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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  needs more power.. - 2004 Porsche 911
  By Basel Tarabein - March 11 - 10:00 am

  the car is behind on power. Mercedes SL55 is 496 Horses, and all other models are up there, but porsche still holding on the little 3.6 L, Considering the fact that Nissan Maxima is 3.5L. Porsche is not all what you think,

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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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  My Turbo Blows!!!!!!!!! - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By sleoni - March 6 - 10:00 am

  I hate this SUV. In the shop for more than 75 days. Tires wear out every 2000 miles. Car vibrates on highway. Electrical problems. Door lock problems. I real piece of crap for $100,000

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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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  I Would Buy this SUV Again - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By sforman789 - March 3 - 11:03 am

  The Cayenne lacks only in on two areas; interior style and the back end, which looks a bit boxy. Other than that it is an amazing vehicle. Its fast, its built well, and it handles like a sports car. I love driving this car/SUV. It gets more fun everyday which is unusal. I would buy this over any SUV in its class.

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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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  Any Porsche = Great Sports Car - 2010 Porsche Boxster
  By KS - February 26 - 7:43 am

  I had my Boxster 2.9 for about a month and I enjoy it with every drive. There is really something special about driving a Porsche considering its racing heritage and legendary 911 roots plotted in the Boxster, its just a great fun cruiser Not a racing machine. In my opinion the manual 6spd transmission is the only way to go and the clutch/shifter feel is very precise, the gas pedal has way too much resistance for my taste, I am getting used to it though. Hill start assist is also something that takes getting used to, I prefer not to have it because on uphill traffic it could be very annoying. My previous car was 2007 Infiniti M45 and I really wanted a drivers car with style, Boxster was it!