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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  Gotta Get It - 1998 Porsche 911
  By dogsprocket - May 6 - 10:00 am

  Forget the mass produced liquid cooled ugly 996 monstrosities known for its unreliable engines. You need to get the 993 with its wonderful curves and traditional air-cooled engine! 98 was the last year for this engine.....dont miss out!

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  The SUV looks good and is fun to drive - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Young - May 1 - 7:40 pm

  This SUV was acquired in February 2005. It was a dream of mine and I love it (not in the habit of associating love with materialism). It looks good and handles even better. Im really enjoying it, but IÂ’m having a seat belt problem and fine the dealer and manufacturer to be un-responsive.

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  more suv fun - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By traingod1 - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Awesome SUV. Been thru everryhting and keeps on trucking.No spare tire standard a drawback. Need a spare if off road or in back country. Fun to drive.

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  The Review - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By chriswcs - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I nice car! It is so cool! I love this car like I love my wife!

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  Not the best seat - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By corsam - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Other than seats that just cant be adjusted, the thrill is in the driving. Overall a good ride, with a little more effort on interior detail, could have been excellent.

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  One of the worlds best sports cars - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By boxstar - February 27 - 10:23 pm

  This is one of the worlds greatest sports cars. The handling is both confident and communicative. The steering feedback is fantastic. The chassis is extremely stiff, especially for a convertible. The engine note is intoxicating and the power, although not amazing, is still very strong. More than enough to get you into trouble. Its relatively light compared to its contemporaries (and the 911). I love this car. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another.

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  rides on rails - 2007 Porsche Boxster
  By greg - February 20 - 3:30 pm

  This is a great car. Its not that fast but it handles like nothing else. Seems to be on rails and takes corners 10 times better than anything Ive driven. I only get 20 mpg and that was with conservative driving before my 2000 mile break-in period. The paint chips very easily, more easily than any car Ive had. And the seats are extremely narrow at the shoulders. If fact, they hurt and Im considering some after market seats. Seems you have to be a skinny teenager to fit in the seats. But overall its a thrill to drive down winding roads.

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  Smooth, Refined, Classy - 2010 Porsche Cayman
  By RudyC - December 30 - 9:10 pm

  The 2.9 L Cayman has a smooth revving engine mated to a smooth shifting 6-speed manual gearbox. This car is all about refinement and being able to drive fast on twisty roads. Plenty of cars are faster in a straight-line, but this is about sufficient power for Californias public roads. The vehicle is relatively light (2900lbs.+), so it is still fairly quick The car drives very well, even with 19" sport wheels and Pirelli P-Zero tires. The base model lacks a decent sounding stereo, but that would add weight.

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  Rocket Sofa - 2011 Porsche Cayenne
  By GuyC - December 21 - 10:00 am

  Was agonizing over a new RR SC, 911 or an Vantage Roadster. This car seemed to have it all and the comfort and undated interior, the lighter weight, fuel economy swayed me. We have tried to buy a Cayenne twice in the past and both time have walked away disappointed, once buying the FX and once an RR, this time, the feel was Porsche-like and I am very happy we waited. A serious Rocket propelled lounge. Watch your speed though, you can get over 100 in almost pure silence :)

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  Porsche cayenne 2004 - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By fried - December 11 - 2:00 am

  This SUV is a bullet, when it comes to take off at the stoplight. The handling is superb. Like a sports sedan. Please get the radar detector as an option! Of course with this performance comes gas consumption. The car behaves disappointing when it comes to regular normal "grocery shopping use". Downward shifting is worthless. PassengerÂ’s complaints about whiplash are common. Functionality leaves allot to be desired. Finally, the car feels over engineered and several of the ordinary features do not function properly. (four visits to the dealer have not fixed the problems) For a vehicle of $ 65K, you better reevaluate your expectations!