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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  2005 Porsche Carerra - 2005 Porsche 911
  By bob c - April 9 - 1:10 am

  The 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera is a solid improvement over my 996 (which I believe was a leap ahead of the 993). It hae better looks with the new 1.7 inch wider body, 1 inch wider tracks, an interior that finally fits an $80,000 car, and more features that work well with a sports car. This is the best Porsche value in 6 years in a near supercar package.

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  Cayenne = Perfect - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By dnaraj - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I special ordered my cayenne and have had it 3 months and have put over 6500 miles on it. I have to say that it is the best, by far, vehicle I have ever owned. No problems to date, except an alignment- if driven normally 18-20 mpg or if driven fast 16 mpg- this is great considering it weighs about the same as a tahoe, out stops, out corners and is just plain fun to drive.

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  My first car - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By Boxster986alltheway - March 29 - 3:00 am

  Ive driven many sports cars. Though Im only sixteen, my friends and I drive exotic and expensive cars. Such other cars consist of the Honda s2000, Cadillac cts, and the Audi tt Quattro. However, as fun as these cars are, all of them fade in comparison to the boxster. I myself received a boxster 2.7 for my sweet sixteen. The styling is beautiful, and the performance is unmatched for its class. If youre looking for a fun-to-drive, sporty convertible, THIS IS THE CAR FOR YOU.

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  What a ride to hot spring.... - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By arlukyaw - March 24 - 2:43 pm

  Just came back from 4th of July vacation driving off roads near by Black Rock Range in North of Navada. This is my first time off road and the view from my beige leather interior perfectly compliments the dust and sunset outside. Driving on the playa up to 80 mph was like being in a James Bond movie, and when winding up or down the hills was like being in Harry Potter movie where road appears just in front of me by inch. Couple of times, it seems we could have stuck in mud, but with long lock the car just pull itself off effortlessly. We also enjoyed drinving on mini-playas whose surface are so smooth without a single crack.

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  thunderlight - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By a. han - March 17 - 10:00 am

  altimate SUV handles like 911 except that I could still have my baby, husband and friends in the car. It is fun, fast, and elegant. I love it.

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  Poor Reliability of the Boxster "S" - 2002 Porsche Boxster
  By Peter Pattison - March 14 - 10:10 pm

  My Boxster "S" purchased new by me in October 2001 has been the single most unreliable car that I have ever owned.The attitude of Porsche Cars GB Ltd and the Porsche Centre Reading has been and is one of unhurried indifference towards their customers.This is my fourth and LAST Porsche. It is little wonder that they rate much lower than Skoda on the J.D.Power survey. The car has had continual warranty problems from day one culminating in the failure or the intermediate gear and bearing, cost to me £3344.79 the parts of £873.71 supplied grudgingly by Porsche Cars GB F.O.C as this is a well documented design fault with this model. Porsche need to take some lessons from Lexus.

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  I love my Boxster - 1997 Porsche Boxster
  By Chef John - March 11 - 1:36 pm

  It is a 1997, I have yet to meet anyone who thinks it is more than three years old. I used to drive a Mazda Miata. The Boxster turns heads on every drive. People think that I am rich or something. Get one that has been loved. Have it checked by an independant mechanic. Look for oil leaks. Mine is dry as a bone. Be aware that the Boxster is a "gateway" Porsche. You will move on to the next level.

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  awesome - 2004 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By Brian Shariif - February 27 - 2:00 am

  its a really great car

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  EXCELLENT - 2004 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By oppy - February 27 - 2:00 am

  THIS CAR IS AWSOME

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  Very nice vehicle - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Zeke - February 27 - 2:00 am

  Well built vehicle,definitely worth the money.