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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  great - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By E - January 23 - 4:36 am

  It has great handling and has great turning. It can also accelerate very quickly.

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  Unhappy Camper - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By denverowner - January 17 - 10:00 am

  My Cayenne was a joy to drive until the recalls came in..I am on my 12th recall. New computer system, new drive shaft. Tires wore out at 7K miles due to front end vibration. 2 sets of brakes. Interior trim vibrates. Rear door handles have broken off, ski door broken, wood trim has come lose. On my third set of brakes. Each set are noisy and Porsche says thats normal. Interesting design feature! Dealer cannot keep story straight and service is getting worse. Ski racks whistle so loud you have to remove to drive and keep sanity. Dealer service is the worst I have ever experienced.

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  Best Decision Ive Ever Made! - 2007 Porsche 911
  By redcoud - January 15 - 3:10 pm

  I am simply pleased with everything about my 911. There are no peers with regard to a total driving experience, quality of fit and finish, and sheer curb appeal.

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  Rocketship - 2008 Porsche 911
  By turbodickie - January 12 - 8:23 am

  This is my 25th Porsche turbo since 1976 and my first GT2. This car is insane for the street. It is almost impossible to drive sanely. The handling is precise. The gas mileage is unbelievable considering it has 530 hp. I can get 27 mpg if I can somehow manage to do 55mph. The brakes are very close to simulating hitting a brick wall. Very overpriced but worth it. Buy one if you can find one!

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  Go 4 It - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Eddie Bishop - January 11 - 2:23 am

  Awesome car... So much fun to drive ... Others come up and ask " hey what is it ? " LOts of looks and cool comments

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  911 Carrera Base Model/Not worth it/Go elsewhere! - 2014 Porsche 911
  By DAVE - January 8 - 7:02 pm

  They talk about heritage, everyday daily driver, prestige, bla bla bla. But unbeknownst to all your daily consumers, The 911s that are worth looking into are ones that are unaffordable to your typical middle class business man such as myself. My particular car was packaged with 20 inch S wheels, 14 way seats, bose, and sunroof. Being a BMW person, I wanted to try something different. After test driving the base 911, it seemed more than adequate. But what I learned later on was this car absolutely sucked! This car was absolutely the worst purchase ever. The lack of TECH, Comfort, Service, and Performance made me dread the payment and the drive every single day. Heres the breakdown: TECH: The car has none. The user interface is so outdated that it made my sisters entry level Lexus look like a futuristic car. Navigation is useless, all buttons are very small and hard to identify, front gauges are blocked by the steering wheel, making it difficult to see how much gas you have and such. Automatic Start stop actually eats more gas then it saves, and for such an expensive car, you would think that at least parking sensors would come standard. Comfort: NONE. It would be idiotic to take this on a long distance trip. You will find your lower back and legs feeling very sore. Getting out of the vehicle is straining and frustrating. Service: NONE. There is no complimentary service whatsoever, and warranty only lasts for two years. Also car requires service every 10k miles so you will find yourself visiting the stealership or mechanic quite often, spending a lot of money. Performance: The base 911 is not what it claims. at 350 HP and a light body weight, it is underachieving. I went head on with a BMW 335i Coupe and got burned. Literally. Gas consumption is worse then my SUV. No need to elaborate there. Dont get me wrong, if youre in the market for a Porsche 911, its a fantastic car. But just be sure not to get brand new base model. It is way smarter to purchase a pre-owned S or Turbo. Nowadays, the competition eats base 911s for breakfast. Other factory tuned cars come Cheaper,smarter, faster, comfortable, and nicer looking. Final thoughts, buy used. Do not lease or purchase new. And be sure to test drive the competition.

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  Great Experience - 2006 Porsche 911
  By rlf3md - January 8 - 5:00 am

  This is a great, great, great, great car! I am thinking of getting the 911 Turbo now. Im not sure why I didnt buy one sooner.

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  Best Sport/SUV combo out there! - 2017 Porsche Cayenne
  By Michael Elwell - January 5 - 1:42 pm

  Shopped them all, drove them all. Porsche there is no substitute!

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  Smooth, Refined, Classy - 2010 Porsche Cayman
  By RudyC - December 30 - 9:10 pm

  The 2.9 L Cayman has a smooth revving engine mated to a smooth shifting 6-speed manual gearbox. This car is all about refinement and being able to drive fast on twisty roads. Plenty of cars are faster in a straight-line, but this is about sufficient power for Californias public roads. The vehicle is relatively light (2900lbs.+), so it is still fairly quick The car drives very well, even with 19" sport wheels and Pirelli P-Zero tires. The base model lacks a decent sounding stereo, but that would add weight.

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  Best Car I have ever owned - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By TH - December 27 - 8:23 pm

  I have owned this car for one year. It has been great. Two major trips of 1,000 miles, plenty of room for luggage for two. No need for trips to the dealership, reliability is the best I have seen in years. Well put together, a great engine sound, seats and ride is very acceptable for a sports car. Great Fuel economy - average 24 mpg around town and 31 mpg on our two trips.