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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  Its A Nice Car, A Really Nice Car - 1999 Porsche Boxster
  By Stephen - April 7 - 10:30 pm

  Just picked up my 1st Porsche, a Boxster. This car is not ment for long trips. Its a very tight fit, seats are a bit hard. Its also a bit noisy with the top up. It is nuch better with the top down. And, the plastic rear window is just stupid. Other than that, I love this car! When Im in it I feel like Im Flying! Its very fast, handles like its part of me and Looks so sexy I feel a little naughty just sitting in the seats. And, I got a great deal on the price! Mantainance it a bit high but worth it, If you can get one, Get one! Get one! "And thats all I have to say about that."

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  2013 Boxster S - 2013 Porsche Boxster
  By anandnatrajan - April 6 - 2:40 am

  I custom ordered a lightly optioned Boxster S with the 6MT. Only the premium package and Bose in Guards Red with a black interior along with red seat belts and the light design package. The model designation was deleted at no charge. The car was built and delivered in 2 months. Price, MSRP 67k and I was happy to get a 5% discount. Gem of a car. Brilliant 6MT with easy shifting requiring no effort except fingertips. Clutch pedal felt a bit heavy at first but not anymore. Wonderful sounding engine although I havent taken it past 5000 rpm. Very smooth and deceptive power. Extremely rapid acceleration and in the corners, the car is fantastic. Very strong brakes.

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  great but expensive - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By noturn - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Great handling. Tows heavy loads with ease up hill. Points like a sport car on the track (it does have a LOT more mass, though).With active suspension it was surprising to see how little body roll there is when cornering at speed. Off road and in mud and snow the high performance tires are useless, however. Mine came with 20" tires that are great in any condition except snow. In the snow I would recommend the Dunlop WT M2 tires 235/60/R18. No technical or mechanical problems to date. Quart of oil per 600 miles of hard driving used.

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  Nice improvement - 2011 Porsche Cayenne
  By choocho - March 29 - 5:12 pm

  My last car was 04 Cayenne TT. This TT is definitely a much improved car. From being almost a ton lighter (helps maneuverability and speed) , 8 gears (quiet shift and the right gear at any speed), starts from 1st gear instead of 2nd (lighter gear box and better launch), PCCB (no break dust but still squeeks a bit), PDCC (keep turns level), vented sports seats, 4.6 seconds, touch screen navigation, and the list goes on... Still waiting to take this car to an autocross.

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  Parking position jump to reverse - 2010 Porsche Panamera
  By adi - March 27 - 6:26 pm

  Parking position jumped to reverse, couldnt believe it. I managed to stop the car in the last second. Very big safety problem.

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  A Happy Teenager - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By Lebowski - March 24 - 2:00 am

  My father got this car a couple of years ago and its a helluva lot of fun. Its amazing taking a turn with a sign warning you to go 15 at around 60 and not have a second thought about it. Had a Z3 before the Boxster and it doesnt even compare in terms of handling, style or power. Pricing isnt great, but considering the alternatives, its not bad either. Just watch out cuz 50 turns into 80 real quick when your not payin attention.

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  Nothing short of amazing - 2002 Porsche 911
  By sanfraned - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I have always been in search of a car that offered the right combination of awesome performance at a high but not astronomical price and that had great curb appeal. Well, the Porsche 911 Turbo with the X50 performance package is nothing short of incredible. For the money, you cannot find anything more impressive than a Porsche 911 Turbo X50. Good safety features including 4 wheel drive, and ESP (PSM in Porsches lingo), which make the car much safer in risky situations and allows novice drives to drive it with confidence. Blazing speed, which according to manufacturers specs, make it one of the fastest production cars in the world.

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  Lemon - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Robin S McBride - March 19 - 11:16 pm

  After 15 months have settled with Porsche. The vehicle was in the shop 52 days for one problem. Additionally, the drivers seat broke, the remote doesnt work, and tires had to be replaced. This SUV has always driven herky jerky and the brakes squeak. Three months ago I asked the dealership to work with me on a trade in. They offered $30K less than I paid for it, which I thought was ridiculous. When I finally "lemon lawed" it, Porsche called and wanted to settle, fifteen months after I purchased it. I am so disappointed in this car and would recommend to everyone to not buy it.

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  Porsche Cayenne S - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By LORI - March 18 - 10:26 am

  This SUV is awesome. I have had every other high end SUV, but none give you the thrill of driving as the Cayenne does. With this package you get the best of both worlds. It handles like a sports car and you can still pull your boat to the lake on the weekend. I have had mine for over 3 years now and still love to see what it can do. There is nothing that sounds better than the sound of a Porsche when you put your foot into it with psm off.

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  Great - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By ABMC - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Great fun to drive and fast