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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  Porsche Bostwer Review - 2008 Porsche Boxster
  By Katty Luis - October 1 - 6:40 am

  The 2008 Porsche Boxter is a great one person car that is fuel efficient and extremely comfortable. It is a great purchase if you are looking for a one person car.

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  an expensive lemon - 2002 Porsche 911
  By disappointed Porsche - October 1 - 2:00 am

  After 2 years with my 911, my previous awe of this car and company has been crushed. Although the car is fun to drive fast, quality is atrocious. Ive had the car in for 4 major engine repairs, including 3 repairs of the rear main seal. The car has now been at the shop over 2 weeks having its engine replaced. Porsche has made no efforts to replace car.

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  3 years coming to an end - 2000 Porsche Boxster
  By dmtaylor - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Boxster is everyhting I hoped it would be.

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  cayenne has a few bugs - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By getrocking - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a cayenne v-6 last spring and its been a hoot to drive. The handling and performance considering its a v-6, the entry model, are superb. The problem has been the several warranty repairs, air bag problem, ignition wiring, and fuel air mix, and a rattle in the dash that has taken forever to figure out. The dealer has been helpful and supportive in all these matters, and wants to make it right whatever it takes.

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  Porsche Boxster - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By Frank - September 22 - 12:13 pm

  This car is very fun to drive, just a slight push on the gas petal tells you why...The first scheduled maintenance is two years or 20,000 miles...Can you believe that! Oil changes every 20K no way...The dealer advised not to drive it over 120 mph during the first 2,000 miles for brake in..Holy cow...That is as fast as you need to be on U.S.A. roads

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  Uber Shweet - 1999 Porsche Boxster
  By Raiffe - September 20 - 10:03 pm

  The car is great! I drive from my home to class mon-fri and not a day goes by when people dont stare! It easily cruses at 100mph and has great highway acceleration in 5th gear. I found that the exhaust wasnt loud enough so I installed one myself and it sounds like a beast. Gas consumption is also amazing for a sports car, I get 26.8 avg. but who really cares! Get it!!!

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  Super-Car! - 2002 Porsche 911
  By rogerdee - September 19 - 5:13 pm

  Its a great car to look at, a delight to drive, a great trophy to own.

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  I hope you like spending $. - 2004 Porsche Cayenne
  By Driver - September 17 - 9:16 am

  Overall, I cant complain, but I am rather dissapointed. In my opinion, for an oil change to take over an hour (resulting in a bill of over $200) is unacceptable. This problem could be fixed by better design of the underbody allowing for easier basic maintnence. In addition, Tiptronic system sometimes kicks in at random. I was dissapointed when I learned that I had to get a completely different WHEEL to get a snow tire. I espescially do not like the image that I payed $70,000 for my car. Buying Premium gas constantly gets very old, very fast. Also, my familly constantly reminds me of the fact that it looks like a rollerskate. If you like spending money and driving is all you care about go for it

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  First impressions - 2006 Porsche Boxster
  By Cricket - September 15 - 12:36 pm

  Just drove the car 1700 miles in 3 days, so heres my first impression: This car is a blast to drive. I have a couple pet-peeves already, but I have no regrets about my purchase!

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  Great Car. - 2001 Porsche Boxster
  By dhaleat - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I tested about everything before getting the Boxster S; Audi TT, BMW Z, Ferrari, MB, 911, etc. All things considered, the S was the clear winner. I guess the bottom line is, If I were buying today, I would still choose a Boxster. Although I would probably buy a used one that was low milage.