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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  I love my poca - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By allen - June 15 - 4:53 am

  Wonderfull SUV, excellent handling, great quality.

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  Ulitmate Beast - 1996 Porsche 911
  By Beaste Master - June 10 - 7:30 am

  Ive driven a lot of sports cars from every day Ford Mustangs to unique TVRs and I never quite understood the Porsche hype until I drove a 993 Carrera 4. It is awsome beyond belief, so much so that I choose my 9 year old 911 with 90,000 miles over a three year old Porsche Boxster with 25,000 miles and the only thing I believe to be a better choice would be a 96 turbo. I am going through a rough divorce, and driving my Porsche is hands down better than any therapy, an exotic mistress, or spiritual enlightment could ever be as it combines all three into one amazing experience that is available everytime I go for a drive. To think I almost wasted 30 grand on a 350Z or a new Mustang.

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  911 TURBO - 2004 Porsche 911
  By jerry - June 3 - 10:43 pm

  I have wanted a 911 turbo since I was 11 years old and now that I just got one at age 34, my review may be a bit biased. This remarkable car is everything that I expected it to be. I have babied this car at times only to save up for the times that I come across other Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos, or motorcycles. There are times when you want to drive the car like it designed to be driven. Once, while getting into the car and planning to go to the office, I realized that 8 hours had gone by and two tanks of gas later, and the office was closing for the day. I drove up and down the beach over 3 counties and took it up to 168 mph on the highway. Get one. Period.

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  Redesigned Panamera 4 is a, “HomeRun”!!!! - 2018 Porsche Panamera
  By D.B. - June 3 - 8:25 pm

  I owned a 2011 Panamera 4 and the vehicle turned heads, sometime for the right reasons, or for all the wrong reasons. Either you loved the design or hated the shape/lines of old Panamera. The engineer got it right this time around....the car is gorgeous. Everywhere I go, I’m approached regarding the new design and people love it. The interior of the new Panamera is just as exciting as the exterior. The interior is very comfortable, well appointed, and hi-tech. Multiple buttons on both sides of console are gone. Very well designed interior and user friendly. I love everything about this vehicle, and wouldn’t change a thing. Job Well Done Porsche engineers!!!

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  Ignition switch replacement - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By Luckysdad - June 2 - 4:36 am

  My Boxster needs an ignition switch replacement and my research indicates that the part sells for approximately $35. The dealership I go to informed me this morning that there has been a change in how they replace them now. They cannot just change that one part; they must do the entire assemby. Quoted me over $600. Can anyone tell me if this sounds realistic? Thank you.

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  2000 Porsche 911 Millennium Edition - 2000 Porsche 911
  By Zordos - June 2 - 2:00 am

  After arriving back from the Porsche Zuffenhausen factory where I went on the tour, I felt compelled to promote these fine cars. I was blown away by not only the legendary performance of this fine automobile but also the quality of both the components and workmanship are matched only by the attention to detail in the design. There is very little to find fault with. Mind you Porsche has been refining this car for over 40 years.

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  A pleasure to drive - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Prima - June 2 - 2:00 am

  This car is absolutely fun to drive. My wife was somewhat concerned when I bought the car. Now I cant keep her out of it. She said "I didnt know it would be this much fun".

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  the best - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Howling on high - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Great driving experience, would suggest it to any driver...have had alpha, fiat, Corvette and mustang Gt and this beats them all

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  Coco - 2017 Porsche Cayenne
  By KLW - May 27 - 7:23 pm

  Love this car after driving for one month. Of course the maintenance is not as cheap as many others because its a Porsche. The interior is beautiful and the 2017 model seems vastly improved in features from what Ive read in reviews. This is the platinum edition. The mahogany color is very eye catching with a saddle brown interior. We are very pleased with the purchase and got outstanding service from Mike at The Exchange in Highland Park Il. He delivered our car and spent two hours training us on the electronics after the dealer closing time!

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  Smooth ride, excellent performance, maneuverable! - 2016 Porsche Macan
  By Elena - May 26 - 3:14 pm

  Perfect in its niche of a compact SUV/crossover: luxurious, spacious, powerful, comfortable, maneuverable. Ideal for those who love style, and do not want to drive what everyone else is driving. Ideal for those who do not like/need sedans or low profile sports cars, but are not ready to settle for a huge SUV. Thats when Macan comes in place! Compact SUV is exactly what it is, but add here 340 hp (for base model Macan S), smooth ride, amazing maneuverability, interior comfort and at least two packages - and you will enjoy it without paying $100,000. Almost 1.5 times less! A little problem is that people do mistake it for a $100,000 car, which is flattering but not needed.