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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  None better - 2002 Porsche 911
  By 02 911 Targa - October 17 - 1:53 am

  This car is amazing and is tough to beat. The best sports car on the streets today.

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  I love this car! - 2002 Porsche 911
  By Sam - October 16 - 4:43 pm

  Ive had all kinds of cars and many Porsches over the years. I race a Porsche 944 competitively and this is my weekend toy. Despite some of the negatives that you might hear about the 996, these are awesome, modern Porsches. This car is fantastic in every way. Invest in a remote top from Wilhelmy and operate the top from the key fob. I cant live without mine!

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  Amazing handling, feel, & build quality - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Aaron - October 11 - 4:03 pm

  Porsche comes out #1 again in the J.D Power survey with build quality and my experience is no different. Classic styling never grows old. It makes your heart skip a beat every time. Porsches adaptive sport seats are the best Ive ever owned. The handling & driver feedback is amazing for this car. This isnt a hick muscle car thats only good for driving in a straight line. Take this car into the twisties and youll see what owning a Porsche is all about. The agility is amazing, and Porsche did a great job of keeping the weight very low in the 3000s unlike inferior German competitors that can only boast a handful of extra hps and trunk space.

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  Get the Six Speed with 18s - 2001 Porsche 911
  By qualityfirst1 - October 10 - 9:56 am

  What a great little car. The interior has a very nice, quality feel. The seats are amazingly comfortable. I have power memory seats which I recommend. The CD player is good, but skips a little. The Bose stereo system sounds very good. It has a gorgeous body with nicely flared out rear fenders. The Litronic HID lights look great and shine a nicely focused beam of light down the road. Now for the good stuff! Its acceleration is strong through the power band, the car will push you back in your seats. The engine sings as its RPMs increase to red line! The shifter is precise and I love how when its in neutral, it sits right between 3rd and 4th - you cant mis-shift. It corners like shes on rails. The brakes are amazing.

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  2005 boxter s (bought used with 5700 mi) - 2005 Porsche Boxster
  By Russ - October 10 - 7:16 am

  I have been looking and test driving cars for 9 months (long time I know ). Drove vette 5 times, boxster and caymen about 5 times, 911s 3 times, z4, viper etc. The boxster was my favorite bar none (like it more then 911 s) but still couldnt pull the trigger. Well I finally purchased one and my goodness I couldnt be happier. This car is absolutely awesome in every way. It eats curves, the engine sound is better then music, and the build quality is outstanding. The fact that you can stay below 50 mph and have a blast is a big plus also (I dont think you can do that in a viper or vette as they require more room to make you smile IMHO)!

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  Gods best gift to man - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By triantaa - October 8 - 10:00 am

  What can I say, it seems almost unreal. This car is absolutely incredible and Im in heaven. I have owned, in the past BMWs and Audis and Vettes and M- B (ML55, still own an RX300. There just comparison. Thsi car is light years ahead form any passanger car or SUV.

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  Yellow C4 Cab - 2007 Porsche 911
  By BB - October 6 - 12:16 pm

  I just bought this car a week ago after owning 4 other 911s. This is my 1st C4. Add ons: 20 Champion wheels, Aero kit, suspension. The AWD is worth the money. I live in a mountain community with a lot of winding roads. The car handles great. Definite improvements since 2005.

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  Maybe the Perfect Vehicle - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Steve - October 3 - 4:33 pm

  This may be the perfect comprimise between a sporty car and off road vehicle, still keeping comfort in mind. The Cayenne Turbo is very fast, with pick up that does not make me miss my sports car, yet it drives off road like a Land Rover and I can take 5 large adults for a ride each having plenty of room. It has plenty of storage space for carrying groceries and has lots of luxury features, such as sunroof, satellite radio, heated seats, CD player, BOSE stereo, navigation, etc. Literally, nothing is missing, and everything is done well. I can even tow several tons behind me. The drive is comfortable and sporty and really, as I said, this maybe the perfect vehicle that does everything very well

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  They fooled me once - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By GEORGE the FOOL - October 2 - 10:00 am

  First the engine would not stop and the key got stock. Rear door wont close. No spear tire at all. Now the car is at the dealer waiting for parts from Germany. This is not what I was expecting from my first Porsche.

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  Instant Air-Cooled Classic - 1996 Porsche 911
  By 914und993 - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Fantastic vehicle, although like most of these 1995-1998 911s, the factory Monroe built shock absorbers were marginal by 28,000 miles and merited replacement with Bilstein units. Beyond that, the car has required only routine maintenance and performs reliably and without complaint. These cars seem to be holding their value very, very well - better than the new water-cooled 911s.