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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  The Bomb!!! - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By telzey - July 12 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. It handles like a dream through curves. I get complements from women all of the time, even when they are with another man!!!

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  Porsche Cayenne - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By sean curley - July 7 - 10:53 pm

  It is a VERY fun car to drive it handles everything i throw at it very well. Decent fuel economy for an SUV.

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  Cant stop driving it - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Marc10023 - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Just bought a Cayenne S 10 days ago and already 1,200 miles on! Cant stop driving it. Great ride according to the 15 people who "begged" for a spin. After 1000 miles its sound changes noticeably -- may I dare to say like a tiger? really cool. Great looks too: get it black inside black outside -- the "only" combination that works I think. Very aggressive looks. GPS system is amazing. Tiptronic is fun. Gas is OK (18 mpg on highway) and the tank is huge so you dont feel like youre always going to the pump.

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  Carrera S - 2005 Porsche 911
  By Unknown Variant - July 3 - 6:13 pm

  My first 911 ever and after 76,000 in a very modified C5 Corvette. This Carrera S is smooth refinement... the motor and drivetrain are a thing of precision beauty, shifts are light and crisp with snick, snick, snick sounds. Driving fun is at a new high with the Carrera S, a greater sense of driving. Porsches three level steel safety cage, steel door beams, side impact airbags, 18 gauge steel body panels and race proven brakes removed safety concerns I always had before. Porsches coil over damper suspension with multilink rear for strength add a chassis equal to the 4 cam motor, both of which are cutting edge. And the dealership difference is huge, too.

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  My awd 95 cabrio - 1995 Porsche 911
  By peter willner - July 3 - 1:43 pm

  Bullet proof car with great style and a company that has stood behind its product even out of warranty. It has retained a good portion of its 15 year old value.

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  Chase after your Dream ! - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By elise - June 28 - 10:00 am

  Air Suspension made handling on the Cayenne excellent. The appreciation came everytime you pull a high speed curve,it simply does not roll.Acceleration is quick and on demand.With its rigid body,high ground clearance and a high,low range gear combined with a lockable differential,there should be no doubt that it is a true off roader. It is 90% close to a 911(Can anyone really drive their 911 toward 100%)and it is a true off roader.This is definitely a benchmark setting schievement.In sum,if you are considering a Porsche,the Cayenne is the best choice and value for your money.

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  An E ticket ride in your garage! - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By JAdmiral - June 22 - 10:00 am

  After nearly "sold" on a BMW Z4, I reminded myself the the Boxster exists. Ive always loved the car from afar, but hadnt considered it as a car I could really own (dont ask). One sit led to a test drove on the standard Boxster. Great ride, and lots of fun, adequate power. However, once I drove the Boxster S, it was a puppy sale. I couldnt own anything else! The car is a blast to drive, tons of power, and corners so flat, you feel like youre on rails!

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  Great Car - 2007 Porsche Cayman
  By Britain22 - June 20 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Have owned it for just over a year and love driving it both to work and on weekend fun trips. Do not plan to drive it cross country, but that was never my intent in the first place. It replaced my Z3 BMW, and while both are really nice cars the Cayman S seems like a star ship, while the Z3 is more of a classic from the 50s. I have yet to find any major issues with the Cayman and hope that it runs as good 10 years from now as it does today. The Navigation system is difficult to figure out the first few times of using it so wish they would team up with Garmin and keep thing simple but it works well once you get it set up.

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  A high-performance car for daily driving - 2017 Porsche 911
  By Gearhead1 - June 19 - 12:03 pm

  Six months into my 2017 Graphite Blue Metallic 911. Got the Sports Chrono Package, Sports Exhaust (a must), and PDK. No sunroof to reduce weight and keep the center of gravity closer to the pavement. I drive the car daily. Very comfortable (if youre not overweight), but not soft on the road. If you want soft, get an old Cadillac. The new turbo motor actually gives better low-end power than previous 911s, allowing one to exit corners swiftly. Little lag in Normal mode, but non-existent in Sports mode or the track-worthy Sports Plus mode. Whistling, swooshing, and rumbly exhaust every time theres a downshift is downright addictive. Steering, perfect. Visibility, perfect. Handling, perfect. My third Porsche. Ive owned all the following: Audi R8 V10, Lambo Gallardo, Aston Vanquish, Viper, Lotus Elise, M6, but the new 911 gives me the thrill of a near-supercar on a daily basis. If you can get one, you wont be disappointed.

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  awesome!!!!! - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By big c - June 12 - 7:20 pm

  just got it great handling ,awesome breaks good firm ride . Pricey but hey its a porsche, stereo could be simpler to use but sounds good.Only Problem is 6-cylinder eng. very slow off the line but great at speed. Now im onto th fx 35 so i can have the two best looking suvs on the planet.