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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  Amazing value, amazing car - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By Brit - September 19 - 12:56 pm

  This is my first Porsche. I bought a 2 year old Turbo for about half the new price. All I can say is that it has been fantastic and the higher running costs should be more than offset by the fact that it has taken most of its depreciation!

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  Wonderful CS - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By enjoyPorsche - September 15 - 5:16 pm

  This is a sports car on steroids. For its size, it should not be possible to move as efficiently when prompted by the right, or even the left, pedal. Interior is beautiful. Nice lines and great color of black with aluminum accents, very sporting. Really do enjoy driving this car every day. Often take this car out on trips over the 996, and not due to the weather. So glad that we decided on Porsche over the VW. Extra payment well worth knowing Im driving the best of the best. No regrets. Great handling in wet weather.

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  Like nothing else! - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Dr. No - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Porsche has developed a vehicle that stands without peer in its ability to offer luxury, utility, performance, quality, and style. No other SUV or hybrid vehicle can offer such acceleration (0-60 in 5 sec.), top end performance (170mph top speed), over the road comfort, off-road functionality, and sheer driving fun. Fast and responsive as many of the worlds most exotic sports cars, smoother and quieter than most luxury sedans, and with the hauling capability of the SUV alternatives, it stands alone in its ability to be everything one could want, except for a convertible. The materials, fit and finish, and design are top shelf and well thought out.

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  Now this is a car - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By jpcourt - September 6 - 2:00 am

  IÂ’ve now had this car for a couple of months and have put on about 1200 miles. I love this car, it handles great stops on a dime and all and all is one terrific sports car. I drove just about every sports car in this price range and I kept coming back to the Boxter S, in my opinion you canÂ’t go wrong with this car.

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  Cayenne GTS - An Absolute Gem - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By PIOTRUS - September 1 - 4:26 pm

  Ordered gts in nov 07, got it in March. Absolutely phenomenal car! Base Price $72k, beware options are numerous, expensive, and can easily add at least $15k to the Price. No bluetooth, but that’s not a problem, next week I Will have tooki bluetooth system installed (3rd party), it works seamlessly with the existing nav. Better solution that Porsche’s phone module where you would have to insert your sim card into nav to use a phone. With the ‘sport’ option enabled the car’s engine has deep, loud roar. A truly unique Porsche sound. I get 13 city, 17 highway, something I expected, especially for a 405 hp engine. Had bmw x5 4.4 for many years, this Cayenne simply blows it away in every way.

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  worth the money - 2004 Porsche 911
  By Klaus Horstkamp - August 27 - 10:00 am

  Fast, fun and handles great. There is nothing like it on the road! You will have buyers remorse; you will ask yourself, Why didnt I get this 10 years ago!

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  Boxster - 1997 Porsche Boxster
  By JimmyDHarrell - August 23 - 2:00 am

  Trouble free car with no mechanical or cosmetic wear problems. Good fuel milage for a high performance car.

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  Thinking about a Porsche? Just get it! - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Eric - August 22 - 11:50 am

  Somehow the Carrera S manages to exceed nearly everyones expectations including mine. I favor performance over luxury and am impressed at how Porsche delivers both in the 997S. If you want luxury, consider getting full leather as the interior is a bit plain without it. I previously owned a Cayman S and did at least a dozen track days in it. My Carrera S came with the sport exhaust that to me, sounded just ok. I added AWE cats and exhaust and wow! It sounds great and the car is surprisingly faster, such that I now clearly enjoy it more than the Cayman S.

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  The REAL Ultimate Driving Machine - 2007 Porsche Cayman
  By sandpuppy - August 19 - 11:20 pm

  The Cayman S is simply the best sports car for the buck. No, its not the fastest, but straight-line speed is only a part of the equation. This car handles like no other Ive owned, including a multitude of Benzes, BMWs, Miatas and an RX-8. To add to its value, it is a useful sports car with decent storage and trunk space for its two passengers. And it works as a daily driver with decent gas mileage and comfort. This car is a truly wonderful machine that Porsche will probably regret that they built once 911 owners find out that buying down will give them a new high!

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  Excellent Handling - Exhaust is a Blast! - 2003 Porsche 911
  By J&D - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Handling and breaking are excellent. Initial quality is excellent and acceleration is very good - but Turbo would be great. Cost of factory "extras" is exhorbitant. Radio is confusing. We have the optional sport exhaust with adjustable volume - I absolutely love this feature. Factory wing, although very expensive, really makes the 911 look sharp. Fantastic car, but I see a Turbo in my future.