PORSCHE EXPERIENCE STORIES · 2018 EDITION PORSCHE EXPERIENCE INTO THE GREAT BEYOND Experience...

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P O R S C H E E X P E R I E N C E

I N T O T H E G R E A T B E Y O N D Experience Scotland on and off the road

H O C K E N H E I M I N T E N S I V E The first steps to becoming a racing driver

I C E B E N D S I N L E V I Five exhilarating days driving at the limits

STOR IES

N O L I M I T S

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E D I T O R I A LN O L I M I T S

Dear reader,

What makes a good story?

While content has to be exciting �rst and foremost, a really good story should also simply be able to draw us in. A really good story gives you the feeling that you are actually there, experiencing the adventure yourself. Thrills, goose pimples, adrenalin rushes – a good story can evoke all of these emotions.

With the �rst edition of our Porsche Experience magazine ‘STORIES’, we want to do exactly this. For the �rst time, we allow you to do more than simply browse through our o�ers in a catalogue. Instead, we invite you to immerse yourself in some of the many experiences and adventures from Travel, Track or Ice Experiences with unique challenges in store.

Whatever captures your imagination over the following pages, there is one more thing to a good story. Ultimately, a good story makes you not just want to read about the adventures contained therein, but also experience them. If this is the case, simply visit us online at www.porsche.com/drivingexperience – you can �nd all of our o�ers here and book them directly.

Best regards, Your Porsche Experience team

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T R A V E L E X P E R I E N C E T R A C K E X P E R I E N C E

T A I L O R M A D E F O R U SScotland knows how to capture the imagination of Porsche drivers, with lush, green mountains, secluded lakes and a never-ending series of bends leading to unknown destinations. Care for a little taster?

P R A G U E / V I E N N A / B U D A P E S TThe three Habsburg metropolises are brimming with super-latives. Time to get to know a few of them a little better.

W H I C H P O R S C H E I S I T G O I N G T O B E ?Several pedigree sports cars are waiting for you in the car pool. Here are two particularly coveted ones.

T H R E A T E N E D W I T H E X T I N C T I O N : T H E A D V E N T U R EWhere are the last great explorers of this world? The ‘Porsche World Expedition’ will take you through the hid-den corners of our world – in the new Porsche Cayenne.

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P A S S I O N K N O W S N O L I M I T SPorsche lovers will find everything that makes their heart beat faster at the six Porsche Experience Centers. Warning, may lead to addiction.

C L O S E T O T H E L I M I TNot simply driving your Porsche, but mastering its capabilities in every millisecond. You will learn all the important tricks during the two-day Master training. From the one and only Hans-Joachim Stuck.

P I T - S T O P T A L KWorld champion Timo Bernhard explains how he turns skilled Porsche drivers into ambitious racing drivers.

L E A R N I N G A T T H E L I M I T SFrom braking during aquaplaning to a thrilling �nale on the Formula One course. The Porsche Track Experience o�ers the perfect training experience for every need.

T H E M O S T D I F F I C U L T M A N O E U V R E :G E T T I N G O U TSome of our absolute top models are waiting for you in our car pool. A little selection to get started.

F R O M S P O R T S D R I V E R T O R A C I N G D R I V E RYou just need to be fully concentrated on the next hairpin bend. And the ‘Porsche Racing Experience’ team will take care of everything else.

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I C E E X P E R I E N C E S H O R T S T O R I E S

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T O T H E E N D S O F E U R O P EAt long last a visit to the North Cape. But preferably not by ship.

H I G H L I G H T S I N T H E A L P SSouth Tyrol is the perfect hunting ground for those with their hearts set on hairpin bends, high altitude and challenging passes.

A M B I T I O N R A T H E R T H A N A B SHow do slicks really work? The Master RSR training level will answer this question in practical terms.

P A S T A N D P R E S E N TThe owners of classic Porsche models meet every year at the Nürburgring. Feel like joining them?

C O N S U M P T I O N V A L U E S A N DL E G A L I N F O R M A T I O N

S T O P S Y O U C O L DThe tracks at the Porsche Driving Center Levi have raised everyone’s temperature – dri�ing and braking with ease, and accelerating with spikes.

I C E W I T H C R E A MOn black ice with the Porsche 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 Cup – in the Ice-ForceRS training level.

B A R E Y O U R C L A W SThere’s no burning rubber here. Each Porsche features stylish spiked tyres on the training course. Better known as ‘spikes’.


Tr a v e l E x p e r i e n c e

T A I L O R M A D E F O R U S

S C O T L A N DIF THIS GLORIOUS SPOT DIDN’T EXIST, WE WOULD HAVE TO INVENT IT: WINDING COUNTRY L ANES, ROADS HUG GING THE RUG GED COASTLINE , BRE ATHTAKING HIGHL AND PAS SES … I T ’ S A S I F E V E R Y T H I N G H E R E W E R E M A D E TO Q U I C K E N T H E P U L S E O F M OTO R I S E D TR AVELLERS – AND LOVERS OF E XCELLENT FOOD. LE T ’S GE T ONE THING STR AIGHT FROM T H E STA RT: T H E L EG E N D T H AT S C OTS A R E ST I N GY A N D T I G H T-F I ST E D C O U L D N’ T B E F U R T H E R F R O M T H E T R U T H . N E I T H E R T H E S C O T T I S H C U I S I N E N O R T H E E X C E L L E N T S C OT T I S H H OT E L S C A N FA I L TO I M P R E S S E V E N T H E M O S T D I S C E R N I N G V I S I TO R S . I N FACT, I T ’S S I M P LY P E R F ECT FO R U S.

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A H U N D R E D - T H O U S A N D W E L C O M E S

This is the rough translation of the Scottish Gaelic wel-come ‘Céad míle fáilte.’ You will soon discover exactly what it means when the limousine shuttle picks you up from the airport and drives you in style to the Balmoral, your acclaimed 5-star hotel. The former station hotel with the famous clock tower – which, incidentally, is always two minutes fast to ensure that travellers don’t miss their trains – has stood here at No. 1 Princes street, Edinburgh’s most distinguished address, for over a century. ‘Number One’ is also the name of the hotel’s own restaurant – and it certainly lives up to its name. Its cuisine ranks among the best in the city and was recently awarded a Michelin star – for the twel ̈h time in succession. Could there be a better place to meet and get to know your travelling companions over dinner and a couple of drinks? We, and Scotland, welcome you – one hundred-thousand times.

By the way, if you are interested in taking a unique guided tour of the city right after getting settled in at the Balmoral, ask for Andrew Fraser. The congenial concierge in his traditional tartan kilt is as Scottish as they come and knows Edinburgh like the back of his hand. He is not only a mine of information with countless tales to tell and true insider tips, he’s also an expert genealogist when it comes to Scottish families and clans. Who knows – maybe there’s a Scottish bloodline mixed in with the petrol that � ows in your veins! If there is, Andrew also knows where to � nd the tartan of your clan.If you are feeling a little pushed for time today, no problem, the last day of our tour o� ers plenty of time for you to explore the city.

C o n c i e r g e

A n d y F r a s e r

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G E T R E A D Y F O R T H E F I R S T A D R E N A L I N E K I C K O F T H E D A Y D R A M A A N D D R E A M S

As a true Porsche a� cionado, you will, of course, be raring to go long before your wake-up call. At 9.11 a.m. on the dot, your shuttle sets o� to take you to the Porsche Centre Edinburgh. Your Porsche will be waiting when you arrive and our convoy drives o� right away –don’t forget, in Scotland, they drive on the le ̈ . So it’s good that most roads are as good as deserted at this time of day. Our � rst pit-stop a ̈er around an hour’s drive is Stirling Castle – a historic fortress, towering above us on an ancient volcanic outcrop. Anyone su� ering pangs of hunger a ̈er visiting the enormous kitchens will very soon be relieved. A ̈er a short drive along idyllic country roads, we make a stop for lunch at Ross Priory – a glorious country mansion on the bonny banks of Loch Lomond, Scotland’s largest and most beautiful lake. From here, we drive on through the rugged natural scenery of the Trossachs National Park on the narrow country lanes of the legendary Scottish Highlands, with breathtaking views at every turn. You can catch your breath again and wind down later in the evening with all-round views of the untamed beauty of Scotland at a dinner and whisky tasting in the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel.

It would be sheer understatement to call it picturesque. What the world of nature will lay before us today mocks every attempt to describe it in words. The � rst leg of our tour takes us north to Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery, where we stop for an exclusive guided tour of the historic distillery. Exhilarated by the � ne, smoky aromas of fruits, honey and pinewood, we head for the Taymouth Marina Restaurant, which enraptures the senses not only with wonderful views of Loch Tay and Drummond Hill, but also with culinary delights. Our route now takes us further north to Glencoe. The over-whelming beauty of the picturesque ‘Valley of Tears’, named after a gruesome massacre in 1692, is more likely to bring tears of joy to the eyes of those who pass through it today. Green, green and more green, in all imaginable and unbelievable shades. Escaping from this vision in green, we drive on along the shore of Loch Eil, where the colours change from turquoise to pink in the fading light of day. Our port of call this evening is the Inverlochy Castle Hotel in Fort William, where the likes of Sean Connery, Barbra Streisand and Anthony Hopkins have also rested their weary heads. It won’t take you long to � nd out why.

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Ancient stone and modern dreams

forged in metal. Scotland is a land

of breathtaking sights and scenes.

You can �nd the details about fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on page 88.

In the land of moors, munros and

malts, the roads have always given

way to the natural features of

the landscape. Not vice versa.

‘Good beef needs time to mature’

could well be what this Highland

cow (or bull) is thinking in a restful

moment at the roadside.

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T h e p u b a t t h e

e n d o f t h e u n i v e r s e .

W e l l n e a r l y

“ E ve r yo n e w h o v i s i t s u s g e t s

s o m e t h i n g t o e at . E ve r yo n e . ”

A D R I V E T H R O U G H T H E W O R L D O F M O V I E S

You can � nd the details about fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on page 88.

“These mountains are all mine.” Judith Fish stands and spreads her arms to take in the islands of Raasay and Skye, across the water from her pub on the shore-line of Applecross Bay. It’s been 29 years since the resolute Yorkshire woman with the warm smile of her home county moved from England to the wilds of Scotland. She took on the Applecross Inn, the little pub on Shore Street, known by the 238 residents of Applecroft village simply as ‘The Street’. Although it’s hard to believe for people who know the country, time here seems to pass more slowly than in the rest of Scotland. In its picturesque location, the coastal hamlet, radiates the charisma of a friendly old � sherman who sits on the pier mending his nets with stoic patience in the evening sun. Hustle and bustle is something else – if it were not for the Applecross Inn.

The small pub with oak-panelled walls is bursting at the seams. The friendly sta� busily serves fresh seafood, delicious � sh and chips and locally-brewed beers in no time at all. The busy and bustling pub re� ects the boundless energy Judith

Fish puts into it all. Her passion and determination have made her pub famous far beyond the borders of Scotland. So it’s not at all surprising that people from far and wide are keenly interested in getting a chance to work in the Applecross Inn. One half of the sta� is made up from locals, while the other half includes a Tasma-nian cook, a service manager from South Africa and a barman from New Zealand. Judith Fish seems to be not only the heart and soul of her pub, but also of a team from around the world. As the pub owner in her late forties says with maternal pride, “We’re all one big family.”

Her guests also come from far and wide. And however full it may be, the Applecross Inn never turns anyone away. You may have to wait for a while. But even that is a pleasure in itself on the shore of them idyllic bay. And you’ll � nd that it’s always well worth the wait.

However, international the pub may be, the food here is all locally sourced. The two local � shermen, Ali and Donald, deliver freshly caught langoustines, lobsters and crabs. The oysters come from the Isle of Skye. Tom and Lesley supply the meat, Robert’s hens lay the eggs, and head chef Robbie, who learned the skills of his trade in London, grows his own fruit and vegetables. Almost all products are locally or regionally sourced – a concept that is appreciated not only by countless happy guests: the Applecross Inn won the Gold Green Tourism Award in 2014 and was honoured with Scotland’s Taste our Best award in 2015. The food here is the proof.

