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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  best of the sports convertibles - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By GF - June 18 - 3:13 pm

  Owned it from new; only car I kept this long (7+ years), it works fine as a daily driver not just for weekends. Can be expensive to own in terms of dealer maintenance costs and out or warranty work. Delivers on the promised fun quotient and design aged very well, still very current vs. 2010 model. True sports convertible, not just for boulevard.

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  Excellent Upgrades to a Sweet Ride - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By Bonzai - June 18 - 5:36 am

  With the upgrades made to the new 2005 Boxster S, Porsche has made a great car a truly excellent car. The balance and handling of this car is spectacular. Although horsepower is lower than some rivals (i.e a Corvette), the engine is super smooth and pulls really well through most of the rpm range, doing 0-60 in 5.0 seconds. The interior finishing is much better, and the exterior makes the car look a lot more muscular. If I lived in an area with lots of straight, open roads, I might be tempted by a 400+ horsepower car. However, I live in an area with lots of winding mountain roads and wouldnt choose anything different. The Elise would handle as well but is too unrefined to drive every day.

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  911 C4S - 2003 Porsche 911
  By trobodoc - June 15 - 10:00 am

  Over 7500 miles, including two driving events at Mid-Ohio sports car course and no problems. Every time I get in the car, it is a joy to drive.

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  Spoils Me Rotten - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Love my Cayenne - June 15 - 8:06 am

  I had a 930 Turbo for about 7 yrs until Porsche announced the Cayenne. Since I have 2 kids, I sold the 930 and ordered the Cayenne S. Of course, the 930 is much quicker, but the Cayenne made me forget about missing my old love. It is so comfortable it fits like a glove. Everything is so convenient, smooth, user friendly Has grab handles where need them. It truly makes you feel loved and special. It has plenty of power.It handles very nimble, stops on a dime and always feels safe. I live in the country and I have a great time eating up the roads. I have never had one problem with my car. It has only been in the shop for an oil change and 20K service.

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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.