After just making my connecting flight, and the resultant lost luggage, my landing in Germany hadn't gone too well till i got to Avis.
Fortunately, I'd taken one of luxury car packages, and was expecting an A8. However, they didn't have one, and i was offered a 7-series or E-class.
I had passed 4 new Porsches on my way in the door, and through some flirting and tales of woe managed to get my way in to a new 911 Targa 4 for a mere 118 Euro's more. I was then told that actually the Porsche had only just been delivered, so it was literally brand new and i was its first chapperone!
I've never seen the interest in Porsches, and despite having been in a few the only one I can have claimed to love is Schoomers GT3.
The new model I LOVE the styling of first off, and sinking in to a brand new leather interior, i was massively impressed with the build quality. Sat-nav programmed for the hotel and off i set.
Now purely as I knew that Mckeann would never speak to me again if i didn't
I resolved once i found my hotel to then find the bahn, quickly!A few launches off the light, and few moments off oversteer, a 4wd drift and i was at the hotel, loving the suprisingly rorty note from the exhuast, and thinking what an awesome day to day car this would make, especially with the Atom tucked away for the weekend! (why do they have to start at £60k!)
Left the hotel and found the sings for the Autobahn, heading for Berlin. Got on to the bahn and couldn't see any speed signs (normally near cities its about 120kmph) so after a brief stint to about 150mph, i calmed down, and in heavy-ish traffic sat about 100tuts, then saw a 120kmph sign, and 3kms later the DERESTRICTED sign
. Lashed it down a few cogs and went for it!Up to 150 this thing is quite rapid, and i hit 240kmph (approx 150kmph) a few times, but the traffic would not really allow for more. After a good 25 kms i decided to turn round as the traffic appeared to be considerably lighter heading the other way.
Off we go now in the other direction, and immediately we've passed 250kmph, before braking ,gently, due to a sudden collection of traffic in the inside 2 lanes. I don''t fancy a shunt in this or at this pace!
Still fortune favoured the brave (or stupid depending on your view point) and then next 5 kms was nearly straight with a few undulations (which suddenly seem largers norht of 160+tuts). Needless to say I went for it. The car started to feel floaty as we passed 260kmph, with the speed now increasing by the trickle on the digital speedo.
270kmph and climbing...i was aware that i was hanging on to tightly to the steering wheel, and had a brief Walshy lecture to myself, relaxed my grip and kept going, looking as far down the road as possibela nd trying to read the body language of the other cars, while looking at the proxmimities to each other (all though the road was lightly trafficked). 275, and i'm now even more tense, we are flying.
280 arrives and its held there for a few seconds. My brave pills have expired, and i need a quick ease off. Still sitting at 140mph, things seem quite sedate, and my cousin (in the pax) is commenting on how planted the Porsche felt, and was that really 280kmph i saw on the speedo!
We go for it again and hit 280kmph again, but I decided then that we are now getting closer to Hannover, and i should really be sensible about things. I have a new bond with my hire car!
The Porsche is left at the hotel door overnight and then used as our shuttle to and from Cebit. Occassionally I get the chance to tease it and listen to the straight six, which sounds unique, and i now have an ability to distinguish Porsches from the engine note. I cannot believe how much I like this car though. It even takes a credable amount of kit.
Handing the keys back to a typically uniterested Avis employee was a sole destroying moment........I suspect this won't be my last 911 adventure.
From a 911 critic to an avid fan in one weekend - what ever next - maybe Ed will finally buy a Supercharged S1 Exige
Photo's to follow
ps. Schooomer you need to let me take the GT3 for a spin
