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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  Sensual Porsche - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Racerxm - March 11 - 10:00 am

  My Porsche Boxster "S" model is the hottest, best performance vehicle Ive ever owned. Ive always driven sports cars with a manual transmission, but this six-speed is the fastest 250 hp, especially for the money. Brake system is superior, and suspension is tight and precise. Drives even better in the rain, but sunny days with the top down is the most thrilling.

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  996 C4S - 2004 Porsche 911
  By docnitrox - March 11 - 10:00 am

  2 months old, what a car! Yes, it is expensive, the options are outrageous,but once you get behind the wheel , start the engine...well the adventure begins...

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  less than expected - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By honest - March 11 - 10:00 am

  The lock on the door would not engage. In addition, a piece of plastic on my steering wheel broke off and needed to be replaced.But in order to replace the piece of plastic,a whole new air bag in the steering wheel needed to be replaced.I could not use my new porsche for 2 weeks and was subsequently given a Mitsubisi loaner. As you can understand, somewhat of a let down!

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  A Car to Drive to the Track - 2007 Porsche 911
  By Travis - March 7 - 2:03 pm

  Though the design is merely an aerodynamically improved version of the standard 911 with a "flying taco" rear wing and a chin spoiler that is difficult to navigate over many dips, the 997 GT3 is the most fun car I have ever had the pleasure of driving. The car handles as if it were an rails with a ride to match. The suspension is stiff and communicative while the shifter is exact and positive. The straight line performance is on par with the likes of the 1999-2004 Ferrari 360 Modena, while its handling is that of a well tested and balanced race car. One warning: the car is low and and many find it too rough a ride to drive daily.

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  Living the Dream - 2005 Porsche 911
  By VERLAECKT - March 5 - 12:40 am

  After dreaming about owning a 911 for almost 30 years I bought my first one ten years ago. The 997S cab is my fourth and its simply amazing how Porsche manages to make an almost perfect car every time better and better with each generation. The minute you start the engine, the party begins. Its a great way to escape the stress of every day work! From turn to turn, from one traffic light to another its pure wellness for all your senses: the ears, the feel in your body...you become one with this car. You can really experience the work of the sound and vibration engineers! Fabulous!

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  Fantastic! Quick and well built! - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By meiroco - March 2 - 2:00 am

  I moved from an Audi TT Roadster 225 Quattro to a Porsche Boxster. The Boxster feels more solid on the road, feels quicker off the line than the TT (even though they are both rated at 225hp.) and is considerably quieter with the top up. The instruments are well placed! Quality is fantastic! Overall an excellent sports car.

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  Great Car, One Small Problem - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By John S. - February 21 - 7:46 am

  Most beautiful car Ive ever owned, with sharp performance to match. Acceleration could be better for the price, but I was never planning to do any drag-racing anyway. The big problem is the abominable base stereo, which came with the car as ordered by the dealer (it was a leftover 2008 that I got a very good price). This stereo was state of the art in 1970, and I figured I could upgrade it with aftermarket equipment, but at $2200 just for new speakers and amps, I decided to just live with it. If you get a Cayman, be sure to order the Bose upgrade.

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  Awesome, Awesome Car - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By jcntsl - February 14 - 6:10 pm

  I just bought an 06 Boxster with the six speed transmission... and I have to say I have never driven anything as balanced as this car. I will tell you the ride is stiff with the optional 19 inch wheels, but well worth the look and the price. The handling is like nothing I have ever driven. Prior to this car, I had an Audi TT convertible, and before that I had a Porsche 911 coupe. Overall this is the most fun Ive had in a convertible. I would highly recommened getting the base Boxster with the optional six speed transmission. The acceleration difference is almost negligable over the S model, and the price savings is substantial. Overall I paid $54,500 for a Boxster with similar performance to the Boxster A.

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  Solid - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By tiger24 - February 12 - 12:43 am

  Replacing my 911 - dont ask! Acceleration for an SUV is impressive, especially in Sportmode. The interior is functional with enough electronic gimmicks, but not over the top. Test drove the BMW - not even close for engineer types. This is a great machine.

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  Last of the air cooleds - 1998 Porsche 911
  By norman - February 9 - 12:13 am

  I bought this black on black monster from a dealer in Texas in 2001. It had 8K miles on it. Dealer owned and driven according to Carfax. Still only has 30K well driven miles. Ive had 4 Porches and my mechanics... all worked at the Porsche factory at one time... told me this was the one to keep. The turbo setup with the smaller engine is over engineered for driving. In other words... you wear anything out very easy. This is the perfect classic car to own which you can drive without depreciating the price. This car was built to be driven and needs to be pressed at 130-150 every few years just to let you know youre alive. I typically run mine at 3500-4000 rpms on normal. Change oil every 5K.