The day begins as if on a � lm set. Eilean Donan Castle is the name of the small castle that stands on – or should we say, dominates – an island where three lochs meet on our route to the West Highlands. Anyone who has seen Hollywood movies like ‘Highlander’, ‘Braveheart’ or ‘The World Is Not Enough’ will � nd the view familiar. This is where brave warriors in kilts battled against Viking invaders in the 13th century – and where your next ad-venture begins. Only a few minutes further along our route from here we come to the famous and notorious mountain pass by the name of Bealach Na Ba – also known under the deceptively harmless name of Apple-cross Pass. In a nutshell, bend a ̈er bend a ̈er bend. After almost an hour of intense concentration at the wheel, this stretch of our tour ends with lunch at the Applecross Inn – and a chance to meet its landlady, Judith Fish. Nomen is omen – her pub is famous for its seafood specialities, served only a stonesthrow away from the sea. A ̈er lunch, our route brings more specta-cular views of the sea as we take the scenic road along the coast to Fearnmore. Dropping the so ̈-top rewards you with incomparable panoramic views – and maybe the chance to spot Nessie, the enigmatic Loch Ness Monster. Namely, today’s accommodation, the Kings-mills Hotel in Inverness, is situated quite close to the legendary Loch Ness.

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F A S T E R , H I G H E R , H A P P I E RT i m e i s g o l d :

T h e l i q u i d g o l d o f

K i n g s b a r n s

“ O u r f i r s t w h i s k y w i l l b e a

wo n d e r f u l l y l i g h t a n d f r u i t y

s i n g l e m a l t . ”

The new day brings new records: The Cairngorms National Park is Great Britain’s largest national park, and home to � ve of the highest mountains in the United Kingdom. Gorges. Forests. Thundering waterfalls. Why settle for second-best? The � rst stop on our route is a superlative, too: Tomintoul, the highest village in the Scottish Highlands. Whisky Castle, on the starting line of the Malt Whisky Trail, has been selling ‘uisge beatha’, the Scottish ‘water of life’, for more than 100 years: single malts and blended whiskies of the very � nest quality. The next sight on the tour is truly majestic, Balmoral Castle, the summer residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Our next stop also has royal connec-tions. The seaside town of St Andrews is home to the university where Crown Prince William � rst met Kate, his future wife. If that’s not a sensation in itself, this picturesque coastal town is also known worldwide as the ‘home of golf’. So it’s only natural that you will be spending the night here in the famous Fairmont St Andrews Hotel. With views of the North Sea, the skyline of St Andrews and a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant that must be amongst the best in the world.

“Why doesn’t Kingsbarns have its own whisky?” A question that caddy Douglas Clement was o� en asked by his customers on the Kingsbarns golf course – and eventually inspired the business concept of the passionate single malt drinker. Clement collected 40,000 pounds with a crowdfunding campaign, organised a state subsidy and bought an old, ruined farm in the midst of the broad acres of wheat grown in Kingsbarns. The ruins turned out to be a jackpot. At a depth of 100 metres below the site was a buried treasure – an aquifer of purest water, cleaned and � ltered through layer a� er layer of rocks – an essential ingredient for his own single malt.

Douglas Clement worked hand-in-hand with architects, engineers and designers for whole three years and transformed the ancient ruins into a small, modern distillery. An additional investor was eventually taken on board, an old Scottish clan with over 100 years of whisky-making experience: the Wemyss family has been a distiller of Scotland’s liquid gold since 1824 and supplies leading whisky distillers with wheat harvested from the � elds of the Wemyss Castle estate.

Then, one day, Peter Holroyd called him on the phone. Up until recently, the ambitious brewer and distiller with a degree from Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt University had been head brewer at the Strathaven Ales brewery.

Since being placed in Peter’s capable hands, everything at the Kingsbarns distillery runs smoothly. At the age of only 29, the young Distillery Manager has now been meticulously monitoring the process of milling, mashing, fermentation and distilling since 2015 – and adds another decisive ingredient to his ‘new make spirit’ every day: his passion for perfection.

But there’s still quite a way to go until the � rst single malt can be tasted. In March 2018, the new make spirit will have matured in oak casks for three years and a day, and will � nally be allowed to bear the proud name of Scotch Whisky. In the meantime, the � rst cask lies in state in the former dovecote of the converted ruins and waits patiently for the day of opening to arrive. You simply can’t rush a good whisky. The most important ingredient is time.

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A f t e r n o o n T e a


D U R A T I O N 7 days

S C O T L A N D

D A T E S 14.06.–20.06.2018 23.06.–29.06.2018

R O U T E

I N V E R N E S S

S T A N D R E W SA U C H T E R A R D E R

E D I N B U R G H

F O R T W I L L I A M

L A S T E X I T E D I N B U R G H

The traditional a� ernoon tea was allegedly invented by Anna Maria Stanhope, one of Queen Victoria’s ladies in waiting. Today, at the Balmoral Hotel, she would be amazed to see how truly regal her simple fare to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner has since become. The Palm Court is an oasis of bygone colonial style in which � nest loose leaf teas, sandwiches, scones and delicious pastries and desserts are served between palm trees to the gentle tones of a harp. There can’t be a more wonderful place to enjoy a traditional British a� ernoon tea.

It’s always best to go out on a high note. Or, in this case, drive. A ̈er breakfast, as we drive our cars back to the Porsche Centre Edinburgh, you can enjoy the feeling of being pressed into the seat and the rich sound of the sports exhaust system for the last time on our tour. Even though you must now say farewell to your constant companion of the last seven days, the journey is by no means over: From here, we return to the Palm Court at the Balmoral for a typically English a ̈ernoon tea. The a ̈ernoon is also the perfect time to discover the high-lights of Edinburgh on a guided tour. To round o� another wonderful day, we take a leisurely stroll to the culinary highlight of our tour – dinner at the legendary Pompadour restaurant in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Here, as a perfect � nale, we have another opportunity to savour exquisite Scottish specialities – created by the Galvin brothers, whose excellent cuisine has earned them a Michelin star and almost countless other prestigious accolades. Absolutely unique – unless, of course, you join us again on the next Travel Experience tour.

H I G H L I G H T S

Discover the wild and romantic Highlands at the wheel of your Porsche, experience the magic of historic ruins and castles and stay overnight in the most wonderful, luxury golf resorts.

D A Y 0 1 Make your own travel arrangements to Edinburgh Airport, limousine shuttle service, opportunity for shopping and sightseeing, dinner and overnight stay at the Balmoral HotelD A Y 0 2 Drive to Loch Lomond, lunch with views of the lake, onward journey to Auchterarder, dinner and overnight stay at the Gleneagles Hotel luxury golf resortD A Y 0 3 Visit to Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery followed by lunch at the Taymouth Marina on the shore of Loch Tay, journey then continues to Fort William for dinner and an overnight stay at the historic Inverlochy Castle HotelD A Y 0 4 Drive to Eilean Donan Castle, guided tour, drive over the Applecross Pass to the Applecross Inn, journey continues to Inver-ness, overnight stay at the Kingsmills HotelD A Y 0 5 Drive to the Whisky Castle in the Speyside whisky re-gion, lunch at Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s summer residence, journey continues to St Andrews, dinner and overnight stay at the Fairmont St Andrews golf resortD A Y 0 6 Drive back to Edinburgh, traditional English a ̈ernoon tea at the Balmoral, guided city tour or an opportunity to explore the city on your own time, dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, overnight stay at the BalmoralD A Y 0 7 Limousine shuttle service to the airport or own depar-ture arrangements

porsche.com/travelclub

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P R A G U E V I E N N AB U D A P E S T

S U B L I M E R O U T E S . M A J E S T I C D E S T I N A T I O N S

T H R E E D I V E R S E C O U N T R I E S. 1 ,200 W I N D I N G K I LO M E T R E S. A N D C O U N T L E S S I M P R E S S I O N S O F T H E O L D E U R O P E . T H R O U G H T H E C Z E C H R E P U B L I C , A U S T R I A A N D H U N G A R Y. T H R O U G H F O R E S T S AND VINE YARDS, THROUGH SERPENTINES AND ALONG THE DANUBE A N D V LTAVA R I V E R S. YO U’L L D R I V E T H R O U G H S L E E P Y V I L L AG E S, ACCELER ATE IN EMPT Y, GENTLY ROLLING COUNTRYSIDE AND ENJOY DRIVING A P OR SCHE ON E VERY BEND. YOU’LL E XPERIENCE STUN-NING CULTURAL MONUMENTS AND SLEEP IN AND ENJOY RESIDENCES O F R OYA L G R A N D E U R .

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W A R M - U P I N P R A G U E


T O D A Y T H E C I T Y . T O M O R R O W T H E C O U N T R Y S I D E A N D R I V E R S

You have to have been in Prague, otherwise you can’t say you’ve been to Prague! Welcome to Day 01. Our limousine will chau� eur you to the historic 5-star Hotel Augustine and from here you can start either with a guided city tour or fearlessly navigate your way around without a guide through the hustle and bustle on the world-famous Charles Bridge. Explore the quiet side roads o� the beaten tourist track and conquer the city of a thousand styles at walking pace. Walk from the Middle Ages into the 21st century on a single a ̈ernoon, from Gothic into post-modernism, from the Imperial and Royal Mo-narchy to the here and now. Have a chat with the locals over a world-famous Czech beer and Prague ham about their beautiful city. Hu� and pu� with them about the TV tower. Get enthused about the shape and gush about pure function. The performance of a Porsche is also a rich topic of conversation among Prague locals and you can indulge in such conversation in the evening at the gourmet restaurant Augustine with your tour guides and the Porsche enthusiasts with whom you will enjoy the next � ve days.

A d e t o u r

t o

C r y s t a l V a l l e y

Aspiring to the highest standards. A passion that comes from the bottom of the heart. Both are typical Porsche characteristics – and at the same time characteristics of a theme that has run throughout Czech life for centuries: crystal. Preciosa is the Porsche of the crystal manufactories, and the artist Rony Plesl is happily obsessed by glass.

The morning sun in Preciosa’s showroom lets light re� ections in all the shades of the colour spectrum dance across the walls and makes you feel like Cinderella – even if you’re a man! A pair of pink ankle boots with bobbles made of silk and

crystal are enthroned underneath a glass bell. Manolo Blahnik created this dream as a tribute to his Czech roots. Value 5,000 euros, size 37, not for sale. The huge, weightless sparkling object hanging from the ceiling above you, on the other hand, is something you could take away with you right away. Preciosa is world-famous for its chandeliers and light installations. For its classic chandelier shapes and completely sur-prising new interpretations of them. But the unique specimens that are fused by cra� smen – glassblowers, crystal cutters, designers from metal forges and lighting engineers – in the ‘Crystal Valley’ using an interplay of modern and ancient skills to create exquisitely beautiful creations, put us into a state of euphoria. If you ever � nd yourself stan-ding under a light installation on this planet that astounds you, then it’s probably a work by Preciosa. If you have time, stop by the showroom. And if you don’t, stop by anyway! preciosa.com

Rony Plesl is a happy person because he loves what he does. The very friendly and modest man is the head of the glass department at VŠUP – the University of Applied Arts in Prague. International

museums and galleries exhibit his works and the world’s most presti-gious glass manufacturers are proud to have his designs in their product ranges. He has no sense of arrogance. To him, everything is worth designing. In his work with glass, the boundaries between design and art merge. He creates unique pieces – sculptures that are sometimes of monumental size – and he also designs mass-produced goods: beer mugs made of pressed glass and mineral water bottles. For Preciosa, he is reinventing the chandelier. In his eyes, everything is interesting if you look at it with love and attention. Plesl actually originally intended to become an athlete. But at the age of 15 he fell in love with Boticelli’s Santa Maria Novella. With the Renaissance. Art books and Dostoyevsky are his only reading materials. When Plesl was � nally, � nally able to travel through the Iron Curtain to Italy, he burst into tears with happiness, grateful to be able to experience it. Rony Plesl seems to want to enjoy every second of his existence, every moment of beauty twice over. He drives a Porsche Boxster, by the way. ronyplesl.com

Pr e c i o s a f o l l ow s t h es a m e m o t t o a s

P o r s c h e : p e r f e c t i o n i s t h e ve r y l e a s t

yo u c a n a c h i e ve

H a p p i n e s s i s b e i n g a b l e t o d o

w h at yo u a r e p a s s i o n at e a b o u t

Plesl’s signature work: glowing

uranium glass – which only

three glassworks in the world

can produce.

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F R O M P R A G U E T O V I E N N A

De� nitely not an optical illusion.

But a re¶ ection of what awaits you

today: a thoroughbred Porsche just

raring to go hunting down corners.

Y O U R H E A R T W I L L R A C E

It’s quite likely that you won’t have slept all that well due to excitement, because today’s the day it all starts. Early in the morning – so that you don’t lose a second of driving pleasure – we’ll set o� for the Porsche Centre Prague, where your Porsche is waiting for you. On a two-hour drive past Budweis towards Gmünd, you and your Porsche will have the opportunity to get to know each other and perfect driving in a con-voy. You’ll also enjoy a delicious lunch at a selected country inn. But the real main course comes a ̈er the meal: three-and-a-half hours of absolute pleasure rejoicing in the power of your sports car. The curvy, narrow, empty secondary roads of Lower Austria are a paradise of lateral acceleration. If you don’t switch to sports mode on the trip to your hotel in Vienna, the Palais Coburg, you’ll be missing out.

