A 30 year old virgin

Finally i get to pilot the iconic porsche 911

4y ago
2K

Today feels like Christmas day. It’s not, it’s actually the day after Boxing day, but it feels like Christmas as a close friend of mine has very kindly offered me access to his cherished 911 - a c4s no less. This Stuttgart legend is all mine, well for the day at least, and I couldn’t be happier.

I have always admired the 911 from a distance, but like many I've had limited opportunities to experience one up close. My first real experience came as a passenger in my uncle's old 1989 3.2 carrera, I was 14 and it was pure theatre with its fuchs alloys and giant whale tail. My uncle’s love for Porsches started when he bought a 944 turbo a few years before and when he had a chance to buy a 911 he jumped at it. I loved that car, but alas I was only able to go in it a few times because my uncle quickly sold it after it got a little tail happy on a way out of a corner and my aunt called time on the 80’s icon. (To be fair, she was in the car at the time and also washed my uncles underwear afterwards so might of had a point.)

Anyway, this limited experience was making me feel a little apprehensive, not to mention the fact I've spent my whole driving career in mostly front wheel drive hatchbacks with the engine in its usual place. Coupled with this limited experience was the knowledge that this was my friend’s pride and joy, and that he wouldn’t be best pleased if I dropped it in some ditch. So, with all these thoughts rolling around my head, I take the last sip of my morning tea, grab my keys and head out into the early morning mist.

Only true drivers need apply.

J Hughes

It's cold, but the sky's a deep blue and the sun is starting to burn through - a good day for driving. As I arrive at my friend’s, the heart starts beating a little faster and the sweaty palms appear. My friend decides that it's best that I get the full experience, so throws me the keys and lets me get on with it. I try my best to walk and not run to the garage positioned just behind his house. When I get there I pull back the doors, which begrudgingly give up their treasure. And there it is in all its glory, the c4s with its wide body filling every bit of available space the garage has to offer.

I squeeze down the side and slip (fall) inside. Once inside it's a mixed experience. First, the seating position is great and everything feels made to measure, but the interior could be more special - then again, I am a bit of an Alfa nut, so sometimes get carried away with style over substance.

Getting down to the serious stuff, I take the key, place it in the ignition, turn and I’m instantly met with the thrum of that flat six. As the flat six spits and burbles into life I can feel the grin appearing across my face. I let it warm through and ease down the driveway into suburbia. The low down sitting position demands concentration, but still offers good visibility. Once clear of suburbia, I stir the tanks, select 3rd and engage warp speed - or at least that’s how it feels. This car is quick, but the way it gets there is like nothing else I’ve driven. The gearbox feels like you're operating the bolt action on a winchester rifle, it actually becomes quite addictive. And the power, although not ballistic, is on tap with loads of torque whenever needed. In fact, I think you could drive this car everywhere in third.

With all the horror stories of 911s swapping ends, I didn’t push too hard to start, allowing myself time to adjust to this engineering marvel, but with every corner it got more and more under my skin. The more I pushed the more feedback I got, and by midday I was hooked and the 911 bug had well and truly bitten. What got me was how important the driver is, something missing from a lot of today’s cars. It offers little in the way of a safety net with just the partial 4wd to help. This is a car that you do not take liberties with, it wants to be driven but still demands your respect. It’s for this reason I love it, only true drivers need apply. Now all I have to do is finish my payments on the Alfa convince the missus we don’t need kids or even a house and join the club, but with one difference - next time I want the full rwd experience.

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