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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  This car is fantastic, powerful, and fun - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By Smoovee - June 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is simply great! So far this is the best driving experience of my life. You cant beat this Porsche vehicle nothing else compares to this car - overall a well built and fantastic car. Wow!

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  The Best Super Car - 911 Turbo Cab Tip - 2008 Porsche 911
  By Porscheman-WH - May 30 - 3:06 pm

  This 08 Turbo cab is my 5th Porsche, went from 06 C2 cab manual to 08 turbo cab tip and love it!! Because of the awd, it handles corners and twisty roads far much better than my 06 c2-S cab, the power is unbelievable & beyond, it feels very solid & sticks to the road. I wish it has aggressive exhaust note or at least as good as the c-2 S w/ sport chrono package. I hope that I will not miss the stick shift feel and continue to enjoy the tip S on my new turbo. Will see!

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  Guaranteed Fun! Does Not Disappoint! - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By martini4me - May 24 - 8:20 pm

  Purchased a 2006 base Porsche Boxster with Tiptronic a couple of weeks ago. The driving experience is great! The engine is pleasantly loud. Ive found it quietest at about 65 mph, louder at low speeds in the 10-30mph range and fairly loud at 75 mph+. If youre looking for a sports convertible in the $50,000 - $60,000 range, look no further. The storage room is great with the front and rear trunks. I can get 2 sets of golf clubs in the rear (even with top down) and a nice sized medium piece of luggage in the front. Thats better than the BMW 3-Series or Audi A4 convertible, which, with top down would require using the whole back seat for storage as well. I put the top down at 55-60 degrees with the heat on, no problem!

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  What a driving machine! - 2001 Porsche 911
  By Catch me if you can - May 24 - 7:43 pm

  I thought about a Caymen S, a 993 or maybe an older air cooled 911. Then I drove the 996. Done! My 996 can be driven at 35 MPH on city streets all day long. Or on the freeway at 65 MPH. Then I downshift and push the pedal! This car is phenomenal! Suspension can be tricky on corners at high speed. Great feedback. Insane braking. Comfortable to drive. Bose stereo is very nice for a small car like this. Definitely get one if you can afford it!

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  Awesome - 2008 Porsche Cayman
  By Mikey - May 24 - 5:13 pm

  I love this car. I had a BMW before, but the Cayman is a true sports car. I have had the car for 3 months and have already had 5 people stop me at read lights or the gas station to tell me how awesome the car looks.

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  Beautiful - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By David Barowich - May 24 - 1:13 am

  I have a big family of 5 and this SUV fits us perfectly. It gives an amazing ride and has the most beautiful interior you could see. The warranty covers practically everything. This is an all around awesome vehicle. I recommend it!

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  Love This Car - 1997 Porsche Boxster
  By Pete - May 23 - 5:06 pm

  I have read horrors about the Porsche Boxster after I purchased mine, but it seems the problem are mostly on newer models manufactured in Finland (check driver side sticker). Mine is a 1997 Porsche Boxster with 101,120 miles, made in Germany and it is running GREAT! The only problem I am having is that the clock stopped working (digital clock) and I cant find which fuse (if it is the fuse) is out. Other than that, this is a great car.

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  Too much fun - 2008 Porsche Boxster
  By Jim - May 23 - 5:20 am

  Went to the local Porsche dealer to look at a used 95 Ferrari and spotted a Boxster S on the floor. I decided to take it for a spin and it now sits in my garage waiting for Spring. These cars are definitely built with the driver in mind. I doubt if there is a car made that is more well- balanced than a Boxster S.

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  03 Carrera White - 2003 Porsche 911
  By PCHEN - May 20 - 10:00 am

  The Carrera is a very easy car to drive fast. Its also very comfortable too. Must get the Xenon lights and 18" wheel option. Leave out the PSM because youll never need it. Spend almost $3500 just for power leather seats! Ouch...Great car. Very pricey. But worth buying the legend.

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  Club Coupe is a Winner - 2006 Porsche 911
  By clif - May 14 - 7:53 pm

  This is an incredible car. It is sensitive to tire pressures, 381 hp w x51 kit. The harder you drive it, the better it drives. i.e. more the confident you will be in its capabilities. The engine is very flexible and has gobs of power above 4,200 rpm. It has the sport chrono which makes the throttle more sensitive, firms the shocks for more precision driving and opens that melodious Porsche exhaust up. After 5,000 miles, I still get excited driving this car. There truly is no substitute. It is a world beater with 3.8 liter six cylinders. Wow. The engineers have triumphed over the physical issues of a rear engine vehicle.