But in addition to excellent cornering and pure condensed pleasure for all your sports car driver senses, Day 02 will conjure up further highlights for you that’ll make your heart rate soar: you’ll head down into the world-famous wine cellar of your hotel for a wine tasting and, a ̈er the dinner at the Restaurant Clementine that follows, you will dream of Day 03 in your exquisite suite. Your Porsche will also enjoy an extraordinary night: it will be parked in the ‘Tresor’, the spectacular underground car park of the Palais Coburg, freshly polished and as safe as houses. You should take a look at the way it parks. A true performance!

“ H o w d o y o u b e c o m e a

w i n e c o n n o i s s e u r ?

T a s t e . T a s t e . T a s t e . ”

Wolfgang Kneidinger is the Head

Sommelier at your Hotel Palais

Coburg Residenz. He is the master

of six cellars and 60,000 bottles –

and a great fan of blind tastings,

because they reveal what you

really like.

“I’m actually from a beer region”, says Wolfgang Kneidinger, smiling in amusement. The refreshingly sparky, young head sommelier of the Palais Coburg is delighted that the international jury of the magazine ‘World Of Fine Wine’ has just voted the wine list of the 5-star residence the best in the world. Out of 4,500 applicants. For the second time.

60,000 bottles from four centuries are stored under ideal conditions in six themed cellars in the medieval vaults beneath the Palais. Kneidinger, who has been in charge of the cellar for � ve years, refuses to take complete credit for the award. “It’s not just down to me, of course, but above all my predecessors.“

It’s 9 p.m. at the Restaurant Clementine and in the 2-star gourmet restaurant Silvio Nickol, all the tables are full and Kneidinger apologises that he’ll probably have to work a little bit between our questions. And this is indeed the case: in the Restaurant Clementine, he heads to the table of a Russian couple or an aperitif consultation: it’s to be an extra-vagant Pinot Blanc champagne – a melting fresh Bouchard with very elegant perlage. Even though the head of the world’s best wine cellar is standing at the table o� ering advice, no one need feel intimidated – Kneidinger is no wine snob. It’s perfectly legitimate to order a bouteille because it’s fun, and it doesn’t have to cost 3,000 euros either. For Kneidinger, the pleasure that the guest enjoys in a wine is the criterion for a recommendation – not its price. That’s why he also ensures that rare treasures can be enjoyed by as many connoisseurs as possible. You get the feeling that he really feels it is unfair when two people drink a 1950s Schloss Gogelsburg Heiligenstein Riesling all by themselves. His rarities tastings are an event. In case you don’t get the opportunity to

do so in the near future, here are two ideas for connoisseur experiments that can carry out at home or in the restaurant: 1. Sample the wine from four di� erent glasses. 2. Don’t drink champagne from a � ute glass, but a red wine glass instead. With champagne it’s where it lands on the tongue that’s important. If it’s very acidic, it will taste even more acidic if drunk from a narrower glass because it will land on the tip of the tongue. Try it for yourself.

The impressive wine list of the Palais Coburg can be quite unpreten-tiously downloaded from its website. And in case you’re thinking of imitating the wine cellar at the Palais Coburg or looking for some de-lightful reading for long winter evenings: Wolfgang Kneidinger also advises you on how to establish your own collection and evaluate your wine cellar. A � nal question before the sommelier rushes up with a 1957 Chateau Latour – stored of course in a place free of vibration: “Wine academics, quali� ed sommeliers notwithstanding – Mr. Kneidinger, what do you have to do to become a true wine connoisseur?” “Taste. Taste. Taste. And above all taste.”

23


Styria seems made for driving in a

Porsche. In any case, there are an

estimated 2,995 curves waiting for

you beneath the 2,995 metre high

Dachstein mountain.

T H R O U G H S T Y R I A

25


C U R V E S . C U R V E S . C U R V E S


This is how elegant it can be

when asphalt, vehicle and

driver become one. Too bad

that you can’t hear what this

le¨ turn sounds like.

Enjoy a good breakfast (in the glasshouse of the hotel’s Clementine restaurant, even breakfast is a veritable feast) so that your stomach is well lined because Day 03 is a very special day. We’ll start o� from the hotel early in the morning again and head to the mountains. And mountains mean curves and more curves! Imagine the sound of the twelve Porsche models whose drivers simultaneously start their engines with a thirst for adventure. Imagine the sight of the convoy gliding out of town. Soon a¨er leaving Vienna and the amazed Viennese behind you, you will travel through the ‘hilly world’ of Lower Austria to Styria, in ‘the green heart of Austria’. The second largest state is an alpine landscape with dense forests, high mountains, orchards and meadows, vineyards, smart houses, friendly people and rugged crags. At the short pit stop at the top of the pass, a place named ‘Kalte Kuchl’, you’ll already have climbed up to 780 metres through the beautiful landscape of the pass. The crossroads date back to the 11th century, and the �rst roadside inn was here in around 1500. There will be no lack of adrenaline as you make your way up to the Forsthaus. And in amongst all your enthusiasm about the steep Styrian curves, majestic mountains and the determi-nation with which your Porsche sticks like glue to the asphalt, don’t forget about the food when you get there because Christian Übeleis’ cuisine is also an experience to be remembered. Even the most demanding restaurant critics agree on that.

Day 03 will also give you ample opportunity to hear the whole sound spectrum of the di�erent Porsche engines. A¨er about two-and-a-half hours of goosebumps and your �ll of adventure, you will arrive back at the Hotel Palais Coburg, bound to be hungry for a tasty bite of Vienna! In the evening you will head out for a taste of the metropolitan air and for dinner – at the legendary Artner restaurant on the famous Franziskaner-platz, famous for its wines and beef tastings.

27


F R O M V I E N N A T O B U D A P E S T

Make sure you also notice

Esztergom’s St Adalbert

Cathedral in this picture.

In Budapest, the chief concierge

of your Four Season Hotels

Gresham Palace awaits you.

A s k t h e

C o n c i e r g e

F A I R Y T A L E R O U T E S . F A N T A S T I C C I T I E S

Vienna has been voted the most liveable city in Europe once again! Following breakfast in the Clementine, you will experience exactly why this is the case on a city tour. A ̈erwards, at the fast-paced lunch bu� et, recharge your batteries for a beautiful stretch of serpentines on Hungarian soil – the narrow, empty roads of the Gerecse Natural Park. A landscape that was created to be openly navigated – but also much more than that, so you can explore your driving limits. The wind-ing roads lead through � elds of corn and sun¶ owers and deciduous forests that look as though they’re from a fairy tale. How can you describe the feeling when road and sky, driver and vehicle, sounds and the sound of the engine become one?

In the a ̈ernoon we drive past the mighty St Adalbert Cathedral which is enthroned high above the former capital city of Esztergom. We will marvel at it tomorrow, because this imposing building is one you simply can’t miss: even a Porsche looks like a toy in front of its majesty. The view over the Danube from this hill is magical. A ̈er sunset, the swallows take over this wonderful place and the peace is shattered. But we don’t want to stay that late, because you aren’t here to stop for a rest, but to drive! And Budapest awaits you for aperi-tifs and dinner – in your royal home for the next two nights. The Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace.

The road is calling!

Head Concierge Peter Buday has been at the Gresham Palace since it opened, a dream come true for him. He is someone who makes a major but discreet contribution to ensuring that a guest’s stay is an unsurpassed experience – because he can conjure up magic. And you can see the joy and passion that working in Europe’s best city hotel brings him.

How do you become a concierge?My parents used to run a campsite at Lake Balaton in the summer months. I enjoyed the hospitality industry at an early age. A� er the fall of the Berlin Wall, however, people preferred to travel further away. There wasn’t much going on and the campsite had to close. I wanted to continue with it and studied tourism.

How does one become a concierge at the Gresham Palace?When I worked at the reception at the Hilton Westend in Seattle, my landlord, who worked at the Four Seasons, told me that the Gresham Palace was to be reopened. That was in 2004. I applied immediately. For me, it’s a dream come true.

Other than discretion of course, which three characteristics do you need to have as a concierge?

Patience. Speed. Flexibility. The Internet has made a lot of things a lot easier for us. My predecessor still had a Rolodex with business cards in it. We’ve preserved it as though it’s a valuable treasure.

What miracles have you achieved for guests?It’s not what the guests want that’s the challenge, but the speed at which they want it. It wasn’t easy to � nd a fortune teller all of a sudden. But � nding a private plane including � lm team for a guest to � lm on a race track in Italy the following morning? Easy.

Where do you want to be in ten years’ time?Here.

You can � nd the details about fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on page 88.29


Right in front of your hotel, the

majestic ‘Széchenyi lánchíd’ spans

the Danube. You can also simply

call it the ‘Chain Bridge’.

F R O M B U D A P E S T T O S Z E N T E N D R E A N D V I S E G R Á D

E X C U R S I O N I N T O A N C I E N T E U R O P E

You’re bound to have slept royally in your palace, awakened full of energy and can’t wait to leave for a journey through time at precisely 9.11 a.m. following a princely breakfast. The � rst stage destination, the ancient village of Szentendre or St Andre on a branch of the Danube, was already inhabited in the Stone Age. In 1926, the village was turned into an artist’s colony, and its narrow, picturesque alleyways now teem with galleries, art and handicra¡ s, and you are sure to � nd the ideal souvenir here. Turbo shopping is the motto here, because a ̈er just 45 minutes your shopping excursion will be over! Now you’ll need to get some tension back in your body and concentrate because we’ll be heading back to the Middle Ages via the Danube Bend.

As we head to Visegrád, there is a short but challenging curve sec-tion ahead of you. Visegrád Castle has seen many kings come and go since the Roman Empire. It has been decaying for centuries, but has recently reopened to visitors. A ̈er that, it might get a little

emotional. We’re going to embark on the last activity that we’ll be doing together. Drive on. To delay the end, we’ll take a detour back to Budapest. We’ll glide along the edge of Danube and give it our all again. Let the enchanting landscapes and dense forests of the Danube Bend ¶ y past us. We’ll enjoy this incomparable sports car feel of speed and performance out of sheer desire and not hurry. We’ll take our time to visit St Adalbert’s Cathedral and let it make a peaceful impres-sion on us. For the Grand Finale, we’ll roll over the Chain Bridge directly to the Hotel Gresham Palace – in the happy knowledge that you’ll always reach your destination at the wheel of a Porsche, no matter where you are in the world.

In front of the hotel you’ll say goodbye to your sports car, say thank you for the heart palpitations, adrenaline and feelings of happiness and enjoy a few hours without any scheduled activities until we spend our last evening together – whose extraordinary setting should de� nitely remain a surprise.

31




P R A G U E / V I E N N A /B U D A P E S T

D A T E S 04.08.–09.08.2018 11.08.–16.08.2018

R O U T E

P R A G U E

V I E N N A

S H O R T T I P S

0 1 0 2

0 3

0 4

“ Y O U S H O U L D O N L Y D O S O M E T H I N G N E W

I F Y O U C A N D O S O M E T H I N G B E T T E R . ”

Adolf Loos

E N J O Y M E N T U N T I L T H E V E R Y E N D

A ̈er breakfast at Gresham Palace, the day’s yours! Enjoy what is quite simply the best city hotel in Europe. This art nouveau jewel has experienced so much over the years that you quite simply want to nestle your ear against the wall in one of the countless cosy niches in the lobby, hoping that these silent witnesses will give up their secrets. From the horse-drawn carriages that ran between the peacock gates, the hustle and bustle of the shops to the cabaret that was held semi-secretly in the cellar during communist times where the laundry is today. Most recently it was the soldiers of the Red Army who lived, or resided, here. Or join us for a guided city tour: experience the synagogue and the famous Ruin Bars that have established themselves in abandoned houses in the Jewish quarter. The Szimpla Kert, the heart of a diverse bar scene, is a must for a visit to Budapest. There’s almost always something happening around the clock here: farmer’s and antique markets, street food camps, designer shops, and exhibitions and concerts. Some Ruin Bars even have a hotel. A partic-ularly beautiful place is the Mazel Tov, especially its Jewish cuisine with live music. All Ruin Bars can be found here at ruinpubs.com

H I G H L I G H T S

Look forward to fast cornering, dreamlike hilly landscapes and immerse yourself in the imperial splendour of the three imperial and royal capital cities.

