For many, their mental image of a German sports car looks like a Porsche 911. For decades, the heart of the Porsche lineup has consisted of the stalwart 911 in a dizzying array of models. The lineup has expanded around the 911 to include the competent Boxster roadster, Cayman coupe and the Cayenne SUV.

After a major update to the 911 in 2005, Porsche has been slowly moving 911 variants to the new architecture. The most recent additions have been the Turbo and Turbo Cabriolet.

Porsche's Cayenne enjoys a significant refresh for 2008. The Cayenne boasts new front-end styling with a different face for each model. A direct-injection engine powers each of the new models: a 4.8L V8 in the Cayenne S, GTS and Turbo, and a 3.6L V6 in the base Cayenne. The Cayenne also benefits from equipment changes.

Next up for Porsche is the launch of an all-new 4-door product line.

• What's new for Porsche
• Porsche for 2008
• Read more on Porsche
• Official Site
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Performance

For many, the way a car performs is a key criterion for which car to purchase. Our Velocity Index helps determine which vehicles are the best all-around performers taking in to consideration a balance of factors such as acceleration and handling.

For more information, view our new car performance guide.

What would we drive?

Based on our Velocity Index analysis, the 2008 Porsche Boxster (3.4L) seems to provide a good trade-off between price and vehicle performance.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy has long been a key decision factor when buying a new vehicle. While the EPA estimates may accurately predict your mileage with a given vehicle, they are useful for broad comparisons of vehicles. Note that many trucks and large SUVS are too heavy to be required to specify their fuel economy.

For more information, view our new car fuel economy guide.

What's popular

Here are the five cars that draw the most attention from our readers.

• 2008 Porsche Cayenne
• 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo
• 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet
• 2008 Porsche 911 GT3
• 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet