When you mention you are heading to “driver’s ed” it makes it sound as if you are back in high school or, if you reside in a state that mandates it, to a punishment school for those who have been ticketed for speeding.
Registration and Technical Inspection
The registration itself is a bit daunting. You are usually asked to complete registration, a medical form and a technical inspection form for your car. The registration will ask for general information about you and your car, including your address and the make and model of your automobile. FYI, when they ask whether you are “novice, intermediate or advanced,” they are not asking for your opinion of your driving skills. You may think you rule the roadways, but if you’ve never done a DE before, you are a novice. And even if you have done a few DEs, you are still a novice. And once you have done a few, you will understand why being moved to the intermediate group too early is not always a good thing (more on that later).
Completing items on the tech inspection form may initially seem like a headache, but you should consider it insurance for when you push your car’s handling, brakes and tires to the limit. Prior to the event, you should take your car to a mechanic for a thorough inspection. When you arrive at the track, your car will be inspected once again and if all things are not found to be up to par, you won’t be allowed to run.
If you don’t own a helmet (and most novices don’t), you may ask the DE organizers to hold a “loaner” helmet for you. Eventually, if you decide DEs are something you’d like to do often, you may consider purchasing a helmet for yourself. Your decision may be hastened if you do an August event and borrow a sweaty, manly smelling helmet.
Arrive a bit Early
Arriving at the track the first time is both exciting and intimidating. DE events usually ask that you show up early for setup, inspections and a possible classroom session prior to your time behind the wheel. When you arrive, other drivers will be filing in. Some drive up in cars that look like yours, and others will arrive towing race-ready vehicles. The parking lot at my first DE was a beautiful sight, full of Porsches old and new.
After you arrive and park, you’ll register and receive your instructor assignment and event schedule. Your instructor serves as your event guide, and as such, it is important that you feel comfortable with him/her. Instructors ride with you in the car and offer you level-appropriate feedback to help you become a better driver. If you do anything at your DE, it should be to listen to your teacher. Some of the suggestions offered by the teacher may seem senseless at the time. The instructor will encourage you to go faster, brake later, turn later, etc. If you develop trust in your instructor, following his/her advice will yield surprising results and a thrilling experience.
Check your Ego at the Door
On that note, let me stress that the worst thing you can bring with you to a DE event, be it novice or advanced, is an ego. If you’re there to hear praise on your driving skills, or to drive aggressively to prove how fast you are, you won’t learn much. At best you’ll annoy those around you; at worst you could hurt your fellow drivers. Leave your ego behind and you’ll leave the track a better driver.
In part II of this post we’ll explore what happens after registration and tech inspection and go through an actual day at a DE event.
Today’s post was written by a member of the 993C4S.com group on facebook and PCA Zone 4 member, Valerie Roedenbeck. Valerie’s love of all things Porsche started when she received a ride home from the hospital in her Dad’s 1962 356 Super-90 Cabriolet. She acquired her first Porsche, an ’02 996 Cabriolet, last summer. Inspired by her brother, a longtime performance driver and DE instructor, she attended her first DE in 2001. She’s currently trying to convince her husband to add a Cayman S to the family.
A little over two months ago I wrote about making some significant changes to this web-site and modifying my posting schedule as a result. Well, as most of you know, I did make quite a few changes to the site (from an appearance, resources and usability standpoint) but I never did change my posting schedule . So, starting on today I will move to posting on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. If something comes up that I think should get published immediately (an important news item or other Porsche related tidbit, then I’ll post it up regardless of the schedule.
Why the change?
It’s simple really. 993C4S.com has become much more popular then I ever anticipated. From the people that email and comment on the site, the reason for the popularity seems to stem from my original content. It’s not that I’m some great writer (heck I know that my spelling and grammar leave a lot to be desired), it’s more the fact that I spend time researching and creating articles that some people (for one reason or another) find useful. So, instead of just reposting all the other Porsche stuff that can be found on other automotive related blogs, I would like to continue to focus on original, well researched content. To do this, it takes more time and for that reason alone I will be posting less frequently.
I would love to hear from any of you on topics of interest. What type of items are most useful to you? Are you interested in DIY stuff? Buying Advice? History of the Brand, etc? What is it that makes you keep coming back to the site. Please let me know so I can be sure to focus my attention in the right place.
