Romancing the Porsche
Porsche’s 911 Carrera Cabriolet for 2013 takes the experience of fast and furious driving to another level
Porsche aficionados around the world have been waiting to catch a glimpse of the new generation 911 since its impending release was announced last summer.
This past February, more than two dozen of these Porsche enthusiasts, myself included, gathered at the beautiful Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort & Spa in the Canary Islands to not only get a glimpse of the vehicle, but to take one for a spin around the island.
With optimal weather conditions, intricately winding roads and a spectacular landscape of massive mountains, deep ravines and picturesque villages, Gran Canaria, a Spanish island located off the coast of Africa, served as the perfect playground for a day of intoxicating and exhilarating driving.
The morning after our arrival, we woke to the site of an enticing array of different colored Porsche Cabriolets waiting to be driven. I claimed the key to my agate gray metallic colored baby and got in with anticipation.
Within just minutes of settling in to the buttery soft Carrera red leather interior, it was easy to see why this particular Porsche has been one of the year’s most anticipated new car debuts. Significantly lighter than their predecessors, the new models combine enhanced performance with lower fuel consumption. The vehicle saves 0.6 liters of fuel for each 100 kilometers thanks to its automatic engine cut-off when stationary and new coasting function, which helps the car roll along without power, by slowly taking one’s foot off the accelerator.
The Cabriolet introduces an innovative panel top, which has made it possible, for the first time ever, to achieve a coupe-like roof curvature with a fabric top. In layman’s terms, the new Porsche offers the driver a top-down driving experience within 13 seconds of pressing a single button.
As the sun shone down, and the music from the top-of-the-range Burmester and Bose sound system resonated on the quiet island, I began to get more and more comfortable with my Porsche. With the help of my attentive driving companion, who suggestively asked me to drive first, I began to test the limits of this car.
The small, winding roads on the volcanic island were tricky but a testament to the efficacy of the car’s Porsche Torque Vectoring (PVT) system, which offers safer and faster cornering and improves steering behavior and precision. Rather than feel uneasy on the steep and curving streets, an overwhelming sensation of serenity and euphoria came over me as the car glided effortlessly from one sharp road to the next. Even the surprising snowfall we encountered at the higher altitudes was no match for the sporty Cabriolet, which powered through as naturally as a heavy-duty four-wheel drive.
To further test the full capacity of the car, we were given the chance to experiment with tricks and high-speed driving on the famed Circuito de Maspalomas racing cicruit for the remainder of the day. The car handled unbelievably well, even on the quickest and fastest turns when tipping over seemed inevitable.
Four hours and about a dozen laps later, I was hooked.
As the afternoon quickly came to an end, and it was time for me to return my new love back to its rightful owners, I pressed my foot on the gas and basked in my last moments of driving bliss.
Tala Habbal