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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  wow! update "double wow" 2017 Macan S - 2017 Porsche Macan
  By Pinehurst John - November 30 - 4:16 am

  after driving bmws for the last 25 years, decided to try a Macan S. What a great decision I made....smile.......... Powerful and my Macan S 2017 is a sports car acting machine outdoing most of the bmws I have owned..........with the possible exception of my 3 series M convertible. It is a truly great combination of practicality and driving excitement. This is a Porsche, no doubt about it, from the sound of the engine to going around 35mph corners at 60...........its a Porsche! The ride and noise in the cabin are muted and comfortable, bumps are a little harsh, but the other attributes of the vehicle are well worth the small aggravation of the semi stiff ride. After all this is not a Lexus RX. Cabin is done very well with great materials and is big enough for me, 63", 260lbs. I am not sure what I would do to improve this vehicle, not anything I can come up with right now. 5 stars for sure...........................yippee!!!! UPDATE: 6mo owning the vehicle, 7000 miles. double down on all statements previous. nothing about the vehicle that I can complain about. it is really a blast to drive, so much in fact I find myself taking the long way to almost everywhere I go and going for joyrides very often. I have not had my first ticket yet as I am a careful driver, but the car is so responsive it is hard to drive the speed limits. Whatever speed you are going seems to slow. Get one or test drive one, until you do, you can not possibly know what I know. It is driving heaven. UPDATE, one year later.......... all review items remain at same high levels. I find myself driving places I dont need to go just to be driving. This is truly a great vehicle and it seems priced correctly for the quality and image that you get driving a Porsche. I am very pleased with this vehicle and it will be hard to drive anything else after this experience. update: 18 months owned, 18k miles. no further comments, all of my previous comments stand as written. Great Vehicle.

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  One of My Best Cars - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By Florida Cowboy - November 28 - 10:00 am

  This is one of the best quality made cars I have ever purchased. I have had no problems with this car in 4 years. Servicing costs are on the expensive side. I would absolutely purchase another.

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  Best Car I Have Driven - 2008 Porsche 911
  By The Kid - November 28 - 6:06 am

  I love this car! It is a joy to drive. It is a joy to let my friends drive it. My wife is not a car person, but she loves driving it and riding in it. It handles better than any MBZ that I have owned. I have always wanted a Porsche and I am 73-years old. It was now or never. It is the best thing that I have ever given myself. The cars handling saved our lives when another driver almost side-swiped us. I dont drive the car much over 75 because getting their sooner makes the fun of the drive shorter. It is just as much fun in city driving as it is on the highway. One minor electrical fix in 15 months. If you can afford to buy or lease, you wont be sorry. I love my Red Monster!

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  Sports car standard! - 1999 Porsche 911
  By XCAP - November 26 - 7:30 pm

  For performance, comfort, reliability, looks and fun this car has no peer! Ive never owned an auto so enjoyable to drive. And so stable in really awful driving conditions!

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  The Best All Around Sports Car, Period! - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By B Pon - November 26 - 7:06 pm

  After one year, my 2005 Porsche Boxster has been nothing but pure pleasure. It is amazingly fun to drive.

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  2006 Porsche Boxter - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By Evelyn - November 22 - 8:00 am

  The Boxster has great handeling on the curves and incredible power for such a small car. It is a true sports car!

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  Red Toy - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By kens toy - November 19 - 10:00 am

  The perfect car to cure your mid life crisis, the Boxster is the best all around sports car for the $ I have owned. Great looks, performance and relative value, especially compared to the 911 convertible. Dont spend the extra 10K for marginal performance improvement offered with S model.

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  Nothing Compares To You - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Larry Favre - November 16 - 5:20 am

  The Cayenne is without a doubt the best performing SUV out there. I put 20" technos with 275 Michelins on mine for non-winter driving (which are specifically designed for this vehicles suspension and rated at 186 mph) and the Cayenne is transformed to near 911 handling - what a difference, not that the 18" 255s are bad. These tires are a must have for the true performance seeker with $5,000 to spend on great fun. It is hard to get my PSM to kick on, wet or dry, with these on! Aggressive males and females will enjoy the most it has to offer. Why bother otherwise?

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  The Bomb - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By zunnndog - November 14 - 10:00 am

  The Cayenne behaves like a true Porsche. This is my 5th Porsche and I may add my favorite. I have to allow that I am older and slower now, but the Cayenne is the SUV of the future. I notice people gawking at the car repeatedly, more so that any of my 911s. I guess that is Ok but I honestly believe that they are looking at a Auto like they have never seen before.

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  My Boxster S - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By caryrangers - November 14 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd Porsche and first Boxster. I love it. Ive also owned BMWs and Corvettes, but there is nothing like a Porsche. The handling, speed, dealer network and Porsche panache is hard to beat. If I had my choice of any car in the world, and I do, Id still chose a Porsche. And the Boxster S is a real Porsche and a great value