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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  Plunging resale shocks me - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By car buff - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Fun car to drive, lots of thumbs up from other drivers. Shocked when I went to trade it at 7 months and 7,000 miles to find value had dropped by 25-30%...dealer says Porsche shipping too many into US market. A squeak/rattle trap with top up .

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  Cayman S Review - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By Eddie Urso - September 25 - 4:40 pm

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  Fun car to drive - 2013 Porsche 911
  By carnut130 - September 22 - 11:28 am

  We have a 2013 Porsche 911 cab (not an s). It is as good a quality as we have ever had (had over 100 cars). Fun to drive, good ergonomics. It is a sports car and rides as such ... not a gt tourer. Weakness is that for $115 thousand, it should have a backup camera, satellite radio and key-less-go standard. It does not. So the car is rather unsophisticated. As of Dec 31, 2013 we have 8500 miles on the car.

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  Great car !!! - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By therock77041 - September 15 - 8:36 am

  Overall nice car, but not even comparable to her big sister the 911....

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  Great car, but problems - 2007 Porsche Boxster
  By aa - September 7 - 4:26 am

  I am now on my second Boxster S. I traded in my 2001 for this current model. I love driving the car, I like the exhaust note a lot more than my previous one, it handles great etc. Funny thing just happened, I started to notice a clanking sound from the front left. I took it to the dealer twice and apparently there is a problem with some sort of pressure line in the power steering system. It apparently is a problem that Porsche has been aware of on these new models as well as the Caymans, but there is no repair solution. Because it is apparently not a safety concern I cant lemon the car. So now I have a car that is fun to drive except for that hideous noise from the front... go figure.

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  New one - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By db65 - September 5 - 11:23 am

  I previously owned a 99 blk on blk Boxster in 04. That car blew an engine at 72k miles that cost me $12k to replace. Due to my passion (possible stupidity) I traded in for a 06 Arctic Silver Boxster fully loaded. So far, I have finally had the Porsche experience but miss some of the 986 raw elements. The new 06 is more refined and had the gadgets but lacks some of the 986 prowlness and agility. Overall, the Boxster cant be beat. Buy one and see for yourself what fun you can have.

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  Fun, Sexy, fun-to-drive, overpriced - 2006 Porsche 911
  By 997 - August 20 - 3:00 pm

  This was my first Porsche. Its fun to drive. Even fun to keep clean. Overpriced for what it is. Exterior fit and finish is very good. Interior quality is mid-stream. Accessories are silly overpriced. So far no mechanical issues. Depreciation is substantial. Do I love my Porsche...yes. I always look forward to being behind the wheel, with the top down and the music on. Its a WOW!

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  My 08 Cayman S ownership experience - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By Donovan - August 11 - 4:13 am

  I bought this vehicle on Jan. 2008. I put in about 1600 miles so far. Having owned Bimmer, Mercedes, Lexus & Infiniti in the past, this car by far offers the most fun and exhilaration to drive. The engine puts out unmistakable note that sounds almost like a symphony orchestra. The car averages 19.7 mpg and I couldnt be more happy given it acceleration & performance. Some complaints I have about this car are body integrity, stereo and Tiptronic buttons. Its rear-end produces rattle noises. I have spent 3 trips to the dealer including a replacement of tail-light assembly under factory service bulletin and they still can fix it. The Tiptronic buttons should really be paddle-shifters - cont -

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  Disappointing number of rattles - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By BillinCO - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Yes, its a convertible, but Toyota and Lexus convertibles seem to not suffer from the number of squeaks and rattles the Boxster does, especially with the Hard Top option. But in a nutshell. no other vehicle handles like the Boxster. When taking turns on twisty roads you will think the car is violating the laws of physics as there is no excitement, the car just TURNS. The phrase "corners as if on rails" is overused, but in the case of the Boxster its as if the car is riding atop a monorail. You will need to find new roads to conquer as all your old favorite twisties will, to be blunt, become BORING in the Boxster.

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  My First Long-Term Keeper - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By MikeD - July 29 - 1:50 am

  Typically after nine months I am trading in my cars for something new and different to drive, typically another German sports car. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo is my first Porsche and SUV and it drives like a real sports car, not an SUV. Everything in the car is well placed, tight, beautiful, and serves its purpose. Not only can you load the car up with options, but you can also add some of the aftermarket options as well from many makers. I have had no problems with the vehicle.