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:

• 

  Linear response - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By SDHARMANI - May 24 - 2:03 am

  Boxster has phenomenal handling and response. Everything from steering to accelerator to brakes responds to the driver as if it were the extension of the driver. The mid engine design provides excellent stability. What I love the most is going 0-42mph in 1st gear and then 42-80 mph in the second gear!

• 

  Great Vehicle - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By allen - May 23 - 9:33 am

  This is a really fun vehicle to drive. It is solid and reliable to own. My dealer and Porsche have been very responsive to any problems. It eats gas except for at highway speeds though.

• 

  The porsche SUV experience - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By ovacs - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Unbelievabe power. Great fun to drive. A true porsche experience. Only complaint is start up performance has hesitation because of high power and need for high octane

• 

  bye bye BMW - 2007 Porsche 911
  By X51C2S - May 21 - 7:50 pm

  After 35 years of uninterrupted BMW ownership I purchased my first Porsche last August. The car is superb in every way. The X51 kit and PCCBs are just icing on the cake. After 10,500 miles I have yet to have a single fault or problem. I couldnÂ’t be happier.

• 

  the best car in the world - 2004 Porsche CARRERA GT
  By tyler123454321 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  this car is great

• 

  best in class - 2002 Porsche Boxster
  By daveyboy39 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  My Boxster S has performed beyond expectation for both my wife and I. We got the Tiptronic(automatic for her) since she was unsure of the clutch. Yet, I am still have the feel of the clutch and the thrill of shifting. The cars smooth ride on the highways make it very enjoyable for weekend trips or quick trips to the grocery store.

• 

  Fun - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By wolfshir - May 16 - 2:00 am

  This SUV is the best I ever drove. Had many different models, none even close to the proformance this car has. I think that the Porsche can not be compared to the VW in interior or exterior looks. Drive long distance between CT and VA,fun, fun,fun.

• 

  Only A Porsche - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Lisa - May 14 - 2:40 am

  The only car on the road that can clearly please the owner, the passengers and the ones lucky enough to see it drive by.

• 

  A real mans car - 2002 Porsche 911
  By brent - May 9 - 10:00 am

  Have had different cars in past, so I decided to try the 911 Carrera4 Cab. The look of class, success and prestige pour from this car. As I drive down the windy road, I see 5 Corvettes look in envy,but anyone can afford a GM. A Jag or I mean Ford pulls up and I smile. Then a Mercedes..I mean Mopar pulls in and I shake my head. When I spend $100,000 on a car, I dont want to see 10 of them on my way to the store,or wish I had another...Drive one, it is a peice of classful art.

• 

  My 60th Birthday gift to myself. - 2004 Porsche 911
  By dek - May 5 - 10:00 am

  The right front brake calliper was scratched on delivery, they replace it. Went to a Porsche Sponsered Driving School in Phoenix. Started shifting hard between 1st and 2nd and wouldnt go into 1st sometimes. After much insistance a new transmission was installed at 1600 miles. Now have 2300 miles on it w/o additional issues. NO MORE RACING FOR ME. Uses about 1.6 quarts of oil every 900 miles, which isnt unusual for a high performance motor. The quality is fantastic. I had a SL 500 before this and had many, many problems.This is my 2nd new Porsche,it would be difficult to drive anything but a Turbo especially a Cabriolet.