Porsche sold a record 57,202 cars in the United States in 2018 (up from 21,320 when the Cayenne was first launched in 2003). You can thank the steady growth in the Porsche’s model range for the growth in units sold. Today Porsche has the 718 Cayman, 718 Boxster, 911 (992), Panamera, Macan and Cayenne models. There is no better time to become a Porsche owner for the first time or to add to your Porsche collection as an existing buyer. For 2020 there are several updates to the model range. The Macan has been updated (mildly) while the Cayenne launched its third generation model in 2019, a bigger upgrade cycle for sure.
Perhaps the biggest updates to the 2020 model range is the introduction of the next generation Porsche 911 (known as the Type 992). Already on sale in the U.S (10 variants so far) we expect Porsche to trickle in press releases in the coming months as the model range grows and it announces the 992 versions of the GTS, T cars as well as the GT cars and special editions (more likely in 2021). If you are shopping for a Porsche, we hope you find our guide to the current model lineup useful. As always we aim to update this often so check back.
The legend lives on. In the new 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman. For the sport of it. Exceptional sports cars that are perfect for the daily driving and spirited runs on weekends. Great balance, plenty of poke and pure driving enjoyment. What else could you want in a sports car.
2020 Porsche 718 Cayman Range
We love the 718 model range. There is the 718 Boxster and the 718 Cayman variants with a number of sub-variants of each. The driver-focused Porsche 718 T models have cool dynamic options, simpler interior and unique styling touches. It is a back to basics model all about fun. Mechanically, it is based on the standard 718 (same 2 liter turbo flat-four). Speaking of the base Cayman, it is still a tasty proposition with its turbo 2.0-liter flat-four good for 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. If you want some extra poke then we recommend the 718 Cayman S with a larger turbo 2.5-liter flat-four good for 350 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. Near the top of the 718 range are the GTS models which has been radically improved in 2020, going back to a naturally aspirated flat six engine instead of the turbo four. It looks more aggressive and drives better than the T and S models and its tweaked version of the flat 6 is an absolute masterpiece in that small chassis (it is the same 4 liter unit as The GTS 718s are our pick, even ahead of the absolute top of the heap that is the 718 Spyder and the 718 Cayman GT4. The GT4 and Spyder are future classics for sure and if you can come up with the extra money you won’t be disappointed, but for us the sweet spot is the GTS, giving you 9/10ths of the experience for a lot less money.
There is no doubt that the flat-four turbo engine sucks compared to the flat-six that came before it when it comes to sound and character. However, there is also no doubt in terms of pure performance that the flat-four has definitely made the Boxster a better performance car. Both models have the same single turbo 2.5-liter flat-four as their Cayman siblings. Base model is good for 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque while the S is good for 350 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. The new Boxster T is arguably the best of the bunch in terms of basic sports car thrills but for us the extra performance in the Boxster GTS is worth the upgrade, especially now that the GTS comes with the 4 liter flat six option.
The greatness continues. After 55 years Porsche shows that the 911 can still be improved. The work in progress continues with the latest version of the 911 (known as Type 992). The models will started to hit the showroom in late 2020 with four models initially for launch and now its already up to ten variants with the launch of Turbo and Turbo S. It looks familiar, feels familiar, sounds familiar.
The Porsche Panamera is an outstanding family car for the buyer who wants both luxury and performance. There is no lack of competition at this price point and yet it is Porsche that stands out. Overal, the Panamera is awesome to drive, it is relaxing and comfortable, has decent luggage space and an interior that feels luxurious and practical.
With that in mind, Porsche has decided that for 2021, as announced in its press release, it’s going to shake up the lineup in terms of power and performance, while leaving the looks mostly alone. The biggest change comes in the form of the top of the line Turbo S. Instead of being a Turbo S E-Hybrid, the hybrid part of the powertrain has been dropped due to weight. While the combined 671 BHP was impressive, the nearly 700 extra pounds it added to the total weight of the car barely made it faster than the midrange GTS.
