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:

• 

  Well, Nicely done! - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By Sanik - November 1 - 10:00 am

  This car quite fulfills my expectation.. However, ironically, Infiniti FX45 does the same under $50thousand... And, the thing is, Cayenne S is slower than FX45,,disappointingly although Turbo model was much faster!

• 

  SUV Sports Car - 2006 Porsche Cayenne
  By Martin Santos - October 27 - 5:43 pm

  This is a sports car in an SUVs body. It is a pleasure to drive. Youll never know how fast youre going until the car behind you is flashing his red lights. The quality is typical for a Porsche. I test drove all of the new SUVs, including the 2007 BMW X5 and nothing comes close. If youre looking for a strictly utilitarian vehicle there are others that are far cheaper, but you cant beat this as far as driving pleasure and fun.

• 

  2005 Porsche Cayenne 6 Cyl. Review - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Greg Wolfner - October 27 - 12:26 pm

  My Porsche Cayenns is an awesome SUV, I have the 6 cylinder model and would love to try the turbo. Make sure your Cayenne has the best headlights made. Im very disappointed in the standard headlights. This is not a very large SUV, the interior room is only fair. Keep in mind if you look to go off road that the stock tires are not designed for it. My final conclusion is that this is a 911 with a SUV Body. It is a lot of fun to drive!

• 

  Second Boxster - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By Bill - October 21 - 9:53 pm

  I recently purchased my second Boxster; this time an S model. I loved my old car, but everthing that was a little annoying about it has been upgraded on the 2006 model. The ride is fabulous, maybe even better than the 911. I am also impressed with the Bose surround system.

• 

  Just fun to drive - 2009 Porsche 911
  By Rich - October 20 - 4:43 pm

  This is my 1st sports car and 1st convertible. I am very happy with my choice. Looks great, drives great, handles great and sounds great. PDK is the best tranny to date. Blows the DCT in BMW away. I should have gotten the steering wheel mounted controls, but other than that everything is perfect. In sports mode, this is an excellent sports car. Should be able to default the car to this setting vs. normal. Convertible top is quick, smooth and quiet. Has all of the amenities of a luxury car (provided you pay for them) and they all work well. Like they say, "Porsche, there is no substitute."

• 

  Perfect Car - 2004 Porsche 911
  By larscars - October 17 - 11:10 am

  The 40th Anniversary Porsche 911 Carrera is perfect. It differentiates itself from all other Carreras with 911 badges, Porsche GT paint, horsepower, interior, stereo, and polished wheels. I was just at a Porsche car show with 200+ Porsches and mine was the only 40th anniversary. I had to fight people off with questions and comments about how beautiful the car was. What a great exhaust sound. The matching Porsche leather luggage is frosting on the cake. This car is coooool!

• 

  Great Experience - 2007 Porsche Boxster
  By Nick Bolton - October 11 - 11:33 pm

  I bought my standard Boxster in Nov. 06 and have been able to use it more than Id expected with this mild winter. It has been a great all around experience so far, from the dealership to Porsche follow ups after sale. The car itself is fantastic to drive. It is not as powerful as my Audi S4 or the Corvette, but I have had a much more thrilling driving experience. The 245 HP is plenty powerful enough and the handling is first class. The engine note is great, the cars a real head turner and the fit and finish are everything youd expect in a Porsche. The other, less obvious plus for me, is the cargo space. I can get a golf bag in the rear trunk and two airline overhead compartment sized cases in the front trunk.

• 

  Worth the Wait - 2006 Porsche 911
  By keepsdad - October 11 - 1:43 pm

  At 53 years of age, I finally took the plunge and bought a new 06 911 Carrera 2 coupe, 6-speed, black on black. My, my, my has it been worth the wait! Can you say handling beyond your wildest dreams? It is fast, but I have driven faster. What sets it apart though is its incredible smoothness and overall mechanical balance. The workmanship is spectacular - I now understand why you see a ton of these still running after 20 years. Although it is hard to argue that any car is worth $75,000, I can at least understand why this car costs that much. It is over-engineered and built to incredible fit and finish standards. It is everything (and more) that I had ever hoped and dreamed that it would be.

• 

  Obnoxious Performance - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By RCD - October 8 - 6:06 am

  The "Oh my god I cant believe how fast and loud that gorgeous SUV is" look I get from drivers when I roar past them, is alone worth the $130K I spent on this vehicle. It may not be as pretty as the Range Rover or as practical as the X5, but it is definitely the most fun to drive. I only wish they made a bigger gas tank because Im constantly having to fill it up (approx. 10 mpg). Ive previously owned a CLK Benz and an Audi Allroad, and they dont even compare to the 08 Cayenne Turbo in acceleration and handling. Even though the price is ridiculous, you only live once, and it would be a shame if I died and didnt get to experience the thrill of driving this once-in-a- lifetime vehicle.

• 

  still a head turner - 2004 Porsche 911
  By Jock - October 4 - 10:00 am

  In the thirteen months that i have owned this spectacualr car, I have never once regretted shelling out 160k to buy it. From the moment that i sit in the drivers seat to the second i get out, it is all grins and smiles. I love convertibles, and enjoy mustangs and convertibles like that...but nothing out there turns heads the same way that a Porsche Cabriolet does.