In addition, over the next week or so, you will notice the addition of some site sponsors. These are companies that I have worked with in one way shape or form that are Porsche related. These sponsors will run the gamut from independent Porsche dealers, to Porsche part resellers and anything else Porsche related. If you like what you read hear on 993C4S.com please be sure to click through to our sponsors web-sites and see what they have to offer. If anyone wants additional information on any of the site sponsors, don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions. I think you’ll find them all to be very reputable and well known amongst the Porsche community.
Today’s post is written by Mike Frye. Mike is a Porsche 928 owner and a friend from Rennlist. As one of the first people to answer my post requesting guest bloggers for 993C4S.com, Mike has served up a great article on the Porsche 928. If you want to get in-touch with Mike you can do so by commenting on this article or using the contact form and I will forward to him.
3 Common misunderstandings about the Porsche 928
The Porsche 928 is prone to engine fire
The Porsche 928 is expensive to maintain
The Porsche 928 is fat and slow
About 18 months ago I found myself in a position to purchase a 1985 928. Over the years I had heard some of these “myths” about the 928, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to buy a car that I had coveted since I was a teenager (when it was the premier Super Car on the planet). Well I’m here to tell you that each one of these myths (like most rumors and stereotypes) has a kernel of truth to them but can easily be avoided with a little preventative maintenance or are not based on complete facts. The following is information I’ve gathered from personal experience or from others I’ve met through the 928 tech forum on Rennlist.com.
So let’s take each one in order and examine where the stereotypes came from and just how true it is.
Porsche 928s are prone to engine/exhaust fires. Many of us have heard stories or even seen pictures or videos of 928s with an engine fire or the whole car simply burning. Here’s a disturbing Youtube video that was recently circulated showing one:
I chose this myth first and in fact I chose the topic of this article for one reason. A person I know from Rennlist recently had his 928 burn up (within the past month). This person was someone who had recently had a small fire underneath his car and had attempted to fix the problem, but was unsuccessful. The car in question had not had any of its many rubber and flexible lines replaced and was over 20 years old.
The Porsche 928 has hard lines and rubber lines for fuel injection (under pressure), transmission fluid cooling (from the transaxle in the rear, all the way up to the radiator and back) and power steering lines (not only under pressure, but the 928 uses ATF which is flammable, instead of power steering fluid). The fact that there are flammable fluids under pressure in the engine compartment and along the bottom of the car is not the problem, in fact this configuration is common to quite a few cars. The fact that they use rubber or soft lines isn’t the problem; this is also common. The fact that these lines were not replaced in over 20 years and were expected to work indefinitely is the problem.
Items high on the preventive maintenance list for the Porsche 928 are replacement of the fuel injection lines, power steering lines, and for automatics, the transmission fluid cooling lines. If these are replaced every 20 years or so, there is no more likelihood of a 928 bursting into flames than any other car. I think the fact that the body, suspension and engine last so long and run so well in these cars leads to people just driving them until they stop. Most 20+ year old cars would be badly rusted out in the body and show signs of corrosion everywhere else, so the rubber lines would be the last thing to go. In these cars after 20+ years, the lines start to go and it’s sometimes the first indication of aging and sadly, it can be the last.
Porsche 928s are expensive to maintain. This is a very interesting observation. I think it stems from people who buy a former Super Car for $10,000 or under (when the original retail was anywhere from $50k to over $100k, at a time when a home could be bought for $75k) and then are surprised when a routine tune-up can cost over $1,000 in parts and labor. The car is a Porsche. There are two components that contribute to cost: parts and labor. Parts are not cheap and in fact are going up in value as they become more rare and some are actually no longer available at all.
The majority of Porsche 928s on the road today are over 20 years old and will require some deferred maintenance (maintenance that a former owner neglected to do or put off). This deferred maintenance is usually the part that people complain about and which is most costly. Once the 20+ year old parts have been gone over and the fuel lines, electrical systems, ignition system, suspension and drivetrain have been sorted out, the actual operating costs are no more than any other car of the same caliber.
Porsche 928s are Fat and Slow. 928s are not slow at all. The original design called for a 5.0L engine, but because of the economy at the time they were introduced (1977) the engine was reduced to a 4.5L that was unfortunately not quite enough to provide the neck-snapping acceleration that later models would have. For this reason, the initial offering, though quick, was not ‘FAST’. The 928 never seems to have been able to shake this reputation. Even the later models were not designed for 0-60 or 0-100 acceleration though. It’s not a muscle car. The 928 was designed as a Grand Touring (GT) car, for touring Europe and driving on the Autobahn at speeds in excess of 120mph in style and comfort with enough luggage to last a weekend. For this it was perfectly equipped originally and it only got better over time.
