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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  Great Car - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By Mark - May 26 - 2:10 am

  So far so good. Drove the range rover sport, BMW X5, X6, Audi. Looked around a good bit before settling on the Porsche Cayenne. Decided to get the V6 over the V8 due to gas mileage. Less power for sure but I would rather save money on gas vs. drag racing from stop lights. The car drives very well you find it hard to believe you are sitting in a SUV vs. a 911. Very sporty feel and drive. The V6 has good acceleration especially when the sport mode is engaged. Overall impressive car. Porsche there is no substitute

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  Excellence all around - 2015 Porsche Boxster
  By JohnCBullen@GMail.com - May 22 - 10:57 pm

  I traded in my 08 911 (997.1) C4S cabriolet on a 2015 Boxster S. The Boxster is head and tails ahead of the 911 in fit, finish, interior quality, handling, and interior noise. The PCM (entertainment, communication, nav) system on the Boxster is several steps ahead of what what was in the 911. While the 911 is iconic and has a sex appeal superior to the Boxster, the Boxster shines in performance over the 911. This is my third Boxster, and I am of the opinion that the Boxster S is a better balanced car with its mid-engine and weight distribution than the 911, and the power to weight ratio is well within anyones power requirements.

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  this car loves oil - 2011 Porsche Cayenne
  By sc1982 - May 22 - 2:32 am

  I have 12,000 miles on this car, drive it mostly as a sedan (no pulling or racing around). The gas milage is terrific (21mpg around town and 23-24 on hwy). the car performs great, very comfortable and has very good breaking. The problem is that it likes to drink oil.. I have had to put 6 qts of oil in the car so far. > 1qt for every 2K miles. I am not the only one , there are 11 pages on Renslist concerning this issue. Porches 24 page service bulletin concerning this problem is also posted. The first 12 basically instruct the dealer to tell the customer {the manual states up to one quart / 1K miles is within normal limits}. REALLY???? until Porsche fixes this issue Buyer Beware

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  Nice car - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By joe12 - May 22 - 1:23 am

  Ive never deiven a sports car like this before. Ive owned Ferarris, Corvettes, Mazerattis and many more. Nothing has made great driving this affordable.

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  Dream Car meets expectations - 2009 Porsche 911
  By Canyon Crusing - May 20 - 11:56 pm

  This is my third Porsche (87 Carrera Cab and then a 2000 Boxster which I gave to my son-he still has and its in mint condition- not a ding on it). I love the car, the power, fit and finish. The new display for navigation, XM etc. is easy to use as is the multi-function steering wheel. The ride is much better than expected. Porsche really put it all together with the new DFI engine; PDK and cosmetic updates. And the car is simply gorgeous with the top up or down. Definitely a keeper. I have driven it way more than I thought I would...its more than just a weekend car.

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  Katz Kar - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By PRAIRIEKAT - May 19 - 2:00 am

  After many years of owning German sports sedans, driving this car is a revelation, infact it redefines the word "sport".

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  Great car! - 2012 Porsche Panamera
  By David Tosi - May 16 - 8:18 am

  Look for the certified pre owned cars.

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  Cayman S - 2007 Porsche Cayman
  By ntierprez - May 16 - 12:50 am

  This is my daily driver and havent had a single issue with the car (I have over 30k miles). The car is absolutely beautiful and attracts a lot of attention from other drivers. The storage capacity in the car is unbelievable, 2 trunks with over 15 cubic feet of storage capacity. I havent had a situation yet where i couldnt fit everything into my car. I average about 20 MPG which isnt bad for Washington DC traffic. It is an absolute joy to drive and it worth every penny.

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  Base 2014 Cayman - 2014 Porsche Cayman
  By cobrienmx - May 14 - 4:32 am

  I purchased this car from Brumos and had the most positive experience ever buying a car. Delivery took about an hour. The quality of this car is outstanding, it handles like it is glued to the ground, and there is plenty of power to get you out of trouble immediately. Luggage space is impressive and long drives are comfortable. I got 29.2 mpg with the cruise control set to 80. I never thought I would be doing this I have become addicted to performance driving schools and events. Although this car is no dragster (275 hp vs 600+), it is unmatched by most cars in turns and is extremely well balanced. (thank you blue flag) If a driver can smoothly carry momentum they will be tough to hang with.

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  Fun Fast and Beautiful - 2010 Porsche Panamera
  By Dennis Hampt - May 13 - 12:53 pm

  The early reviews that ridiculed the Panamera external styling were way off base. Granted, there are some color combinations that would be less than flattering but that doesnt condemn the whole line. Ive had at least twenty strangers approach me to compliment the looks of the car (dark blue ext. natural tones interior). More importantly, the performance is mind boggling. Comfort features are extremely refined. Multiple driving modes change the cars performance personality at the touch of a button. All and all close to perfect.