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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  1999 Porsche Boxster - 1999 Porsche Boxster
  By Ken S - May 25 - 6:20 pm

  This car is fun to drive and has superb performance and handling. This car is "one with the road". Its low center of gravity and mid-engine design are the keys to its stability and agility. I bought this car in Germany and routinely drove it on the Autobahn at 120+ mph. It has solid positive control at all speeds. Likewise, it handles like a jungle cat on the mountain switchbacks. It doesnt have an overpowered engine, but with the proper driving skills, this car will do anything you want it to. The exterior styling is sleek and attractive, suggesting speed and performance.

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  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!

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  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.

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  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

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  an exhilerating drive - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By edward tourtelot - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Drives like an "S Class" Mercedes on the highway (with the air suspension). Mountain off-roading experience is confidence-building on ice, in the mud and over stumps and boulders. Compared to other SUVs,its almost a sports car with all the bells-and- whistles...an exhilerating ride.

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  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 couldn’t be happier.

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

  this car is great

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  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.

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  03 911 twin turbo - 2004 Porsche 911
  By matlock - May 16 - 2:00 am

  within 1500 miles i developed an engine oil leak that took the dealer two months to identify and repair. the car was delivered to me with the radio not working. it took 6 weeks to get the radio repaired. porsche would not simply replace it. how bout that for my $140k

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  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.