D A Y 0 1 Individual arrival at Prague Airport, opportunity for shopping and sightseeing, dinner and overnight stay at the Luxury Collection Hotel AugustineD A Y 0 2 Drive through Lower Austria, arrive in Vienna, wine tasting in the multiple award-winning wine cellar of the Palais Coburg, dinner in the restaurant Clementine, overnight stay at the Palais CoburgD A Y 0 3 Round trip through Styria, lunch at the Forsthaus in Fischbach, dinner at the restaurant Artner in Vienna, overnight stay at Palais CoburgD A Y 0 4 City tour through Vienna, lunch at the Palais Coburg, drive to Budapest, dinner at the Kollázs Brasserie & Bar, overnight stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham PalaceD A Y 0 5 Drive via Szentendre to Visegrád, lunch, return trip along the Danube to Budapest, surprise dinner, overnight stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham PalaceD A Y 0 6 Shopping and sightseeing, individual departure


A R R I V E D E A R LY, STAY I N G LO N G E R O R WA N T TO C O M E BAC K ? I N T H I S CAS E W E H AV E S O M E R EC O M-M E N DAT I O N S FO R YO U.

0 1 P R A G U E C R E A T I V E G A S T R O -N O M Y I N E S K A If you visit the glass artist Rony Plesl in his studio in the Karlin district, he’s more than likely to have a bite to eat with you at Eska. Everything here is an experience. The industrial charm and the ambience with the open kitchen and the � rst-rate quality of the food that is capable of turning even a modest carrot into a culinary event. Coming here is worth your while for the appetiser of homemade sourdough bread with churned butter alone. And you must try the home-made co� ee lemonade, the cider (limited edition) and the establishment’s own cra ̈ beer.

eska.ambi.cz

V I E N N A T H E L O O S R O U T E Adolf Loos isa famous son of the city. He lived between 1870 and 1933, so he was a contemporary of Ferdinand Porsche. The architect had a very � rm opinion about everything. His merciless judgement was feared above all in matters of style and quality, and in terms of his credo that the form has to follow the function, Porsche and Loos were brothers in spirit.

0 2 V I E N N A K N I Z E I S T H E G E N T L E -M A N D R I V E R ’ S C H O I C E The men’s out� t-ter, whose rooms Loos furnished, also sells ready-to-wear clothing, but it is world-famous for its tailoring. Approximately 200 hours of work go into a tailor-made suit. And you’ll have to shell out 8,000 euros. Get your measurements taken. Come back. A ̈er all, emperors and kings do.

0 3 V I E N N A T H E L O O S B A R True great-ness is not dependent on size. The legendary Loos Bar, called the American Bar on the outside, has the approxi-mate size of a humidor, but feels magni� cent. And – take care – smoking is allowed here, and this is also exe-cuted diligently. The world-famous bar is of course a magnet for tourists, but here they blend in with the Vien-nese people in the most stimulating way. So what do people drink here? An Old Fashioned is the way to go.

knize.at

loosbar.at

0 4 B U D A P E S T V A S S S H O E S You o ̈en see the famous heart-shaped pattern in leather, but a hole pattern is not what makes it a Budapester. The best of the best is a masterpiece sewn to a frame, which will last for decades if properly maintained. It has a double sole and is handcra ̈ed wholly from leather. Like the Budapesters produced by Vass. They take six weeks to be completed if you take into account the production of a personal last. The two shops of László Vass are located a short walk from Gresham Palace. One a ̈er-noon is su» cient for last measurements. But it’s probab-ly not enough to decide on a model, shape, leather or colour. And so you learn: even Norwegians, Londoners and Italians can be real Budapesters too. Should it be horse leather from the USA, French calfskin or Kayman? Customers who no longer want to wear anything but his products come from all over the world to László Vass, and his workshop contains the lasts of famous person-alities who share his uncompromising devotion to cra ̈s-manship and quality. And if you as a Porsche enthusiast just don’t want to give up your penchant for speed, Vass o� ers excellent ready-to-wear serial models, including for ladies.

vass-shoes.com

B U D A P E S T

33


C a r p o o l Tr a v e l E x p e r i e n c e

W H I C H

P O R S C H E

I S I T G O I N G

T O B E ?

C A R R E R A G T S

B O X S T E R S

There’s no question. A perfect tour should of course also include the perfect companion. A best friend with whom you can enjoy every straight, celebrate every incline and savour every curve right to the last corner. In other words, a Porsche that is precisely tuned to the route pro� le and is just as smoking hot as you are over the next few kilometres.

That’s why we put together an attractive ¶ eet of vehicles before every trip. Participants can change models during the tour and get to know as many models/derivatives as possible. The warm rays of sunshine on your skin, the cooling wind in your hair, the smell of freshly mown meadows – all this contributes to an even more intense driving experience. Such as in the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, for example. This sporty classic seems to have been built especially for the purpose of listening to the sound of the engine echo in the majestic alpine scenery. For all those who want to enjoy a head start in the curves, there’s the 718 Boxster S. Its specialities: steep serpentines and breathtaking right-le ̈ combina-tions. It manages to conquer both of these with aplomb thanks to its agility and superb balance at high speed.

You can of course also take a seat in any of the other Zu� enhausen originals. The Travel Experience team will do everything in their power to provide you with your dream car in the ‘pit lane’. All you have to dois start the engine.


There’s no question. A perfect tour should of course also include the

straight, celebrate every incline and savour every curve right to the last corner. In other words, a Porsche that is precisely tuned to the route pro� le and is just as smoking hot as you are over the next few kilometres.

That’s why we put together an attractive ¶ eet of vehicles before every trip. Participants can change models during the tour and get to know as many models/derivatives as possible. The warm rays of sunshine on your skin, the cooling wind in your hair, the smell of freshly mown meadows – all this contributes to an even more intense driving experience. Such as in the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, for example. This sporty classic seems to have been built especially for the purpose of listening to the sound of the engine echo in the majestic alpine scenery. For all those who want to enjoy a head start in the curves, there’s the 718 Boxster S. Its specialities: steep serpentines and breathtaking right-le ̈ combina-tions. It manages to conquer both of these with aplomb thanks to its

You can of course also take a seat in any of the other Zu� enhausen originals. The Travel Experience team will do everything in their power to provide you with your dream car in the ‘pit lane’. All you have to do


C A R R E R A G T S

35


T H R E A T E N E D W I T H E X T I N C T I O N : T H E A D V E N T U R E P O R S C H E W O R L D E X P E D I T I O N

W o r l d E x p e d i t i o n

A U S T R A L I ABRISBANE – FRASER ISLAND – SIMPSON DESERT – ULURU – GREAT CENTRAL ROAD – PERTH = APPROX. 5,400 KM


AT F I R ST, I T ’ S J U ST A T H O U G H T. B U T T H O U G H T S C A N B E S H A R E D. W H I C H I S A G O O D T H I N G . B E C AU S E I T ’ S AN INCENTIVE TO DE VELOP AN IDE A OUT OF IT TOGE THER WITH OTHER S. E VEN BE T TER IF IT ’S AN OUT OF THE ORDINARY IDE A , L IKE CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE WORLD! AND IT CAN BECOME E XCITING IF YOU ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO PR ACTICE . FOR E X AMPLE, DURING THE P OR SCHE WORLD E XPEDITION. IN THE NE W P OR SCHE C AY E N N E . J U ST A S H O R T W H I L E AG O, T H E C AY E N N E WA S ST I L L E N J OY I N G W E L L PAV E D R OA D S . N O W I T ’ S A C O M PA N I O N O N A J O U R N E Y A C R O S S S I X C O N T I N E N T S . A N D T H E D R I V E R S H AV E B E C O M E A T E A M T H AT, JUST L IKE THE E XPLORER S OF OLD, IS PROVING ONCE AGAIN: THE WORLD IS STILL A PL ACE FULL OF ADVEN-T U R E . A N D T H I S I S S O M E T H I N G T H AT CA N T R U LY B E E X P E R I E N C E D.

37


A F R I C AJOHANNESBURG – MAKGADIKGADI – VICTORIA FALLS – NGORONGORO – SERENGETI – KILIMANJARO = APPROX. 4,700 KM

C E N T R A L A M E R I C ACANCÚN – BELIZE – GUATEMALA – NICARAGUA – COSTA RICA – PANAMA CANAL = APPROX. 3,900 KM

E U R O P ENORTH CAPE – SCANDINAVIA – POINTE DE CORSEN – ZUFFENHAUSEN – STELVIO PASS – MONT BLANC / CHAMONIX = APPROX. 7,000 KM

39


S O U T H E A S T A S I ABANGKOK – ANGKOR WAT – MEKONG – LUANG PRABANG – LIJIANG – SHANGRI LA = APPROX. 3,500 KM

S O U T H A M E R I C ALIMA – MACHU PICCHU – LAKE TITICACA – SALAR DE UYUNI – PURMAMARCA – PAMPAS – BUENOS AIRES = APPROX. 5,800 KM


Are there any real adventures le ̈ in this day and age? A ̈er enjoying

the Porsche World Expedition’s two-week trips, you’ll give a decisive nod of the head whenever anyone asks you this question. Real tours of discovery – in the original sense of the phrase. 80 daily stages in total. Some of them up to 1,000 kilometres long. Predominantly through unpaved no man’s land. Past places whose names you can’t remember. But the sight of which none of the parti-cipants will ever forget. Makgadikgadi, Purmamarca or Lijiang. And if you drive towards them, you might be reminded of Livingston, Amundsen or Marco Polo for a moment. It was well known that each of these trail-blazers had a maximum of one horsepower, usually only one donkey power, at their disposal.

The word expedition originates from Latin expeditio ‘campaign’ and ex-

pedire ‘releasing’. It may be that the adventurers used to unleash their pack animals in days gone by. Today, they press the engine button and start their journey using state-of-the-art automotive technology. But: it’s not about pure speed or maximum speed. The six individually bookable expeditions of the Porsche World Expedition don’t just demand a great deal from the vehicle. But from the participants too. You’ll come across everything. Coarse-grained tarmac roads. Pathless salt pans. Rough gravel roads. Flooded mud tracks. Anyone who comes on board without the requisite physical � tness, mental strength, real team spirit or driving skills will certainly see a lot of things. Just not the destination.

The third-generation Porsche Cayenne S is the perfect vehicle to meet the demands of the road. Not only will it make drivers’ hearts beat a little bit faster, but it will also increase con� dence that participants can achieve what they’re expecting to achieve. Key word: 3 in 1. This means: Travel comfort, if desired. O� -road capability when needed. Sportiness

whenever possible. In other words, the suspension con-cept of the thoroughly redesigned all-rounder in a nut-shell. Just a little aside from the data sheet: it has 440 hp that accelerate from 0 to 100 in 5.2 seconds. Su» cient for a maximum speed of 265 kph. Calming on the one hand. Challenging on the other. But that’s the way it has to be on the Porsche World Expedition.

Those who take part make one thing clear before they even start:

I’m part of the team. Because only together can you turn such an adventure into a success and achieve the goal, with your own weaknesses being balanced out by the strengths of others and vice versa. Sounds like a quote from the Scout’s handbook, but it’s actually nothing more than a frequently tested rule. You don’t have to be friends. But it’s likely that you’ll end up coming back as such. Incidentally, there is no distribution of roles into ‘important’ and ‘unimportant’ ones here. A ̈er all, whoever is in control of the steering wheel doesn’t necessarily decide where to go. The co-driver does this in his role as navigator. So: Whether it’s eating up the kilometres or dinner: don’t forget teamwork.

What might a day on the tour look like? Maybe like this: a ̈er feeling like you’ve had too little sleep, the � rst thing to do is to grab a co� ee. Or the tablet. A ̈er all, this is where the � nish line and the current milestones of the upcoming stage pop up early in the morning. Curiosity beats fatigue. Together, you’ll discuss the best route and who will drive. A ̈er that, you’re all set to go and you’ll pool your resources to try and reach the glowing red target point within a given time window. If a team gets too far away from the ideal line on its way there, the accompanying Porsche team will get it back on track. Like we said: teamwork is every-thing. And so the fastest team won’t necessarily be the one that wins. Rather, it’ll be the one that scores highest in the classic rally points system.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S NOT

ALWAYS A WAY

A TRIP AROUNDTHE WORLD TO FIND

YOURSELF

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

HOW TO BECOME AN EXTREMELY FAST

COMMUNITY

MAY THE RALLY GODS BE WITH YOU

L I K E A R O A D T R I P W I T H O U T A R O A D

Indispensable in the middle of

nowhere: a satellite-based com-

munication system as the most

important link to civilisation, plus

a tablet as the perfect organisa-

tional tool. The installed World

Expedition map app can be used

to determine the daily route

and navigate to the stage desti-

nation with pinpoint accuracy.