The Porsche 928 is a ‘fringe’ Model
Its many unique traits have been discussed ad nauseam elsewhere, but having these myths floating around doesn’t help its case. If you’re considering buying a Porsche 928, consider it based on factual first hand experience rather than rumors, stereotypes and hype.
Just about a month ago I asked the question Can Driving Games help you Improve Your Track Skills? A few of you wrote in and said you thought that most definitely they do. One person suggested that it was a great way to learn a track (similar to walking a track prior to a race) and a few of you thought it might be good to help with eye hand coordination.
The question and post mentioned above was inspired by a few reviews I had read of a Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel for PlayStation 3 and PC games. This wheel, created by the German company Fanatec (a subsidiary of Endor AG), realistically emulates a Porsche 911 Turbo wheel. After reading the reviews, I made it a point to reach out to Fanatec and Endor to ask a few questions while constructing my post. Much to my surprise Fanatec not only responded immediately, but they sent a unit along for me to test and review. So, while we all know that 993C4S.com is not about gaming and electronics, the fact that Fanatec’s wheel is an officially licensed product from Porsche allows it to fit in quite nicely.
Two Stage Review of the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel
Upon receiving the wheel from Fanatec I made arrangements with a friend (thanks Mike) to set-up the wheel on his dedicated gaming system. Mike is a whiz with computers and the system he has set up to enjoy his favorite hobby (PC gaming/racing) has to be seen to be believed (more on this later). After conferring with Mike we both decided it would be best to do a “two-stage” review. The first stage (this one) consists of the set-up of the wheel, first impressions, pros and cons and initial recommendations. The second stage will be a longer-term review after both Mike and I have had a chance to use the wheel for a few weeks and really get a good feel for how it performs.
First Stage Review
Mike had just recently finished building a new gaming system dedicated specifically to PC Racing games. For all of the techies out there, here are some of the specifics on his new set-up:
AMD Athalon X2 3.2 Ghz Dual Core
4gig DDR2 Dual Channel Memory
Nvidia G-Force 8600 GTS Graphics Card
Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS w/ 7.1 surround sound
Logitech Momo Steering wheel (which has now been replaced with the Fanatec Porsche Wheel)
24” Dell Wide Screen LCD monitor
Windows Vista Home Ultra
Need for Speed ProStreet
Packaging: The wheel came extremely well packaged in a very attractive inner box. My only thought on packaging was why call so much attention to the outer box with all the Porsche branding. I come from an industry that doesn’t want to draw attention to what’s in the box (helps to reduce shrinkage/theft). As a result, our outer packaging is blank and we keep all our branding on the inner boxes. Blank outer boxes may reduce the amount of packages that get “lost” en-route for delivery (if it hasn’t happened yet, it will). Not a negative at all, just a suggestion. You can click on anyone of the thumbnails below for a full-size image.
Installation and Instructions: The Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel comes with a quick start guide in multiple languages. While it did allow us to get the wheel installed, we did find the need to refer, on a few occasions, to the support site that can be accessed at Fanatec’s web-site. For the most part we found the installation to be straight forward and easy to manage. Total time for set-up was about 30 minutes. I’m sure we could have cut this time easily in half, but we were taking notes and photos so that definitely extended our time.
First Impressions: Once installation was complete, and upon power up, the wheel self calibrates and self centers. The overall quality of this wheel is superb. It looks and feels exactly like a Porsche Turbo Steering Wheel. Thick cushioning on the wheel provides for excellent grip. The programmable/user defined buttons are all within easy reach and feel substantial upon actuating their movement.
The thing that immediately set this wheel apart from the competition was the force-feedback. It is outstanding! Not only does the wheel provide feedback in turns and bumps, you get a realist feeling for the road during acceleration and braking (something that is lacking on most other wheels). The only real complaints we have for right now have to do with the mounting. The wheel itself could use a stronger mounting mechanism and more importantly, the shifter is just way too unstable. Fanatec says they have fixed this with an optional wheel clamping system, but I think it should be included as standard.
Pros/What we liked.
Everything is well packaged and easily found.
Quick start instructions were/are enough to get the job done without the need for much else.
Included USB stick (in the shape of a Porsche key) has most drivers available for easy installation. Anything not included can be found on the Fanatec web-site.
Wheel self calibrates and self centers upon power-up.
