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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  My 2001 Carrera 4 is Awesome - 2001 Porsche 911
  By K.M. Davis - November 7 - 10:00 am

  The performance is exhilerating and is enhanced by the factory sports exhaust. The handling is superb due to the optional sport seats and 18" w/sport design wheels and Pirelli P-zeros and with the lowered ride from euro springs the C4s AWD. Other than a few nusance interior items, the only problem was a repair to the oil sending unit that had sprung a leak shortly after delivery. No other problems to report. The only complaint I have is the complicated radio/CD that Porsche designs.

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  The Ultimate Daily Driver - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Speed Racer - November 1 - 6:30 am

  Having owned 17 cars in my lifetime with most of them being sportscars this is my second Porsche 911 and I have finally found a car that I will purchase for the rest of my life. It is very predictable, even when pushed to the limit, it is fun to drive, and the sound of the engine is pure pleasure. But the best thing of all is that it can be used as a daily driver unlike many exotics. Why only use your sports car on the weekends? If there is anything to critizise, it would be minor build quality issues, but all warranty related issues are graciously handled by the dealership.

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  Wow! - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By magovesx - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Could not be happier with the performance of this vehicle. Not even in the same catagory as the FX45.

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  Its Almost Unfair - 2003 Porsche Cayenne
  By RevDSC - October 31 - 10:00 am

  The Cayenne is the ultimate blend of performance, utility, and reliability. Ive never driven nor owned any vehicle that simply satisfied every automotive desire. Once you drive one, youll know what I mean.

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  quality not compromised - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By markyami - October 28 - 12:00 am

  the cayenne s is a pleasure for four out of the five senses. The looks exterior is unique to other SUVs with its defined lines and aluminum trim work, and the interior is comfortable with instrumentation placed with the driver in mind. hearing the engine when you step on the gas with the true Porsche sports car sound will bring out the kid in you. the Smell of the quality leather interior continues well into ownership. the feel is the most adrenalin rushing part of the car. Acceleration, handling, stability, and braking is every bit as sport car feel as a corvette, with a seating for five, four wheel drive, and a comfortable ride, you know you bought the best of both worlds.

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  Porsche Cayenne! - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By gte864f - October 24 - 2:20 pm

  As a current owner, let me tell you what options you should pass on. Skip the Cargo system and any type of upgraded wheels. You will save a few dollars if the car comes with the Preferred Pkg or Preferred Pkg plus. ItÂ’s more if you select all the stuff that comes in these packages a stand-alone. In the USA, the Cayenne will be more than enough power, especially in sports mode. There is a slight delay in the acceleration when you press on the gas but once its in the optimum power band the acceleration is linear. If you donÂ’t need a Nav and all the other options I would opt for the Cayenne S. The difference is very noticeable. Love the car and the Look. Wood Package is a must have!

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  Boxster - 2002 Porsche Boxster
  By Scooby-Doo - October 24 - 10:00 am

  This is my 1st Porsche and the car and service from the dealer is great! If you are shy do not buy a boxster, you get a lot of looks and coments when driving this car - ALL GOOD! Got rid of a chrysler sebring conv to buy my boxster - best thing I ever did! The quality of the fit and the manufacturing of the Boxster is totally different to any USA car I have ever had. If you can afford the 18" wheels it makes the look and handling better. Also heated seats makes driving with the top down at night nice. They have 2 settings - hot gets really hot all the way up the back of the seat.

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  I grin every time I drive this car!!!! - 2001 Porsche 911
  By SilverBlue - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I recently bought this used car from a dealership. Paid for the certification to get the extended warranty. Im sure it will pay off down the road.

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  Speechless - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Young Chul - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Its sleek design inside even my children like it, watchin cable telvision in daddys car, no wonder why the always want to go in my S=UV

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  Still Tops in Anybodys Book - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Zeek - October 18 - 1:23 pm

  This car is just plain excellent, as I have come to expect from Porsche (this being my 8th one). I bought the Carrera S only because there was no Turbo available at the time, My Turbo should be arriving any time now. The phrase "Porsche, There Is No Substitute" is very fitting for this, and all their cars.