seams!

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  This Car Rocks! - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By 08 Cayenne - September 2 - 10:43 am

  Ive owned a BMW M Roadster, 4 Audis & 3 Porsches including Audi "S4s as well as Carrera CR4s, and I can tell you I love my Cayenne. Heavy and not so fast, but all Porsche. Stock, the suspension feels as refined as any SUV on the planet and better than most cars including my wifes Audi A4. Built like a rock solid as one too, comfortable, luxurious and a good compromise between speed and economy. We just traveled across country as a family (6,000 miles) and we all still love this car. Can you say that!

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  Glitches! - 2007 Porsche 911
  By rapan - August 29 - 10:23 am

  Electronic glitches plauge the 911! The electronic fuel gauge has a mind of its own! Overall, though it performs well and has good styling. The manual transmission shifts well and smoothly.

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  Highly Recommended - 2003 Porsche 911
  By Ratty - August 14 - 10:00 am

  A good car..I would buy a second one to keep mine from being lonely.

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  Mixed review...want to love it - 2011 Porsche Panamera
  By breynolds1957 - August 13 - 2:07 pm

  First Porsche. Overall this car is an exciting car to drive. The interior is reminicent of a jet cockpit. There are many "hard buttons" to access features which may seem daunting at first. However, everything is logically placed and easily learned, and makes feature selection much easier than drilling down through computer menus. I have a mixed review on performance. Once the car is rolling, it is superb. However, there is a big catch in my opinion. When pulling away from a standing stop there is a sort of stall/lunge sequence that almost throws you forward then back in the seat. My dealer tells me this is a known issue and likely not resolvable. If so, this is a deal killer.

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  A Rocket - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By ken goldblum - July 29 - 1:46 am

  I have owned Porsche 911s for over 25 years. The Cayenne turbo is by far the fastest car I have owned. It handles fantastically. The interior computer takes a little time to master but once accomplished it has all the information one would need. The handling is far superior to any previous SUV I have owned. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  1st 5000 miles in my Cayenne Turbo - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Cayenne - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Really having FUN is the best way I can describe my 5 month experience with the Cayenne. If you are looking for a non sports car vechicle but has as close to a sports car drive this is it. The 450 HP turbo will press you a any passengers heads back on the rests of this 3 ton rocket. Besides being quick it handles on windy tight corners like a Porsche. Took it out in the first ice & snow storm last week and PSM system really helped keeping the vehicle under control. Trust me it is a blast to drive! I guess one of the strongest statement is after I let a friend drive it he went and bought one.