With only a power cord to spoil the view, the wireless set-up looks great.
You can choose between powered by batteries or wired power for the pedals. Again anything that reduces the amount of clutter and wires around the PC is a big bonus.
Three shifter choices. You can choose between paddle shifter, six speed manual shifter or an up/down ratchet shifter. We chose the six speed manual for a more life like driving experience.
Shifter(s) can be mounted on left or right side.
Quality of the wheel and pedal mechanism are excellent. The look and feel is superb to anything we’ve used including the Logitech Momo wheel it is currently replacing.
The wheel vibrates under acceleration giving a very life like simulation as part of the force-feedback.
The overall force-feedback of the wheel is second to none. The factory recommended settings seem to be spot on and really give you a good feel for the road.
The clutch, brake and gas pedal are of life like size and have strong resistance for a good realistic feel.
Cons and Suggested Improvements:
Spend a bit more time on the English translation. For the most part it was/is okay, but there are a few areas that don’t quite make sense and could use some editing. Not enough to stop us from getting the job done, but it was definitely noticeable.
There was no Windows Vista driver on our USB stick. Again, it was no problem finding it on the Fanatec support site, but it should be included on the USB stick.
The help function in our system set-up screen did not yet appear to be operational. I’m sure this will be live for the production version.
The clamping system for the wheel did not fit the table we were using and we needed to make a modification for it to work. Even if it had fit, the clamping system is not strong enough to hold the wheel firmly in place. Fanatec has said that the production version will offer a “new clamping system as an “optional upgrade.” In my mind this should be included as part of the standard system as without a good mount, the whole driving experience is affected negatively.
The shifter attachment is very unstable when using the six speed shifter. There is no way to clamp the shifter directly to the table resulting in a very unstable shifter under normal driving conditions. Same fix as above.
We couldn’t find it, so if there is the ability to do so, let us know. But we felt you should have the ability to choose between either the paddle shifters on the wheel or the attached stick shifter.
We had installed the pedals on a carpet. The pedal mount comes with very strong Velcro on the back (under the pedal). However, the clutch is so strong we felt it could use an additional length of Velcro along the front of the base. In fact, we went out to the local hardware store and bought a small piece and this made all the difference in the world. Fanatec will be adding some weight to the base plate to help with this, but the additional Velcro strip would be a nice touch at very little expense.
Next Steps
The plan now is to use the wheel for a few weeks and really get the feel for it. While the wheel does need some minor improvements (most of which we’re told have already been addressed) overall it seems like a great product and should be good for some vastly improved driving/gaming experiences. I’ll plan on posting the second stage of this review in two to three weeks time. If anyone has any questions, just let me know.
In yesterday’s post on China as an Important Market for Porsche we looked at the projected growth of the overall market for Porsche. Well, over the weekend, Porsche officially released the new Cayenne Turbo S model for the first time. According to Porsche the development of this improved and much more powerful SUV was a direct response to the “wishes of its customers.”
I know that a lot of you like to put down the Cayenne, but say what you want, with the introduction of the Cayenne GTS and now the Turbo S (1.4 seconds faster from 0 to 60 than the GTS), Porsche continues to grow their market share in the very competive SUV market and do so at an incredible rate.
Read the full Press Release below
Stuttgart/Beijing. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has extended its third model line by the addition of the top of the range Cayenne Turbo S. The Turbo S, the most powerful Cayenne of them all, is driven by a 4.8 liter V8 engine with twin turbo forced induction, delivering 550 hp (404 kW).
The Turbo S is Porsche’s response to the wishes of its customers. There is huge demand, especially in the new emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia, for exclusive sports-style SUVs with top quality physical handling dynamics. Despite the fact that Porsche has managed to give the new Turbo S even better drive performance than the regular Turbo model (500 hp / 368 kW), the fuel efficiency figures for the Turbo S are exactly the same as those for the Cayenne Turbo (as per the calculation methods stipulated under the New European Operating Cycle – NEFZ).
From the outside, the Turbo S can be recognized by its 21 inch SportPlus alloy wheels housed within its painted wheel arches and by a sports exhaust system with four tail pipes made from aluminum investment casting. The air intake grills and wheel arches are painted the same color as the car body. The new understated yet elegant “lava gray metallic” paint option is exclusive to the Turbo S.
All models of the Turbo S have a chassis which benefits from air suspension, not to mention suspension leveling and ride-height control, along with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which – once again as standard – is combined with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and Servotronic speed-sensitive variable power steering.
