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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  A pleasure to drive - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Prima - June 2 - 2:00 am

  This car is absolutely fun to drive. My wife was somewhat concerned when I bought the car. Now I cant keep her out of it. She said "I didnt know it would be this much fun".

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  the best - 2004 Porsche Boxster
  By Howling on high - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Great driving experience, would suggest it to any driver...have had alpha, fiat, Corvette and mustang Gt and this beats them all

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  Coco - 2017 Porsche Cayenne
  By KLW - May 27 - 7:23 pm

  Love this car after driving for one month. Of course the maintenance is not as cheap as many others because its a Porsche. The interior is beautiful and the 2017 model seems vastly improved in features from what Ive read in reviews. This is the platinum edition. The mahogany color is very eye catching with a saddle brown interior. We are very pleased with the purchase and got outstanding service from Mike at The Exchange in Highland Park Il. He delivered our car and spent two hours training us on the electronics after the dealer closing time!

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  Smooth ride, excellent performance, maneuverable! - 2016 Porsche Macan
  By Elena - May 26 - 3:14 pm

  Perfect in its niche of a compact SUV/crossover: luxurious, spacious, powerful, comfortable, maneuverable. Ideal for those who love style, and do not want to drive what everyone else is driving. Ideal for those who do not like/need sedans or low profile sports cars, but are not ready to settle for a huge SUV. Thats when Macan comes in place! Compact SUV is exactly what it is, but add here 340 hp (for base model Macan S), smooth ride, amazing maneuverability, interior comfort and at least two packages - and you will enjoy it without paying $100,000. Almost 1.5 times less! A little problem is that people do mistake it for a $100,000 car, which is flattering but not needed.

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  Boxster -- Youve got to get one. - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By Heidinger - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Great car that is a absolute blast to drive! Perfect drivers car!

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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.