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Porsche

There is no doubt that when you mention the name Porsche, you think of ultra high performance sports cars that take a back seat to no competitor. Well known for pinpoint handling and pure unadulterated power, it's no secret that Porsche has long defined the sports car category throughout automotive history. Since experiencing unrivaled success as a sports car manufacturer, Porsche has now started to expand its product line to enter into more mainstream markets.

The company was founded in 1931 in Stuttgart Germany by Ferdinand Porsche and named the Porsche Engineering Office. Prior to this, Porsche was an automotive engineer who for years worked for Daimler and was the driving force behind Mercedes' legendary sports cars the SS and the SSK. As most of you know, Porsche was also instrumental in the creation of Hitlers “Peoples Car”. So it came as no surprise to the automotive world that the first Porsche vehicles were sports car built mainly on the Volkswagen chassis using many of the same components such as the rear mounted air cooled engine. During the postwar period of 1948 – 1950, the production of the Porsche line was done is Austria before manufacturing was moved to Zuffenhausen.

As Porsche moved into the decade of the 1950's, it produced 2 models that literally became icons in the automotive world. The 356 Speedster and the lightweight 550 Spyder that was the first model to use a mid engine design. Both became legendary in racing circles. As the company evolved into the 60's, the 356 started to fade and was replaced by what many considered to be the strongest Porsche ever, the model 911.With a 6 cylinder, rear mounted engine, the 911 scored back to back wins at the Rally of Monte Carlo.

As the company hit the 1970's. Porsche was introducing even more models. This was a time that saw the mighty 911 turbo, the 928, a 4 seat coupe that was powered by a front mounted V8 and finally the 914 that was marketed as the “affordable” Porsche that sported a targa type top and a another model that used the mid engine design. Not all models were successful though, as was evidenced by the Porsche 924. Most analysts attributed the weak sales of the 924 to the power plant that it used. A in-line, water cooled 4 cylinder engine that left most buyers, underwhelmed. Steaming into the 80's, Porsche rolled out a model that was to become a racing legend, the Porsche 956. Trying to top the success of the 956, Porsche immediately followed with the 959, a powerful twin turbo model that was the first sports car to win the famous Paris-Dakar Rally. What thrilled driving enthusiasts even more was that the street version version of the 959 boasted a top speed of 200mph. The 1980's also saw the birth of the nimble yet powerful 944, a convertible 911 and a rejuvenated 924 with an improved power plant..

The 1990's was a time that Porsche struggled financially. The markets became more competitive and consumers more discerning. To combat this climate, Porsche introduced the Boxster in 1997. This was a model that was inspired by the venerable Porsche 550 Spyder. Needless to say, this was a model that led to the resurgence of Porsche in the sports car marketplace and propelled it into the new millennium. In 2003, amidst grumblings from many Porsche enthusiasts, the company unveiled a SUV, the Cayenne. All was forgiven though as the Cayenne's sporty performance and the availability of a 450hp turbocharged power plant made this model true to the Porsche heritage. Another milestone was reached in 2005 when Porsche rolled out a virtual super car, the 605hp Carrera GT.

Throughout history, Porsche has shown the ability to be incredibly resilient. In times when mergers of automakers seem to be the soup of the day, Porsche has stood alone, remaining proudly independent, taking on the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lotus. Never known as a company to rest upon its laurels, this innovative automaker continues to produce products that constantly challenge the performance marketplace.

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