With the introduction of the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) as an option, Porsche underscores its leading position as a provider of ultra durable brake disks made from carbon fiber ceramic composite. When the 2009 range is introduced, this high tech brake disk – originally developed for the motor sport sector – will become available for the first time in a sector other than the sports car sector, namely in the elite, top quality physical handling SUV sector. The front axle ceramic disks are 410 mm in diameter, whereas the rear axle disks are 370 mm in diameter. Deceleration takes place via six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear. The PCCB is available as an option on other Cayenne models such as the Cayenne S, GTS and Turbo, subject to wheel sizes of at least 20 inches.
The high quality character of the new Cayenne top-of-the range Turbo S is emphasized by the standard equipment of the interior, the front sports seat with Comfort Memory Package, rear seating with individual seat contours, aluminum door panels showing the name plate together with leather upholstery in two exclusive dual-color combinations (black / Havana and black / steel gray) plus a leather steering wheel with padded center.
The latest generation of Porsche Communication Multimedia System Management (PCM) inclusive of navigation module with hard drive provides a full range of new, easily accessed functions actuated via a touch-screen. As with all other Cayenne models, the Cayenne Turbo S also comes with the option of voice actuation with full word recognition for navigation system destinations, universal audio interface (with MP3 connection), cell phone link-up via Bluetooth and a TV module for both analog and digital terrestrial signals. Offered as standard, the BOSE® Surround Sound System with 14 speakers features enhanced 410 Watt output and is now capable of reproducing music from audio and video DVDs in 5.1 Discrete Surround Format.
The Turbo S’s enhanced performance relative to that of the regular Turbo model is due to its modified exhaust system and improvements in engine control. In addition to the performance improvements, there has also been an increase in maximum torque by 50 Nm to 750 Nm within an engine speed range of 2,250 rpm to 4,500 rpm.
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and its top speed is 280 km/h. The Turbo S will be introduced into the market as from August 2008. The international basis price is EUR 111,400.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Specifications and Technical data
Engine: V8 with two parallel exhaust turbo loaders Fuel injection: direct fuel injection (DFI) Displacement: 4,806 cm3 (293.3 cu in) Bore: 96 mm (3.78 in) Stroke: 83 mm (3.27 in) Compression ratio: 10.5:1 Max. power output: 404 kW (550 hp) at 6,000 rpm Max. torque: 750 Nm from 2,250 rpm to 4,500 rpm
Gearbox: Six-speed Tiptronic S converter automatic Transmission: Permanent all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM) with transfer gearshift All-wheel moment distribution: 38 % : 62 %
(Basic distribution front/rear)
Chassis: Independent suspension – front: via large basis double wishbones; rear: multi-link suspension; air suspension with suspension leveling and ride-height control, including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) Brakes: Front: six-piston aluminum monoblock fixed caliper brakes together with two-part internally ventilated brake disks with diameter of 380 mm; rear: four-piston aluminum monoblock brake disks together with internally ventilated brake disks with diameter of 358 mm Wheels: 10 J x 21 Tires: 295/35 R 21 Steering: Servotronic speed-sensitive power steering basic weight: 2,355 kg (DIN) Permissible total weight: 3,080 kg
Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 4.8 sec, 0-60 mph in 4.7 sec Max. speed: 280 km/h (174.0 mph)
Fuel consumption: 14.9 l/100 km (combined, as per NEFZ), 18.1 mpg (combined) Emissions: C02 358 g/km (combined) Pollutant class: EURO 4
Now here is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. As a passionate, if not fanatic, Porsche fan and owner I read and absorb information from Porsche voraciously. Recently I contacted the Porsche PR department in Germany to gain access to their press database. This database provides members of the media or “accredited journalists” with access to press releases and photos that Porsche is looking to disseminate. Much to my surprise and chagrin I was informed that Porsche did not grant access to the PR database to bloggers. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a very strange decision to me.
Let’s look at some simple facts. This particular web-site (993C4S.com) will receive almost 10,000 visitors this month and as much as 40,000 page views. Now, those aren’t staggering figures in the blogosphere, but they are pretty impressive when you consider the following:
This blog is only four months old
It is Porsche brand specific
The visitors to this site are either current/past Porsche owners, looking to purchase a Porsche immediately, or a Porsche fan and hope to own one in the future.
