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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  My favorite Porsche - 2003 Porsche 911
  By cali - January 2 - 10:00 am

  this is my baby, I drive her everywhere, She handles the open roads great, anyone who wants a car this is the one to buy. Closely resembles a 69 shelby mustang

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  2015 Cayenne S - 2015 Porsche Cayenne
  By tim merrifield - December 31 - 1:26 am

  I have had this SUV for about 4 months. I was driving a Mercedes S550 AWD the last several years. I miss some of the creature comforts of the Mercedes and the smooth ride.It is simply more refined. The Cayenne is more responsive and a blast to drive. I am sell getting used to the profound differences of the two vehicles.

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  Gorgeous, Fun But Quirky - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Buck - December 30 - 2:50 pm

  If youve seen it, no comment necessary. To drive it you gotta learn to use the power; its not standard stomp and romp. Had lots of nagging "quality recall" issues. Back hatch lid pops. Automatic keying system is not predictable. Electronic display puts up fictional problems. Wiper blades smearing. Its gonna be an amazing and unique vehicle once all the quirks are out. Option package a bit thin given price.

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  Boxster - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By angy - December 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought it used with 18K miles and have put over 20K miles in a year. It has been very reliable, comfortable, has plenty of luggage space and gets 24 mpg. Buying used, I saved about $10K and I get an extra year of warranty and did not have to deal with the teething problems it appears a brand new one has. Overall, it has been a fun wonderfull experience which the dealer has been a big part of.

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  Fun car - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By madtrader - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Flawless thus far, has been more reliable than my Lexus.

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  Cayenne - 2006 Porsche Cayenne
  By Ryan Deredin - December 26 - 2:26 am

  I love the Cayennes crisp handling and exterior styling. The flexibility of the interior and the supple leather and everything is just such a great combination. It really helps to get to work in the morning when Im in a rush. Excellent job Porsche.

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  The Reliable Alternative To Ferrari 328 - 1995 Porsche 911
  By Sportscarnut - December 25 - 2:00 am

  This is my fourth, and favorite 911. You dont really notice the lack of Varioram unless you are passing. Edmunds estimate of $34K for one in nice condition is pretty low. One with average mileage (4K - 7K /year) and maintained will cost more. Porsche ownership is not for everyone. This model has hydraulic lifters (no valve adjustments), but the exhaust manifold must be disassembled to access the lower spark plugs, and it eats 17" rear tires every 7500 miles. If you drive very gingerly, you can possibly coax 15K miles out of the fronts. Also, oil changes take about 10 quarts of Mobil One and an arm with two elbows.

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  A Little Bummed - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By RandyW - December 22 - 7:46 pm

  This is my first Porsche. Ive had Lexus, Mercedes, Corvette,and Nissan Z, but this is the most fun to drive and boy does it get the stares and looks. Im challenged all the time on the highway to test driving skills by other drivers.

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  Boxster S - Great product - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By JulBox - December 21 - 2:00 am

  Car has never not started. Always fun to drive. Ride is a little rough, but thats a choice for the handling - which is superlative. The only drawbacks are: 1) for a tall person (over 6) the seat adjustment results in ones head being capable of hitting the roll bar in an accident. 2) Those non-glass rear windows (not in current model) are difficult to keep looking perfect.

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  911 TT - 2004 Porsche 911
  By runnerware - December 21 - 2:00 am

  This car is awsome.