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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  Just got mine - 2010 Porsche Panamera
  By Travelsalot - January 27 - 9:46 am

  and I love it. I wanted badly to dislike this car as I regretted ordering it. I have had it a week and love it more each time I drive. I came out of a BMW 7 and a Maserati, I like this car better that the Maserati and at least as much as the BMW. Powerful enough with exceptional handling

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  2005 Porsche Cayenne - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By M - January 24 - 11:06 pm

  The Porsche Cayenne is the best of all the SUVs. It has decent off road performance combined with smooth on road performance. If you will do most of your driving on road, get performance tires (not off road or M&S). The ride will be much better, and the cornering performance is on par with many sport sedans.

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  A little slice of heaven - 2008 Porsche Boxster
  By new porsche lover - January 23 - 12:50 am

  I have never had a more enjoyable car. Never having owned a sports car, as I drove it off the lot I wondered if I would grow tired of the sports car feel and handling. After half a year, the answer is a resounding no! Never have I been behind the wheel of a more responsive, powerful, or elegant machine. Aside from initial confusion over the radio controls, I have no complaints. The handling is magnificent, and she brakes on a dime. What you want, she does. I have had no major problems from a reliability standpoint, and for my purposes, the amount of storage is more than adequate for a car of this type. Heaven, indeed, and worth every Penny.

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  Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet - 2005 Porsche 911
  By turbo s cab - January 22 - 1:16 am

  Although I have had the car only a little more than 1 week it has been entirely great. The performance is as expected, awesome, and everything works as it should, no complaints. There is no other supercar that you can drive as easily and non- tempermentally. I chose a 6 speed, would recommend since the tip I find dull although the performance is right up there for most drivers. The car can be bought without the high priced options without fear of adversely affecting the car or your enjoyment. Mine came with optional paint and the large aluminum package, neither are needed and cost over $5,000. I think I will enjoy the cab along with my 993 turbo.

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  Uber Car - 1996 Porsche 911
  By maui owner - January 21 - 2:00 am

  After owning a 88 911 I found a 8500 car in showroom condition. The car I dreamed to own is now in my garage. Drives better than any car I have driven. Pinnacle of sports car ownership, the last of the aircooled 911s. If you ever get a chance to drive one you will see why some swear by this marque.

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  porsche suv fun - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Steve Capo - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Truly a joy to drive! People tell me this is the sexyist car they have ever seen. Power and style to spare.

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  My Face Hurts! - 2007 Porsche Cayman
  By Al - January 17 - 10:56 pm

  From smiling when I drive this thing. It moves where I want it to move and does it quickly and without lag. I love this car!

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  Here is the Truth About this Car! - 2005 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By dweeb - January 15 - 11:50 am

  I am a Porsche fanatic, and have owned 11 over the last 15 years. I purchased my 2005 Porsche Carrera GT new, drove it 2,600 miles, and sold it for a $100,000 loss. It is a horrible car in many ways. The clutch is too sensitive, I had electrical problems, and any pot holes in the road were a nightmare. No wonder Porsche has stopped making them. Do not buy this car!

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  best car ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2002 Porsche 911
  By porsch forever - January 14 - 10:00 am

  This is one of the best cars i have ever had. before the c4s i had a viper witch i thought could not be topped in performance but i was wrong. this car is allot better performance wise and interior wise. the only diffrenct bettween my viper and Porsche is that the viper turned more heads but thats ok i like not having people follow me how. well if they tryed they couldnt keep up.

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  Wondering if I made the right decision - 1998 Porsche Boxster
  By SADinGermany - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Yeah a Porsche, I thought I was getting a great deal with a 98 and less then 25k miles. Thank goodness I didnt pay that much, because the first trip to the dealer for a tuneup set me back $1500 and was told that I would need a new starter soon. Then a week later, I was putting the roof down and the back window split down the middle. The Porsche dealer said it was my fault for putting down the roof in cold weather- it was 10C. This is a great little car really fun to drive! But had I known that the quality of the parts were that crappy I never would have bought it. I would have gone for the BMWZ3.