In addition to the specially

developed navigation and com-

munication system, the new

Cayenne S is equipped with

everything you need when you’re

quite literally driving o� the

beaten track: a sturdy four-wheel

drive with differential lock,

Porsche Traction Management

and of course all the important

comfort features you could

possibly need. All of which means

you can enjoy a ride through the

Outback as much as you will the

crossing of the Bolivian Andes.

porsche.com/world-expedition

41


P o r s c h e E x p e r i e n c e C e n t e r

Los Angeles, Le Mans, Leipzig, Atlanta, Silverstone, Shanghai: All Porsche Experience Centers o� er visitors a thrilling experience to suit every taste. Porsche fans can experience Porsche vehicles up close and personal, and put their driving skills to the test and take them to the next level. Interactive driving simulators, exclusive premium restaurants and boutiques for a Porsche-level brand experience. We’ve taken a closer look at two Experience Centers.

L O S A N G E L E S , U S A , 1 0 . 0 0 A . M .

Bill Summers, 42, has been looking forward to this moment for weeks. Today, the managing director of a � lm production company and passionate Porsche fan is not driving to his o» ce in West Hollywood as usual, but is taking Interstate 405 to Carson, around 20 minutes drive south of the California metropolis. His destination: Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles. Here, his personal Porsche driving instruc-tor is waiting for him, along with an impatient 911 Carrera S in racing yellow. The next hour and a half is all about adrenalin and driving thrills, straight from the very � rst second. Finding the right brake point. Taking the bend on the racing line. Maintaining

AC R O S S T H E W O R L D, P O R S C H E

FA N S S H A R E T H E S A M E PAS S I O N

FO R E V E RY M E T R E O F AS P H A LT

AND FOR E VERY BEND. THIS FASCI-

NATION CAN NOW BE EXPERIENCED

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL – IN

ONE OF SIX PORSCHE E XPERIENCE

CENTERS AROUND THE WORLD.

full control of the vehicle even in extreme situations. “The feeling of driving a 911 Carrera S cannot be put into words. You have to experience it yourself”, Bills en-thuses. He booked this experience online one month ago. Like at all Porsche Experience Centers around the world, the handling track in Los Angeles is made up of various modules. Each part exploits the power and precision of the 911 Carrera S. “The Porsche experience doesn’t get any more intense than that. That was the most exciting hour and a half of my life”, Bill remarks at the end, grinning from ear to ear.

L E M A N S , F R A N C E , 7 . 0 0 P . M . At around the same time, on the other side of the Atlantic, 60 employees of a French start-up are at ‘La Maison Blanche’, the restaurant of the Porsche Experience Center in Le Mans. Award-winning head chef and passionate Porsche driver Olivier Boussard is almost as much of a legend as Porsche itself in Le Mans. With a selection of deli-cious specialities, the enthusiastic visitors chat about the events of their day, while enjoying fantastic views of the legendary race track which plays host to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The young company chose the Porsche Experience Center Le Mans

as the venue for their o� site event this year. Over the course of the day, the team enjoyed an exciting programme in several groups. They took on high-speed driving training in a 911, an o� -road course in a Cayenne and Macan, and a tour of part of the legendary Le Mans race track, in a Porsche, naturally. “The incredible dynamism of this sports car impressed everybody from the very � rst moment”, managing director Benoit Harlé summed up, highly satis� ed, at the end of the day.

A G L O B A L F A S C I N A T I O N . I N D I V I D U A L O F F E R S .Be in Europe, Asia or the USA, the fascination with the Porsche brand is uni-versal. However, the needs and desires of Porsche fans can vary from continent to continent. Di� erent programmes are laid on in each Experience Center – from individual driving experiences and tailored corporate events to exclusive vehicle pick-ups. You can � nd out more about the various o� ers on the websites of the individual Experience Centers.


porschedriving.com/porsche-experience-center-atlanta

porsche-leipzig.com

porsche.cn/experience

porsche-experience-center.fr

porschedriving.com/porsche-experience-center-los-angeles

P A S S I O N K N O W S

N O L I M I T S

porsche.co.uk/experience

L O S A N G E L E S2 0 1 6

A T L A N T A2 0 1 5

S I L V E R S T O N E2 0 0 8

L E M A N S2 0 1 5

L E I P Z I G2 0 0 2

S H A N G H A I2 0 1 8

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L I M I TCLOSE TO THE

Tr a c k E x p e r i e n c e

L AT E R A L A C C E L E R AT I O N , G - F O R C E S , A D R E N A L I N E . T H E P O R S C H E T R A C K E X P E R I E N C E

C EL EB R AT E S T H E H I G H S C H O O L O F FA S T, S A F E D R I V I N G – F R O M T H E Q UA D R AT U R E O F

D R I V I N G DY N A M I C S T O A C C U R AT E S T E E R I N G . D U R I N G T H E M A S T E R T R A I N I N G S E S S I O N S

O N T H E G R A N D P R I X T R AC K AT H O C K EN H EI M , E V ERYO N E W I L L R E AC H T H EI R P ER S O N A L

L IMIT AND LE ARN HOW TO SAFELY C ONTROL THEIR VEHIC LE E VEN IN E X TREME SITUATIONS .

E A R LY R I S ER S W I L L D EF I N I T ELY H AV E A N A DVA N TAG E H ER E .

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“IT’S A

STRETCH, BUT IT’S ONLY A 60 KPH BEND.”25 0 K P H

SATURDAY, 7.00 A.M.Sunrise at the Hockenheim motordrome. The sun shimmers hazily through the early morning mist and softly illuminates the empty grandstands. The paddock, however, is bustling. Surrounded by three large Porsche Track Experience lorries is the starter field for the Master Training course, an impressive cross-section of the model range. From the Cayman GT4 to the 911 GT3 RS, everything that has two doors and a more or less large rear wing is represented here.

SATURDAY, 7.40 A.M.Box no. 30 serves as Porsche’s headquarters. A warm air blower � ghts the autumnal coolness, while tables set in white and green plants make the bare ambience a bit more homely. Fresh croissants are waiting at the counter and the co� ee machine is running at full speed. Participants who have already checked in can treat themselves to an espresso and chat with old acquaint-

ances. Most of the participants already know each other from the last course so the atmosphere is relaxed.

SATURDAY, 8.05 A.M.During the week, Carsten works as a development engineer for Porsche on the models of the future. During weekends like this, he pursues his hobby: as supervisor of the master training courses, he is re-sponsible for the driving programme and welcomes us before reminding us once again of the most im-portant basic rules of sporty driving: above all, Carsten reminds us of the quadrature of driving dynamics, according to which a tyre can only transfer a certain degree of lateral and/or longitudinal acceleration to the road. On behalf of all instructors, Hans-Joachim Stuck extends a few words of welcome which he, as a Bavarian through-and-through, concludes with a hearty yodel: “To make sure we enjoy a good start to the day.”

SATURDAY, 9.00 A.M.Once the participants have been divided up into � ve groups, they head onto the track. In front are the two instructors – Jens and Thomas – but � rst they take it veeerry slowly. This is the point at which we’re supposed to get a � rst impression, a ̈er all. A ̈er doing a lap, the convoy stops at the exit of the northern curve. Now it’s time to get down to business. Thomas, who was born in Heidelberg and grew up within earshot of the motordrome, dissects the curve verbally: “It’s pretty fast, but not without its tricks. You can brake late, you’ll have to turn in at the end of the curbs, but not too far in, otherwise you’ll end up on the high de¶ ector, and then you’ll spin”. He also warns against the grooved kerb stones in the rough sawtooth pattern at the curve’s exit: “If you get on there, it’ll rattle to high heaven and the car will get very nervous. And if it gets a bit narrow: open up the steering, you’ve got enough space on the outside.”


SATURDAY, 9.25 A.M.After a detailed inspection of the ‘Ameisenkurve’ bend and its peculiarities, our group reaches the hairpin bend. Porsche factory driver and all-round talent Dirk Werner is not only available to the partici-pants as a personal coach and mentor throughout, but can also draw on his many years of racing experi-ence at any time: Here, he explains what is possible and above all what isn’t! Like braking too late: “You reach this stretch at 250 kph, but it’s only a 60 kph bend. You have to slow down very hard and precisely.” We learn here that you can also brake into the curve with reduced pedal pressure. The main thing is, “a clean line and that you get back on the gas as soon as possible, so that you get to the following straight with enough momentum.”

SATURDAY, 9.50 A.M.The double right at the beginning of the home straight is the last stop on the sightseeing tour.

Thomas explains the perfect line: “First apply the brakes brie¶ y in the dip, then turn in and put your foot back on the gas fully. If you get the line right here, you only have to li ̈ once more brie¶ y and you can turn two curves into one with just one move of the wheel.” “Really?” asks GT3 owner Christoph from Giessen in disbelief.

SATURDAY, 10.20 A.M.After a short break we return to the track. Guided driving is now the order of the day, and Jens and Thomas drive in front. Gradually they gradually in-crease the speed, monitor their ‘pursuers’ in the rear-view mirror and point out the particularly critical points once again by radio: “Go wide now”, “head for the radio mast at the exit”, “don’t turn in too early”, they say. The convoy races faster and faster around the course – and so that everyone gets the oppor-tunity to drive directly behind the lead vehicle, a ̈er

every lap on the home straight, the � rst vehicle veers to the right and lets the others pass.

SATURDAY, 11.30 A.M.The � rst driving lesson is over. When the helmets are taken o� back in the paddock, lots of tousled hair-styles, reddened faces and beads of sweat make an appearance. “Wow, we ended up going pretty fast in the end. I need something sweet to eat before I do anything else”, announces Sevim, one of three ladies in the group. A � rst break is actually on the cards anyway right now. The lunch bu� et is designed for a sporty diet: Lots of salad, poultry and pasta: anything else would be bad for the power-to-weight ratio and � tness.

47


SATURDAY, 12.50 P.M.The tight schedule makes things feel a bit hectic. Nip to the toilet again, check the tyre pressure, and then the pit light switches back to green at 1 p.m. on the dot. Once again, the instructors will oversee the honing of the ideal line, and suggestions for improvement will be posted to the cockpit immedia-tely a ̈erwards, particularly for fast turns. “You’re slowing down too soon, you’re losing a lot of time”, buzzes the radio.

SATURDAY, 2.00 P.M.It’s time for the videoed laps. Each participant drives in front of the instructor’s vehicle for two laps during which a camera records the candidate’s performance. “But please don’t drive us away”, Jens reminds us jokingly.

SATURDAY, 3.30 P.M.We meet in the box – for co� ee and video analysis. And at � rst glance, the driving performances already look very tidy. But nothing escapes the trained eyes of a certi� ed Porsche instructor. “You missed the apex

there”, criticises Jens, talking about Frank’s hairpin bend and stops the tape so that everyone can see it. But he also explains how to do it better: “When you realise that you’re still going too fast: simply stay on the brakes longer!” But that isn’t a panacea. When turning into the following fast right-hand bend, some of the participants are still staying on the brakes for too long. “That isn’t a good idea here”, says Jens, “because at high speed, the rear axle gets very rest-less.” In Katja’s driving, he � nds a di� erent problem. When accelerating out of corners, she doesn’t use the full width of the track several times. “That looks too comfortable to me”, Jens says with a smile. “You can easily accelerate earlier and harder here, open up the steering more, there’s plenty of room.”

SATURDAY, 5.10 P.M.The motordrome has been quiet for ten minutes now. While the participants learn more about the basics of driving physics in the workshop “Tyres and Sus-pension”, the barbecue has already been � red up in front of the box. A ̈er 40 minutes the lesson is at

an end and everyone meets up for the barbecue. Participant Werner grins on seeing the juicy rib-eye steaks: “I need that now, today was absolutely ex-hausting.” No wonder: Everyone has done about 50 laps, braked hard about 250 times and had to brutal-ly accelerate again just as o ̈en. Nobody has got through it unscathed.

SATURDAY, 7.15 P.M.Everyone’s hunger is sated, some of them are now also enjoying a little glass of wine. At the same time, they’re all telling each other about their experiences. Even Peter, a businessman from Düsseldorf who has completed about 60 training courses over the past ten years, making him almost part of the furniture here at the Track Experience, has gained new insights: “Every time you learn something new.” Werner smiles with satisfaction: “Great instructors, tightly and perfectly organised – that’s what makes it fun.” But the long day has taken its toll: at about 8 p.m. the box empties and everyone heads o� to the hotel. A ̈er all, tomorrow is another day.

B R A KING50 LAPS, 250 LOTS OF HARD

49


FREE R I D E2.45 P.M.