2020 Porsche Panamera Range
The base Panamera gets a turbo V6 with 330 hp and rear-wheel drive, while the Panamera 4 gets all-wheel drive. Moving up to the Panamera S and 4S means upgrading to a twin-turbo 2.9 liter V6 with 440-hp. Above that Porsche has the Panamera GTS range and that is when things get super fun. The GTS Panamera cars get a 4 liter twin-turbo V8 engine good for 453 hp. The Panamera range also has a number of hybrid powertrain options and shooting brake gran turismo body style. In fact it is the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid that sits on top of the Panamera performance heap with its 4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 and electric motor generating an absurd 677 hp and 626 lb-ft of torque.
With the incredibly engaging Macan, Porsche proves that a crossover can drive like a sports car. The Macan is quick, handles well and drives like a sports car (for real). Our pick is the Macan S mainly due to the performance upgrade over the base Macan and because it has the more characterful twin-turbo V6 engine (vs the turbo 4 cylinder engine).
2020 Porsche Macan Range
There are two Macan models for 2020, the base Macan and the Macan S. The base car comes with a 248 hp turbocharged four cylinder and the Macan S gets a turbocharged V6 making 348 horsepower. Every Macan is comes standard with a magnificent seven-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The 2020 Porsche Macan is updated for this year and features refreshed exterior styling that includes updated front and rear bumpers, new tail lamps that span the width of the liftgate, and new wheel designs. The GTS and Turbo models have yet to be revealed for 2020, but we expect Porsche will announce details pretty soon.
The third generation Porsche Cayenne is completely redesigned and restyled for 2019. It gets more powerful engines, the addition of a new and improved hybrid model. Overall, the Porsche Cayenne formula has stayed the same. It is a very impressive SUV with a high quality interior, lots of space, great build quality and awesome driving dynamics. The biggest news in Cayenne-land is the launch of the new Cayenne Coupe, a new model trying make the Cayenne sportier.
2019 Porsche Cayenne Model Range
From the outside it is hard to spot the styling differences between the updated Cayenne and the model before. It is longer, lower and wider than before and has fancier LEDs at the back as well as some other small tweaks you won’t notice.
Engines have been upgraded for 2019 and while they are smaller in displacement that are more powerful. You have four choices starting with a 3.0 liter turbo V6 with 335 hp, followed by a 2.9 liter twin-turbo V6 with 434 hp and a 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 with 542bhp. There is also a hybrid powertrain Cayenne that gets 456 hp. All models have the smooth shifting 8-speed auto and all-wheel drive.
Price from: $79,900 Engine: 3L Turbocharged V6 + Electric Power: 455 hp Torque: 516 lb-ft 0-60 mph: 4.7 seconds Top Speed: 157 mph
2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Models
Recently Porsche unveiled the 2020 Cayenne Coupe range. Porsche Turned its full-size SUV into a “coupe”, the least surprising new product announcement ever. Mechanically, the Coupe range is identical to the regular Cayenne (not a bad thing). The Coupe does get standard 20 inch wheels and PASM as standard which is nice. The base Cayenne Coupe has a turbo V6 making 335 hp and and 332 lb-ft of torque. The Cayenne Coupe Turbo sits at the top of the range and gets the 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 making 541 hp and 567 lb-ft of torque.
The Porsche Taycan is the car company’s new production electric vehicle. It is designed to put everything that people know and love from the company into a new platform of car that’s powered entirely by electricity. It’s also the car that’s set to kick off Porsche’s leap in electrification.
The 2020 model year is the first year for the car, and the Turbo and Turbo S were the first ones to break cover. Shortly after, Porsche released a slightly detuned version of the Taycan in a trim level known as the Taycan 4s. The company will likely come up with even more versions of the car as the model progresses. The Taycan line will expand and change over time.
