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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  Incredible car - 2002 Porsche Boxster
  By boxsterkidsj - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Porsche for 4 mos now. Ive put about 4500 miles on it, and love it to death. My other car is a 2001 Audi A4, and there is no comparison. The car came w/ almost every option you can think of besides the navigation system. The PSM is worth the $1230. No complaints.

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  Not just a toy - 2000 Porsche 911
  By New Porschephile - August 22 - 2:00 am

  I had never owned a high end sports performance car. This was definitely a step up from the Japanese ones I previously owned and the newer ones on the current market. Initially, looked at buying a Maserati Spyder with F1. Oddly another customer at the Ferrari dealership recommended trying Porsche and I have not looked back. I thought this would be a car that sat in the garage to maintain its value with low mileage. I cant stop driving it though, taking it to work everyday, routine shopping, long-distance trips, and sometimes just for fun. It has been a pleasure to drive. The kids want to ride in it all the time as well.

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  Cure for mid-life - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By delano - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Driving this car puts a smile on my face.. Even after a not so good day !!

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  Love It! - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By CSDriver - August 16 - 2:53 pm

  Drove my Cayman S for about 6 months before storing it for the winter. I use it as my daily driver. I now look forward to driving to and from work and on date nights with my wife. The performance is great and I many times take the long way home to spend a little more time in it. I recommend the Bose stereo upgrade for more low end punch, but many times I find myself listening to the engine sounds more than the radio/cd. Be careful with your customization as it can be expensive. Choose wisely. I am very happy with the standard leather interior and dash. A little more durable than having the full leather interior. The ride is firm, but this is a sports car after all.

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  A sport car with Compact SUV look. - 2017 Porsche Macan
  By Robert Lee - August 14 - 4:40 am

  Everybody loves it, grandpa loves and grandson in college loves to borrow to show off too.

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  2008 C4S - 2008 Porsche 911
  By tigerC4S - August 11 - 6:56 am

  This car feels like it was carved out of a solid block of steel ! Heard previous comments on Porsches Bose stereo that were negative. Porsche must have listened because this Bose system is top notch. Navigation / Computer system is a bit complicated and makes you do more steps then usual to complete the task. I think they fixed this on the 2009s. Bluetooth also lacking. Over all though, this car feels great and is fun to drive daily or just on weekends ! Kudos to Porsche !

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  best car , reliable - 2002 Porsche 911
  By tom greene - August 8 - 2:00 am

  this is the greatest not even my ferrari or bmw compares to this. its fun to drive super fast and very comfortable. i raced a ferrar 360 modena and smoked the ferrari. its worth the buy. the best place to buy porsches is leith porsche in Cary,NC. they have great deals. overall this is the best car yet.

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  1996 Porsche Carrera-Great Car - 1996 Porsche 911
  By romdobe - August 3 - 2:00 am

  This is my fourth Porsche in fifteen years. It is the best looking and best handling of the bunch. The air conditioning is much better than Porsche ever offered in the past. This is the best of the aircooled cars.

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  The Best 997 Yet - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Ray - July 23 - 8:13 pm

  This is an awesome car that is fun to drive and own.

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  Owner - 2005 Porsche 911
  By larry bonine - July 20 - 1:16 am

  The second Porsche I have owned and this one even exceeds all expectations. The turbo feature makes it an absolute thrill to drive (both the sound and rocket like take off.) I have put us through a PCA Drivers Education day for total bonding between the boy and his car. Additionally, we liked Porsche so much, we also got the Cayenne Turbo S and could not be more pleased with our decision. That it is number one in quality three years running surprises us not at all.