SUNDAY, 8.45 A.M.Today, the schedule is relaxed. The training pro-gramme only starts at 9 a.m. today. All participants are on time for the pre-start to the next guided drive. There’s hardly any more work to do on the line now, it’s more about the � ne nuances: brake later and harder, get on the throttle earlier, push ever closer to the limit, the pace is forced. The distances between the drivers are getting greater here and there, but that’s not a problem: thanks to the rotation principle, everyone drives behind the instructor’s vehicle for a lap and has a front row seat to see how it’s done.

SUNDAY, 10.45 A.M.During the video analysis there’s a shower of com-pliments. “That looked quite good”, praises Jens with a smile, “no big mistakes, you’re going pretty fast.” Christoph, who has only been here four times,

is now beaming: “This is the first time I’ve been able to keep up. It was still very difficult in Spa.”

SUNDAY, 1.00 P.M.Before the free driving in the afternoon there is a special briefing. Jens emphasises the obligation to wear a helmet, explains the flag signals (“At yellow, immediately take your foot off the gas!”) and the most important rule: “The only way to overtake is if the person in front flashes their lights – just to be on the safe side.” And he points out that “30 minutes at the limit is quite a long time. When you notice that your concentration is fading: best to get back to the box and take a break.”

SUNDAY, 2.45 P.M.The free driving is in full swing and most of the par-ticipants are ¶ ying round. Lap times of less than

1.55 minutes with average speeds of almost 145 kph are not uncommon. But the yellow ¶ ag is not used. Jens praises the participants as “very well-behaved” – which is not always the case. “We’ve had people here who approach the course with a little too much ambition. In those cases, we have to have a one-to-one chat …”

SUNDAY, 4.00 P.M.Supervisor Carsten swings the black and white chequered flag and after a cooling down lap, the participants roll back into the paddock. A bunch of sweaty drivers get out of their cockpits, but their eyes are sparkling and their adrenaline levels are still on the rise. “Madness, that was really intense”, beams Frank, “But now I’m pretty much wiped out.”

51


SUNDAY, 4.15 P.M.But Frank isn’t quite through yet. He and seven other lucky devils are waiting in the pit lane for a special kind of ride. In a draw the day before, they won taxi laps with Hans-Joachim Stuck and Dirk Werner in the Cup version of the 991 GT3. The instructors help them to put on the six-point harnesses, then it’s out of the pitlane at full speed. Almost three laps are completed at racing speed before the passengers climb out of the cockpits, some of whom have very shaky legs. “Oh man, that’s a totally di� erent feel”, pants one of the participants, while another celebrates his own personal sense of achievement: “They drive the same line as us!”

SUNDAY, 5.00 P.M.The farewell begins bang on the minute. Carsten thanks the participants and instructors for their “motivated and disciplined performance”, and each participant receives a certi� cate, a Porsche model and a stucco yodeller to take home. Frank and Peter say goodbye to each other, but a reunion isn’t far o� : in just four weeks they will meet again – for the last Master’s course of the season at Le Castellet in southern France.


“ I f y o u r g a z e i s i n t h e r i g h t

p l a c e . . . ”

Our author has always considered himself to be a very good driver. But ever since Hans-Joachim Stuck drove him around the Hockenheimring in the Porsche 911 Turbo S,

he now sees there’s still a lot of potential to improve.

The man is one of the motordrome’s legends. In the 1970s, Hans-Joachim Stuck was given the honorary title of ‘King of Hockenheim’ thanks to his furious driving in Formula 2 and later in Formu-la 1. When he was the � rst to re-enter the motordrome yet again, the spectators cheered with

enthusiasm and set o� � reworks for him on the Sachskurve bend. A� er 42 years in active motorsport he drove his last race in 2011. “Today”, smiles the 66-year-old, “I’m just a caretaker

here.” But that’s a massive understatement. ‘Strietzel’, as his fans and friends call him, really doesn’t look like a caretaker. He is still slender and wiry – and whoever, like me, is lucky enough to ride a few laps with him will realise that he hasn’t forgotten his cra� .

He doesn’t need a warm-up lap. Even in the pit lane he is giving it full throttle, 580 hp brings us to 200 kph in less than ten seconds. “That’s good progress, right?”, rejoices the master with a big grin before he climbs on the brake before the narrow right. That’s too late, I think, a� er all, the track is

still a bit wet a� er a brief shower. But he carries it o� perfectly. Right at the precise point of the adhesion limit, we go round the Ameisenkurve bend and then quickly continue into the long Parabolica stretch. Then I get my next fright: a moist road surface and the speedometer needle is beyond the

250 mark. Stuck registers my questioning gaze from the corner of his eye: “No problem”, he says, “it’s always full speed here.” But then just before the hairpin bend, he misses the braking point. Good

thing there’s a wide run-out area here, I think. In the same moment, he steps on the pedal: as the ceramic brakes grab hold, it feels like we’ve been in a collision and shortly a� erwards we pass the apex exactly

to the millimetre.

By now, I know that my chau� eur’s got it under control. Nerves turn into enthusiasm, nothing’s going to go wrong here. It’s just great how this master of his cra� can balance at the limit. Or maybe he can’t? In the middle of the fast right at the entrance to the motordrome, the rear begins to slide slightly. What follows is

not a reaction, but a precise re� ex: in a � ash, Stuck countersteers, not one millimetre too much, not too little, precisely controlled so that the turbo follows the targeted line again. How does he do it? “It’s quite simple”,

he replies when braking for the Sachskurve section, “always look where you want to go. If your gaze is in the right place, nothing can go wrong”. Well, then ...

53


MAS T E RBECOME A

IN 18 HOURS



D A T E S Current dates available on the website

M A S T E R

H I G H L I G H T S

Experience an authentic race feel for two days and learn all about the ideal line of the Hockenheimring under the personal guidance of

Porsche factory drivers and guest instructors.

A R R I V A L D A Y Dinner and overnight stay at Lindner Hotel & Spa Binshof on request

D A Y 0 1 Shortly a ̈er sunrise, check-in at the Hockenheimring, welcome and theory brie� ng, then hand-over of the vehicle, then route

inspection and guided driving in groups, lunch at the track, alternating guided driving sessions and video analysis in the a ̈ernoon, evening

barbecue in the pit lane, transfer and, if desired, overnight stay at the hotel (recommended)

D A Y 0 2 Transfer from the hotel to the racetrack, guided driving in groups and video analysis, lunch at the track, personal coaching by special

guests possible, brie� ng “Free driving”, guided driving in groups and free driving, taxi rides including with special guests, etc., then return of vehicle and farewell, transfer and on request overnight stay at the hotel (recommended)

D E P A R T U R E D A Y Breakfast and individual departure

porsche.com/sportdrivingschool

55


Why did you decide to partner with Porsche Track Experience? TIMO: On the one hand, because I have been with Porsche for many years and feel very comfortable here. I’ve always had the feeling that my work is appreciated. This way I can give something back to the brand. But also because selected customers can bene�t from my experience. They are usually huge Porsche enthusiasts who are intensively involved in motorsport. I deal with people who’ve already reached a certain level. What we do here goes far beyond normal driving, and I enjoy it too.

What can beginners and amateurs learn from you? TIMO: Above all, the fact that racing is not just about braking late and accelerating early on, but also about cool thinking. It’s not so much courage that counts here, but rather the driving technique. It is not about who can drive into a bend the fastest, but who can exit it in the best possible way.

And how do you learn that? Is there a special method for doing it? TIMO: Oh yes, there is. Take the Eau Rouge passage on the Grand Prix circuit in Spa, for example. During the Master-RSR-Training, we’ll take a look at it calmly �rst of all. It goes into a dip �rst, then into a le�, then there’s a change of direction to the right uphill and �nally it goes again to the le� over a hilltop – and you’re doing all this at a pretty fast speed to boot. In short: all the critical points, compressed into a space of 400 metres. And then I’ll divide it into sections: Where do you

brake, when do you turn in, where are the apexes, when do you go back on the gas? Most of the participants are quite surprised that it is so structured. In Eau Rouge you have to think ahead, because there is a long straight immediately a�erwards where you can lose a lot of time. You therefore shouldn’t brake too late at the entrance to the curve, but rather take a lot of the momen-tum with you along the straight.

This means that you don’t just lead the partici-pants around the track all day long, but also teach

them the theory behind it? TIMO: Exactly, I place great importance on that. Successful motorsport depends on perfect preparation and follow-up. Participants in the advanced courses can already drive a car well, and some of them are thinking about launching their own motorsport career. Therefore it is important to introduce them to performance-oriented thinking.

What exactly do you mean by that? TIMO: It starts with us already sitting in the car ten minutes before starting to drive and mentally preparing ourselves. And it ends with us analysing the whole thing a�er driving: where have mistakes been made, what can be optimised? Evaluating the video recording also of course helps in this respect. I always try to tell the participants that they should look at themselves critically in the mirror a�erwards. In order to improve, you have to be honest about the mistakes you’ve made.

Racing drivers are always working to the limit – both physically and mentally. What skills do you

need to have? TIMO: Certain physical prerequisites should already be met: good eyes and motor skills, a strong sense of balance – you have to be able to feel exactly how the car moves. But you also have to be able to work hard, something that is o�en underestimated in motorsport. From a certain level upwards, all your opponents will be just as good as you, which means that how meticulously you prepare is the key factor.

A certain amount of egotism is not a bad thing either. A¦er all, only one person can win at a time... TIMO: To a certain extent, yes, but at the same time you should be able to work as part of a team – and that’s a di³cult balancing act that not everyone can manage. I would describe it more as the will to succeed. Above all, you have to be able to motivate yourself time and again even in seemingly hopeless situations. At the last race in Le Mans, our team had a huge repair to carry out on the car a�er three hours. A�er that we were hopelessly far behind and could quite simply just have focused on reaching the �nish. But instead we said: no, we’ll catch up – and in the end, we actually won.

T A L KP I T S T O P

A W O R L D C H A M P I O N A S T E AC H ER:

A S O F F I C I A L PA R T N ER O F T H E P O R S C H E

T R AC K E X P ER I EN C E , FA C T O RY D R I V ER

T I M O B ER N H A R D AC C O M PA NIES S EL EC T ED

T R A I N I N G E V EN T S . I N A N I N T ER V I E W,

T H E C H A M P I O N E X P L A I N S W H AT A N D

H O W T H E PA R T I C I PA N T S C A N L E A R N

F R O M H I M .

“ M U C H M O R E T H A N J U S T

N O R M A L D R I V I N G . ”

57


You get to meet very di§erent characters and people with greter or lesser talent among the course par-

ticipants. How individual is your focus? TIMO: I look early on at the way people tick. Motto: Is he a hotshot or is he more of a cautious guy? Because I’m the one who has to manage it all: Someone who’s a bit of a live wire I’ll need to rein in a bit, but I’ll also need to push the more cautious people up to the standard they need to reach. The best way to do this is with guided driving. I drive ahead, the participant is in the same vehicle behind – and then I constantly observe them in the rear view mirror. I quickly learn how they react and how much I can trust them with.

But sooner or later, everyone will reach their personal limit. What happens then? TIMO: I constantly watch whether someone can keep up or if they fall back, whether they brake too late or don’t catch the line properly. This shows me how much capac- ity the participant has le�. And when I realise that they’re at the limit, I don’t push any further, but work in smaller steps. Then I reduce the speed and put more emphasis on them taking the right line.

And what e§ect can the things you learn from this coaching on the racetrack have on your driving

on public roads? TIMO: Anyone who has attended such a training session will in any case drive in a more relaxed way. It’s not about the fact that the participants should be driving on winding country roads at the limit. But it does give you the ability to

better assess yourself and your driving skills. And when things get tricky, for example when aquaplaning or during an evasive manoeuvre, you’re simply able to react more calmly. Those who have pushed themselves to the limit more o�en will �nd it easier to get out of those situations. And those who drive a car at this level won’t need to �nd their challenges in everyday driving.

The Porsche Track Experience has been in existence since 1974. Why do you think the project is still

so successful today? TIMO: I’m not surprised by it: The courses are organised in a completely professional manner and provide a tailor-made o�er for every car enthusiast. The beginner courses are also suitable for people who don’t want to drive that fast, but want to get a better feel for their car. Here you learn above all how to control the vehicle better. And there are hardly any upper limits when it comes to the Master RSR and various special courses. Here, everyone can �nd an o�er that perfectly suits him or her.