As the number of readers, subscribers and page views continue to grow, Porsche is missing out on a key part of its audience by not allowing web-sites like 993C4S.com access to their media databases because we are not considered “mainstream” media. My hope is that with this recent change to Porsche’s management we might see some change in how they view web-sites like this one. I’ll let you know how my future conversations with Porsche proceed.
Full Press Release Below:
New Head of Porsche Product and Technical Press
Stuttgart. Changeover in the Press Department of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG: on June 1, 2008, Hans-Gerd Bode (47) will be taking over as Head of the Product and Technical Communications Department from Stefan Marschall (51), who is leaving the enterprise at his own request, to set up in business as an independent PR consultant. Bode is coming to Porsche from Volkswagen AG, where he had been Head of Brand and Product Communication since 2001. When working for the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer he will be cooperating closely with Eckhard Eybl (54), who has been looking after the product press since May 2007, and will be reporting to Bode in this capacity.
In Hans-Gerd Bode, Porsche AG has acquired a distinguished public relations colleague who combines experience as a journalist with a detailed knowledge of the automotive sector. After studying German language and literature and geography at the Friedrich-Wilhelm University, Bonn, Bode first entered a voluntary traineeship at a news agency, subsequently acting as press officer for the German importer of Mitsubishi from 1989, and then, from 1992, for Adam Opel AG. In 1996 he went to Mercedes-Benz AG in Stuttgart, where he was responsible for product communication for the German market. In 1999, Bode then went to Wolfsburg to work for Volkswagen AG as Head of Motor Press. Two years later he was appointed head of the concern’s brand and product communication. In this position Bode supervised the launching of numerous new models.
With Porsche sales falling dramatically in North America, on most models, Porsche must pay close attention to emerging markets. With plans to increase the number of Porsche Service Centers to 30 from the current 19, Porsche is doing just that.
Currently China accounts for almost four percent (4%) of Porsche’s total sales. Delivering 3105 Porsche cars in the 2006/2007 business year, Porsche doubled their mainland China sales figures from the previous year. Expected growth for the current business year should remain in the “high double” figures.
Porsche Board Member, Klaus Berning, with responsibility for Sales and Marketing says, “China is playing an increasingly significant role and has now become one of Porsche’s most important growth drivers worldwide.”
Porsche shows Newest Variants at Auto China 2008
Stuttgart/Beijing. At the automotive exhibition Auto China 2008, which begins in Beijing on Sunday, April 20, 2008, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, will be prominently represented by the newest variants over its whole model range. With these exhibits, the sports car manufacturer from Swabia underscores its expansion strategy for its biggest growth market. As well as the newest vehicles from the Boxster, 911 and Cayenne series, the prototype of the Cayenne Hybrid will be on show in Asia for the first time.
With a sales volume now amounting to approximately four per cent of total sales, China has developed within a very short time to become one of Porsche’s most important markets. Deliveries in the business year 2006/07 amounted to 3,105 unit sales, doubling the figure for the previous year in Mainland China. Porsche again expects a growth percentage in high double figures in China in the current business year.
At present, 19 Porsche Centers throughout the country are available to Chinese customers. By the end of the calendar year 2008, it is intended to increase the number to 30. The first Porsche Center in Mainland China was opened in Beijing in 2001.
“China is playing an increasingly significant role and has now become one of Porsche’s most important growth drivers worldwide”, says Klaus Berning, Board Member with responsibility for Sales and Marketing. “With the launch of our four-door Gran Turismo Panamera in 2009, we will again be addressing a completely new group of buyers in China and throughout the world.”
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When you mention you are heading to “driver’s ed” it makes it sound as if you are back in high school or, if you reside in a state that mandates it, to a punishment school for those who have been ticketed for speeding.
On that note, let me stress that the worst thing you can bring with you to a DE event, be it novice or advanced, is an ego. If you’re there to hear praise on your driving skills, or to drive aggressively to prove how fast you are, you won’t learn much. At best you’ll annoy those around you; at worst you could hurt your fellow drivers. Leave your ego behind and you’ll leave the track a better driver.
A little over two months ago I wrote about 
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Now here is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. As a passionate, if not fanatic, Porsche fan and owner I read and absorb information from Porsche voraciously. Recently I contacted the Porsche PR department in Germany to gain access to their press database. This database provides members of the media or “accredited journalists” with access to press releases and photos that Porsche is looking to disseminate. Much to my surprise and chagrin I was informed that Porsche did not grant access to the PR database to bloggers. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a very strange decision to me.
