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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  best car , reliable - 2002 Porsche 911
  By tom greene - August 8 - 2:00 am

  this is the greatest not even my ferrari or bmw compares to this. its fun to drive super fast and very comfortable. i raced a ferrar 360 modena and smoked the ferrari. its worth the buy. the best place to buy porsches is leith porsche in Cary,NC. they have great deals. overall this is the best car yet.

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  1996 Porsche Carrera-Great Car - 1996 Porsche 911
  By romdobe - August 3 - 2:00 am

  This is my fourth Porsche in fifteen years. It is the best looking and best handling of the bunch. The air conditioning is much better than Porsche ever offered in the past. This is the best of the aircooled cars.

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  Disappointing number of rattles - 2003 Porsche Boxster
  By BillinCO - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Yes, its a convertible, but Toyota and Lexus convertibles seem to not suffer from the number of squeaks and rattles the Boxster does, especially with the Hard Top option. But in a nutshell. no other vehicle handles like the Boxster. When taking turns on twisty roads you will think the car is violating the laws of physics as there is no excitement, the car just TURNS. The phrase "corners as if on rails" is overused, but in the case of the Boxster its as if the car is riding atop a monorail. You will need to find new roads to conquer as all your old favorite twisties will, to be blunt, become BORING in the Boxster.

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  My First Long-Term Keeper - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By MikeD - July 29 - 1:50 am

  Typically after nine months I am trading in my cars for something new and different to drive, typically another German sports car. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo is my first Porsche and SUV and it drives like a real sports car, not an SUV. Everything in the car is well placed, tight, beautiful, and serves its purpose. Not only can you load the car up with options, but you can also add some of the aftermarket options as well from many makers. I have had no problems with the vehicle.

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  08 turbo cab tiptronic - 2008 Porsche 911
  By daniel Minc - July 29 - 12:56 am

  Went from an 06 c2s cab stick, to an 08 turbo cab tip. Love the power on demand, glued to the road feeling on country roads. The turbo definitely has a more planted feel on the twisties, probably due to the 4 wheel drive and more weight up front. The c2s felt very light up front with its go kart kind of feel. The main shock to me is how civilized the power train is. Not much of a snarl. no one will hear you and even starting it up is not a noticable event. It unfortunately lacks a killer exhaust note. My 06 C2s started with a snarl which was rewarding. The Tip is smooth as glass, no smg here, and it goes like hell too, but will it fulfill the boy racer desire? Maybe.

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  The Best 997 Yet - 2006 Porsche 911
  By Ray - July 23 - 8:13 pm

  This is an awesome car that is fun to drive and own.

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  Owner - 2005 Porsche 911
  By larry bonine - July 20 - 1:16 am

  The second Porsche I have owned and this one even exceeds all expectations. The turbo feature makes it an absolute thrill to drive (both the sound and rocket like take off.) I have put us through a PCA Drivers Education day for total bonding between the boy and his car. Additionally, we liked Porsche so much, we also got the Cayenne Turbo S and could not be more pleased with our decision. That it is number one in quality three years running surprises us not at all.

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  Fast - 2008 Porsche Cayenne
  By MtnRudy - July 16 - 2:50 pm

  Great speed, handles great. The new front end is a great improvement over 06, but the back could use revision. The only gripe I have is no Bluetooth and no MP3 dock, both features which are available on the X5. That being said, there is no comparison between the X5 and the S. This is one incredibly fast and well-built machine. The biggest surprise to me is how fuel efficient this is, with straight freeway driving at 22, and mixed city/freeway at 17 to 18 (my experience in the first 4000 miles.

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  Cayenne stinks - 2005 Porsche Cayenne
  By david - July 16 - 2:13 pm

  This car rests on its brand laurels; however the quality leaves so much to be desired. While it is fast from a dead stop, the interior sound is too high and the suspension is not as sporty as advertised. Big dissappointment. Will stick with the Carrerra in the future.

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  2002 996 Cab - 2002 Porsche 911
  By WSM996 - July 15 - 6:16 pm

  This has been a great car. I looked at 997s but, for the money, the the 996 seemed like the best buy. Its an everyday driver and I drive it from Austin to Dallas every week for work. A lot of fun; surprising economy; very comfortable seating.