ABOUT TIMO BERNHARD:Timo Bernhard won his �rst title at the tender age of ten: ADAC-

Pfalzmeister in the Youth Karting Slalom. The Saarland-born

factory driver has been with Porsche since 1999 and is now one

of the most successful sports car drivers in the world. He has

achieved �ve (!) overall wins in the legendary 24-hour race at the

Nürburgring alone. Since the start of Porsche’s involvement in

the World Endurance Championship four years ago, Bernhard has

focused exclusively on races in the Porsche 919 Hybrid. He has

started in 32 races, twelve of which he has won – including the

24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2015, the 36-year-old father achieved his

greatest success to date: the World Sportscar Championship. In

2017, his childhood dream came true: overall win with Porsche in

the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

L E A R N I N G A T T H E L I M I T S

A Porsche can of course also be driven with just basic driving knowledge. Whether engine, brakes or steering – everything works just like in any other car in principle. With the subtle di�erence that a Porsche reacts more precisely and quickly to the commands of its driver.

The Porsche Track Experience’s two-day training sessions are the best way to �nd out how much potential there is in a Porsche. The wide range of courses is aimed at everyday drivers as well as ambitious sports pilots and begins with the introductory course ‘PRECISION’, which is primarily aimed at teaching you how to react in dangerous situations. But the fun of driving isn’t neglected in any way: during guided driving on the circuit, precise steering, controlled braking and controlled acceleration are practised. The knowledge acquired here is deepened in the training level ‘PERFORMANCE’, which is even more sporty: a highlight here is the free driving on the circuit followed by a quali�ed evaluation by the instructors.

Then you move on to the ‘MASTER’ training sessions that focus on professional driving technique on the racetrack. Experienced professionals even take turns to support the participants in one-to-one mode. The ‘�nal classes’ focus on perfectly controlling true racing cars – with tread-free racing tyres and no electronic stabilisation aids. In the ‘MASTER RS’, advanced sports drivers can even acquire a motorsports license from the DMSB, in order to then perfect their acquired knowledge on the racetrack in the ‘MASTER RSR’ courses. The o�er is rounded o� by various special training courses: In the ‘WARM-UP’ course, participants can test the entire Porsche model range and acquire basic driving knowledge on the circuit. ‘CLASSIC CARS’ is aimed at owners of classic Porsche models who want to race their classic

cars for one day on race tracks steeped in history. The ‘G-FORCE’ specials, which are all about controlled dri¨, and the training special ‘SUPER SPORT’, are much harder: here, it’s all about the performance of powerful GT models on the race track. And in the special ‘FAST TRACK’ course, �rst-time participants can also acquire a motorsport license from the DMSB – in just three days.

The venues of the individual training courses are of the same high quality as the courses themselves. In addition to the perfectly equipped test grounds in Boxberg or Baden-Baden, there is also the FIA-certi�ed circuit on the grounds of the Porsche plant in Leipzig, which includes demanding cornering combinations from famous race tracks. It gets even more exciting on the classic tracks and Formula 1 courses of Europe. This includes the modern Grand Prix tracks on the NÜRBURGRING – here, you can follow in the foot- steps of the greats of motorsport. Not to mention the ultimate adventure, the historic NÜRBURGRING NORTH LOOP. Newcomers need a lot of time to really get to grips with the almost 21 kilometre track with its di»cult combination of curves. But with the help of the Porsche Track Experience instructors, they’ll be able to do it much faster than they would otherwise have done.

G e t t i n g a g r e a t e r f e e l f o r d r i v i n g . G e t a t a s t e o f

y o u r l i m i t s i n a s a f e w a y . D r i v i n g i n t h e t r a c k s o f

t h e p r o s o n c l a s s i c r a c e t r a c k s . A l l t h i s i s o f f e r e d

b y t h e P o r s c h e T r a c k E x p e r i e n c e t r a i n i n g c o u r s e s .

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G T 3

A Porsche wants to be driven. A credo which may not appear remarkable at � rst glance, but which perfectly explains the philosophy behind the Porsche Track Experience. They all o� er the opportunity to take a Porsche to its limits and to learn about every little detail, taking it around circuits, through bends and around chicanes in a way that would never be possible in regular road tra» c. Performance, handling and precision are put to the test here. This is where you truly appre-ciate the sheer power of the vehicle you are controlling. And your choice of vehicle will determine the experience you take away from your Track Experience training. If you get into a 911 Turbo S, for example, the 580 horsepower of the powerful rear engine will take you from 0 to 100 kph in an incredible 2.9 seconds. If you choose the more robust 911 GT3, a glimpse in the rear-view mirror is all it takes to identify the origins of the vehicle – the striking spoiler positioned on the tail shows that this vehicle has pure racing passion in its DNA. Another great way to take your driving skills to the next level is the Porsche Racing Experience, where only cup vehicles are taken to the track. Until then, however, every single Porsche calls on you to make its wish come true – to be driven at full speed.

T U R B O S

C a r p o o l Tr a c k E x p e r i e n c e

T H E M O S T D I F F I C U L T M A N O E U V R E :

G E T T I N G O U T


T U R B O S

You can � nd the details about fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on page 88.61


R a c i n g E x p e r i e n c e

F O R T H E F I R S T T I M E , TA L E N T E D S P O R T S C A R D R I V E R S C A N

U N D E R G O T R A I N I N G T O B E C O M E R E A L R A C I N G D R I V E R S T H A N K S

T O T H E T H R E E L E V E L S O F F E R E D B Y P O R S C H E . T H E P O R S C H E

R A C I N G E X P E R I E N C E O F F E R S T H E P E R F E C T P R E P A R AT I O N F O R A

F I R S T R A C I N G S E A S O N – I N C LU D I N G M E N T A L C O A C H I N G A N D T H E

A C Q U I S I T I O N O F I N T E R N AT I O N A L R A C I N G L I C E N C E S . W I T H I N T E N S I V E

S U P P O R T, T H E S TA R T O F A C A R E E R I N M O T O R S P O R T W I L L F O L L O W : I N

T H E P O R S C H E S P O R T S C U P , T H E P O R S C H E G T 3 C U P C H A L L E N G E O R

T H E P O R S C H E C A R R E R A C U P .

T H E N E W P O R S C H E R A C I N G E X P E R I E N C E

F R O M S P O R T S D R I V E R T O R A C I N G D R I V E R

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It’s the stu ̈ dreams are made of. Putting on the racing suit. Lacing up the special shoes. Slipping your

hands into the FIA-homologated gloves, putting on your helmet and HANS®. Squeezing yourself into the

racing car. An experienced and friendly mechanic « rmly lashing the 6-point belt. “Tighter”, he dreams,

and the mechanic pulls again. And it’s done: the torso is now incapable of moving and seems completely

connected to the carbon seat shell. Only the head can still turn towards the side mirrors. The hands grip

the steering wheel bravely but don’t cling to it; the heavily angled arms wait to get to work. The feet

have room to dance on the pedals. The tension in-creases, the hormone levels rise in equal measure,

you’re all ready to start and then – you wake up. Every time. And always before the race actually

starts, of course.

Becoming a racing driver, driving real races – that’s what almost everyone who has a bit of horsepower in their garage, a competitive gene and petrol in their blood wants. That’s why Porsche is now supporting everyone who wants to ful� l their dream with its Racing Experience. Thanks to three structured levels, tal-ented gentlemen drivers can acquire the necessary knowledge and licenses to drive in various Porsche Cup races. And plan their future careers.

But slowly: euphoria won’t be enough to get you through the tough training. First of all, you have to be a team player – up to 20 pilots are taught in one level, and one instructor is responsible for two ‘students’ with a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup vehicle. Good physical and mental health is a prerequisite, and the customer must also have previous experience with racing cars. He should have driven on various race tracks, he needs to know how slicks feel when driving, and ideally he is able decelerate a race car correctly and safely even without ABS.

T H E F E E T H A V E R O O M

T O D A N C E O N T H E P E D A L S .

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The three intensive training levels were developed with the help of men who know what they are talking about – such as Mark Webber or Sascha Maassen, both Le Mans winners in Porsche cars. Sports physicians, mental coaches and physiotherapists always accompany customers. They must be ready to get fully involved with the Racing Experience, both mentally and physically.

The � rst session lasts � ve days – but you need to already have had some experience in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup or have completed similar courses. It starts with technology. How do you adjust the chassis to suit personal preferences? How do you � nd your optimal set-up? Because such a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, the world’s most built racing car, is not a toy – a 4-litre 6-cylinder Boxer, 485 hp, just 1,200 kg in weight. Born to win. Then it’s o� to the simulator. And � nally, real racing situations are simulated: behaviour at di� erent ¶ ag signals, safety car phase, race termination. And of course the di� erent starts – standing and rolling. Successful completion of this course and test results in the acquisition of the international D race licence.

And this means that stage 2 can be ignited: the � rst real racing season in the Porsche Sports Cup or the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge with full service support and organisation with the highly profes-sional team Manthey-Racing as a technical partner – and so the dream comes true. Optionally, di� erent training modules can be booked, such as driving without ABS and traction control or a data workshop and � tness training. Those who end up being evaluated in at least � ve races will receive the international C race licence.

Level 3 is then the Racing Experience at maximum speed: among other things, it is all about individual career planning and partici-pation in all the racing series in which Porsche is represented in GT sport. It can start with the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Monaco, the 24-hour race at Le Mans, Daytona, the Nürburgring or one of the other numerous national and international one-make cups. In short: racing comes � rst. That’s when you know that the customer’s made it. That’s how men become racing drivers. Or women. Truly.

porsche.com/racing-experienceS T O P S Y O U C O L D

I c e E x p e r i e n c e

I M P R OV E D V E H I C L E C O N T R O L , S H O RT E R R E-ACT I O N T I M E S, K N O W-L E D G E O F H O W TO D E A L W I T H P R E C A R I O U S SITUATIONS – BUT ABOVE A L L D R I V I N G P L E AS U R E A N D A N I N C O M PA R A B L E E X P E R I E N C E O F N AT U R E A R E W H AT YO U C A N E XPECT FROM THE CAMP4 P R O G R A M M E O F T H E P OR SCHE ICE E XPERIENCE I N N O R T H E R N F I N L A N D. T H I S K I N D O F W I N T E R T R A I N I N G I N L E V I I S T H E M O ST B E AU T I F U L , M O ST ENTERTAINING AND SAFEST WAY TO G E T O N T H E I C E .

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he instructors certainly won’t forget the image: a group of their pro- tégés sat in a wooden hut, each one of them holding a large plate in their hands like a steering wheel. They

had to do steering exercises on command. The background to this was that the participants in the ‘Camp4’ level of the Porsche Ice Experience came from Indonesia – where, �rst of all, they drive on the le¨, and secondly, not one of them had ever placed any great importance on steering techniques.

Granted: an introduction like this to a Porsche event for driving on snow and above all on pure ice is rare – even though international customers are quite a common sight in Finland’s Levi, even from far-away Australia. Aër all, this is where the largest of all Porsche Winter training facilities is located, and not just because of the guaranteed winter weather: Levi, situated about 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, o�ers a touch of ice-cold exoticism thanks to the fascinating Lappish lifestyle and temperatures ranging around minus 30 degrees Celsius.

Even landing at Kittilä Provincial Airport is an experience in itself: aër approaching it over the white wilderness, the experienced pilot lands on a tiny air�eld from where everyone walks to the terminal, which is no bigger than a supermarket in a German village. Now the participants really have arrived, because from here on in, Porsche will provide the all-inclusive support for �ve days.

Visitors will �nd one of the largest Finnish ski resorts in Levi, as well as a number of bars and restaurants. You can go ice karting or visit the world’s northernmost hot yoga studio in Sirkka with its 38-degree rooms. A trip in a sled with ready-harnessed huskies or reindeer that love running is amazing. If you have enough time and energy, you can also take a trip to the Pallas- Yllästunturi National Park and the ‘Santa Claus Village’ in neighbouring Rovaniemi.

TBut �rst, you can get to know the people with whom you’ll spend the next few days at Camp4 learning the basics of the art of mastering ice and snow in a Porsche. Couples, men’s groups, people who’ve been given gi¨ vouchers, mothers with their sons and of course also people on their own are among those who dare to try the Finnish adventure ‘embedded’ with Porsche.

You’ll meet at the Hotel Levi Panorama, which is situated in the 531-metre-high ski resort of LeviÂäll and has 43 pistes that are normally accessed by gondola. A feeling of relaxation will set in at the very latest aër a session in the Finnish sauna, which is usually very hot indeed. That evening, participants are divided up into initial groups and the programme explained – over dinner with elk, bear, reindeer, wild boar or salmon specialities. Here, up to 50 participants per event can �nd out what to expect: driving pleasure. For three whole days.

Camp4 is aimed at anyone who wants to test their limits with a rear or four-wheel drive Porsche 911 Carrera – for several hours a day. Depending on the weather and temperature, the driving starts between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on the perfectly prepared training area, which in summer is an impassable marshland: weeks before the �rst event, a foundation of at least 20 centimetres was laid using various layers of prepared ice and natural, hard pressed snow for an unforgettable experience.

