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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  Not the best seat - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By corsam - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Other than seats that just cant be adjusted, the thrill is in the driving. Overall a good ride, with a little more effort on interior detail, could have been excellent.

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  Awesome - 2009 Porsche 911
  By Earfool - March 11 - 2:56 pm

  This is an amazing car. I have never enjoyed drive a vehicle as much as my 911. The acceleration is as sophisticated as one would expect from a Porsche. Its only a beast when you want it to be.

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  What a change - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By mudman2 - March 7 - 1:53 pm

  I moved from a Mercedes-Benz ML 430 to the Porsche Cayenne S mainly because my wife and daughter convinced me I was worth it. It is a stunning vehicle, the first I have owned that has been improved by the dealer using software upgrades since I bought it. I now have 35,000 miles on it and love it more now than I did when I first picked it up, another first. Its frighteningly fast when "driven." Most other drivers continually underestimate just how quick it is. The harder you push it, the more it gives, it never runs out of steam.

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  great bang for the buck! - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By richardcayenne - March 7 - 12:29 am

  I saw a beautiful 2004s on a lot and decided to take it for a spin. This is not a fake Porsche but the real deal! I drove it home a week later. A huge pleasure to drive! One worry was mpg but to my surprise it really gets 21 mpg on the highway at 65 ans cruising. Yes there are some bugs like the radio that doesn`t always work but overall I got a $70,000 car for well under 20 grand. One piece of adviceis to verify how the car was maintained and by who.

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  Orca - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Orca - March 1 - 6:56 pm

  Love the vehicle overall but the ride is like a heavy truck. Local service is less than desirable. "Cant duplicate owners complaint." only one service in area. Milage 14.9 including highway. Former auto a M.B. S320V so am spoiled on the smooth ride. Wont buy another.

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  One of the worlds best sports cars - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By boxstar - February 27 - 10:23 pm

  This is one of the worlds greatest sports cars. The handling is both confident and communicative. The steering feedback is fantastic. The chassis is extremely stiff, especially for a convertible. The engine note is intoxicating and the power, although not amazing, is still very strong. More than enough to get you into trouble. Its relatively light compared to its contemporaries (and the 911). I love this car. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another.

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  Magic - 2005 Porsche 911
  By H - February 26 - 3:43 am

  Id test driven other cars and was getting frustrated with their compromises. My ten year old BMW M3 was still looking very competitive! And then I drove the 911 and it had the same magic, the same quantum jump over the others that impressed me ten years ago with the M3. I had to have one.

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  What a Joy - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By sclarke - February 24 - 10:00 am

  The build quality of this vehicle is actually better than that of my 2003 SL500. The engineering is incredible-smooth ride, great handling, good acceleration, all in a sport-ute! I am very pleased with this vehicle.

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  The Porsche 993 (the 911s from 1995 to 1998) Rock! - 1995 Porsche 911
  By jewbaca - February 23 - 7:47 pm

  Having owned many a Porsche, I have to say my 993 remains my favorite Porsche. I have both a Cayenne and a 997 turbo model 911, and none compare to the feel or raw driving pleasure of the 993 models, especially the S or Turbo. Despite the power and performance (still better than 99% of the sports cars produced), it can be a daily driver --- definately a rough, bumpy, sports car, ride, though. The TMV purchase price is highly unrealistic. As the last "real" Porsche, 993s have become collector items. I would expect to pay high $50K or mid $60K for a 993S in great condition. The coupes are more expensive than the convertibles.

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  rides on rails - 2007 Porsche Boxster
  By greg - February 20 - 3:30 pm

  This is a great car. Its not that fast but it handles like nothing else. Seems to be on rails and takes corners 10 times better than anything Ive driven. I only get 20 mpg and that was with conservative driving before my 2000 mile break-in period. The paint chips very easily, more easily than any car Ive had. And the seats are extremely narrow at the shoulders. If fact, they hurt and Im considering some after market seats. Seems you have to be a skinny teenager to fit in the seats. But overall its a thrill to drive down winding roads.