280 hectares of space and about 40 sections and handling tracks are ready and waiting for action – fans of driïng, what more could you possibly want? The experienced instructors lead participants onto the ice in sensibly structured exercises. Grip is provided by 1.5 millimetre long spikes – ice is reliable as a substrate and, in contrast to snow, retains an unvarying consistency all day long. From driving on circuits using electronic driving aids, which takes some getting used to on this surface, to slaloms and eights with and without a skid program (PSM, Porsche Stability Management) and �nally a circuit without using any electronic aids. The speeds aren’t that high – but they are high enough to experience the full dynamics of the 420 hp sports cars.

“The aim of Camp4 is to be able to ‘read’ the icy track; to learn the right viewing technique by going where you’re looking; to gain experience in skidding; to learn how to change lanes under tougher conditions; to practise emergency braking and, of course, to be able to dri¨”, as a Porsche instructor summarises and promises: “On the last day of the training, you’ll drive the entirety of the handling course ...” But there’s never anyone wagging their �nger at you: “The instructors are all entertainers too”, he grins.

‘Fun to Drive’ undoubtedly also includes spins – and sometimes you’ll even hit a snow wall. But the experienced professionals make sure that every participant learns from it. By explaining and showing how it works until no more mistakes are made. The reward for the e�ort? Firstly, the feeling of happiness aër a perfectly completed circuit on the handling course. And secondly, taking home the knowledge of mastering a car in a way you’ve never done before, leaving you with a permanent grin on your face.

You can �nd the details about fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on page 88.69


Driving is only possible on the

training courses thanks to 1.5 mm

spikes. Once all the electronic

assistance systems have been

switched o�, these small steel

pins are the only tool that will help

you on the slippery ice.



Positioned crossways but still

making headway: With a cleanly

executed rally ¶ick, no problem.

But until you’ve mastered the

technique, it’s all about practise,

practise, practise.



Riding on a snowmobile can be anything from relax-ing and exciting to fast-paced. But it’s deª nitely one thing for certain: unique. That’s why a snowmobile tour is part of the programme at Camp4.

From 0 to 100 kph in less than two seconds – in the snow. Or race over a frozen lake at 160 kph: Snow-mobiles are the supersports equipment of the winter – no matter whether they can produce 60,140 or 500 hp. These mixtures of rear-wheel drive, motorcycle and racing skis are accelerated using your thumb, steered with the bum and conquered with the brain.

Camp4 helps participants to get acquainted with them: by including a snowmobile tour in its programme. Under expert guidance, all participants learn not only how to handle the snowmobiles that weigh about 200 kg, but also a great deal of respect. A� er all, single-seater vehicles can dri� just as fast as cars at speed: it only takes a little practise before you learn how to use your body to make fast and tight turns, just like a Moto GP rider. But it also teaches you respect for nature, because a snowmobile is capable of overcoming almost any (snow-covered) obstacle – even if there’s no path or piste.

As with the car, the heart of the system is the drive: the power of a two-stroke or four-stroke engine is trans-ferred to a rubber chain with crossbars by means of a centrifugal clutch. Your right thumb controls the accelerator. The brake – operated using a hand lever – simply stops the rubber chain. The steering is controlled by a motorcycle handlebar and the power is transferred to two large runners. By the way, pros can do incredible things with snowmobiles: the world record in the long jump is 125 metres with a landing on arti� cial turf – and another one was also set on water: an unbelievable 212 kilometres drive.

But it’s in the snow they give you the most fun – and absolute concentration is required here, too: With the helmet on, you’re utterly alone and can hear nothing but the high speed engine. During the break, when the guide in the forest or on the � eld asks you to turn o� the engines, the jarring cold Nordic silence is over-whelming. With a bit of luck, you’ll experience a starry sky that is completely una� ected by light pollution in the evening.

And then it all begins all over again. But you can leave yourself more than two seconds for the start this time ...

P o w e r

o n s k i s

75


It starts with the drill. This is at least one metre long. Justi�ed, given it has to penetrate through the ice layer using the full force of the body. And hopefully it’s not too thin either. A�er all, we’re not trying to catch sticklebacks, we’re trying to catch trout. Or perch, zander and pike. And they’ll need to �t through the drilled hole. In Finland, ice-�shing has a long tradition – no wonder, given winter is so long. It’s almost like meditation: it’s about sitting and concentrating. But also hoping and catching �sh. And possibly eating the catch in the form of e.g. a Savukala burger – a trout burger with beetroot.

In lake-rich Lapland you can go ice �shing anywhere in the cold months – even with a day licence: as soon as the ice has reached a thickness of at least �ve centimetres, especially on the larger lakes, Finns commence this silent art of hunting. To do this, they simply drill several holes in the ice, some of which are 10 to 15 centimetres in size. The remaining equipment required is easy to understand and can be hired: you’ll need an extremely short rod, a simple reel, a �shing line, hook and various lures. This could include the maggots that you can buy, but predatory �sh are more likely to be served with arti�cial bait such as spinners, spoons, wobblers or twisters. The natural bait on the hook is combined with a swimmer – the �oat – but the arti�cial bait has to be moved slightly jerkily upwards and downwards with the �shing rod. The aim is to simulate a prey �sh.

Did someone say “boring”? You have to constantly keep clearing new ice away from the holes. You need to help your friends and colleagues if their catch is squirming and they can’t get the �sh o� the hook. And you have to stay warm – preferably with cold drinks. If you stare into an ice hole for a while, you’ll quickly �nd your mind far removed from everyday life and you’ll withdraw into your own little cocoon – even if its outermost layer is in fact made up of many layers of textiles. What a contrast to the dynamic Boxer engines on the racetrack.

Freezing cold on the slopes? Then you may as well go ice �shing and be just as cold.

Ice ªshing is the exact opposite of the exciting Porsche Winter-training course: meditation instead of an engine, dozing instead of dri¦ing. Agreed? If you can ªnd the time to do this in spite of the busy programme on o§er, Levi is precisely the right place for you.

F i s h i n g

d o n e d i f f e r e n t l y

77


The adventure doesn’t have to

end there, by the way: Porsche’s

Ice Experience o�ers the events

Camp4S, Ice-Force and Ice-

ForceS as well as a brand new

course, Ice-ForceRS, which all

build on Camp4. The latter is

pure motorsport with racing cars

on ice. And a di�erent matter

entirely ...

I c e E x p e r i e n c e

H I G H L I G H T S Experience �ve intensive days beyond the Arctic Circle and improve your driving skills on ice and snow at the Porsche Driving Center Levi. D A Y 0 1 Individual arrival at Kittilä airport, transfer to Levi Panorama hotel, welcome and dinner together D A Y 0 2 Driving safety and driving dynamics brie�ng, then transfer to the Porsche Driving Center Levi, slalom and circle training, lunch at the track, advanced braking and lane change training in the a¨ernoon, dinner at the Northern Lights RanchD A Y 0 3 Continuation of driving programme: rally ¶ick, circle, �gure of 8, ¶ick square and advanced braking, lunch at the track in between, snowmobile tour in the late a¨ernoon, dinner at the traditional hut restaurant TonttulaD A Y 0 4 Continuation of driving programme: handling, ¶ick square and �gure of 88, lunch at the track in between, farewell dinner at the Gold Digger Bar & Lounge in the eveningD A Y 0 5 Organised transfer to Kittilä airport and individual return journey

porsche.com/driving-experience-winter


C A M P 4

D A T E S Current dates available on the website



I F YO U WA N T K N O W H O W TO D R I V E P E R F ECT LY O N I C E A N D

S N O W I N R E A L M OTO R S P O RT I C O N S S U C H AS T H E P O R S C H E

911 GT3 O R A C U P 911, YO U WON’ T WANT TO MISS THE NE W

TO P T R A I N I N G C O U R S E I C E-FO R C E R S. A I M: CA R C O N T R O L

U N D E R R A L LY C O N D I T I O N S. THE ICING ON THE CAKE OF THE

P O R S C H E I C E E X P E R I E N C E W I L L G I V E YO U M O R E T H A N

J U ST G O O S E B U M P S.

E ntertainment? The car. Cameradie? By the time you get in and out of the car at the very latest. Small talk? Sorry, you’ll only get a few

short conversations – about cars and driving techniques. Participants in the the new Ice- ForceRS in Levi need to be clear on one point: it’s all about driving, driving, and more driving. Experiencing the Ice-ForceRS means being ready to get involved physically and mentally in two intensive days of icy racing – in the Porsche 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 Cup.

Long spikes in the tyres ensure high speeds – twice as high as in the entry-level programme Camp4. It starts with the 911 GT3 before we change to the 911 GT3 Cup, which is not approved for use on public roads. However, the racer has a heating system here in Lapland. It also has a slightly raised position and greater steering ¶exibility. But otherwise racing conditions dominate – the sound of the gear box’s straight-toothed gears is bound to sneak its way through even the thickest of helmets.

Six handling tracks of up to three kilometres in length on ‘Area X’ are available in Levi. It’s about perfect dri¨s like the ‘Scandinavian Flick’ – the ‘dri¨’ before the hairpin bend. The instructors expect participants to precisely hit the touch-o� area by the end, right down to the square metre. It’s about braking with your le¨ foot. And the ‘high speed into the hairpin’ approach. The training course even includes instruction in rally pace notes – with a subsequent special timed stage. Finally, a ride in the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia awaits you as a special icy treat – this racing SUV is a rare kind of extreme. This event will de�nitely be a smoking hot one.


ICE WITH CREAM

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C a r p o o l I c e E x p e r i e n c e

B A R E Y O U R C L A W S



D A T E S 12.02.2018–18.02.2018 21.02.2018–27.02.2018


R O U T E

L E V I

A LTA

N O R T H C A P E

K I R K E N E S

T O T H E E N D S O F E U R O P ET R AV E L E X P E R I E N C E A R C T I C


There is more than just professional instructors waiting for you at the Porsche Driving Center Levi in Finland. A comprehensive range of high-powered Porsche models is also on hand – from the 718 Cayman and Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS whose 450-HP all-wheel drive will devour snow and ice to the mighty Porsche 911 Turbo. In the end the decision is yours as to the car in which you will dri ̈ around the corners. And also determined in part by the course programme you have booked. Once you arrive at the training facilities, you will notice another constant layer of sound on top of booming engines. This is due to the countless spikes � xed in the treads of the special tyres. Depending on the driving event, the length of the metal pins varies from 1.5 up to 4.0 mil-limetres. On rough, icy surfaces, 1.5-mm spikes are long enough to deliver a noticeable improvement in driving behaviour. And short enough to get to grips with the initially unfamiliar road holding. Tyres with spikes respond to smooth surfaces considerably faster than winter tyres. An instinct for steering and for braking and accelerating are therefore called for. If you have completed both of the introductory training sessions Camp4 and Camp4S, you can switch to up to 4-mm spikes. You can ensure an even � rmer grip on the icy track. The direct consequences are that steering is even more precise, power transmission is higher and euphoria becomes a lasting feeling.

Always wanted to visit the North Cape in northern Norway once in your life? You can achieve this dream on a Hurtigruten ship. Or by getting into a Porsche Cayenne. Equipped with 1.5-mm spikes, you set o� from the Porsche Driving Center Levi through the magical, snowy Fjell landscape of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. From here, you’re driving northbound, past the never-ending forests of birch and spruce trees and their wild inhabitants, the reindeer. The more lines of latitude you cross, the lower the trees and the harsher the landscape.

You encounter the � rst Â ord in Alta. From here, you take the coast road along the majestic PorsangerÂ orden before you reach another highlight – the North Cape tunnel located 212 metres below sea level. When you reach the North Cape, you will enjoy magni� cent views of the Barents Sea. You then head eastward on the Hurtigruten with your car. The ship’s passage ends in Kirkenes, close to the Russian border. An eventful day lies in store. The programme includes bathing in the Arctic Sea, a sleigh ride and king crab � shing.

When the sun rises, you � nally start up your Porsche again. You will return to Levi on the only road leading to Finland, taking in hundreds of miles of breathtaking nature, and from there you will make your way home, where your adventure in the Arctic will live long in your memory.

C A R R E R A 4 G T SC A R R E R A 4 G T S

83


T R AV E L E X P E R I E N C E D O L O M I T E A L P SH I G H L I G H T S I N T H E A L P S


D A T E S 12.07.2018–15.07.2018 06.09.2018–09.09.2018


R O U T E

M U N I C H

F E R N PA S S

S T E LV I O J O C H

M E R A N OC O R T I N AD’A MPE Z ZO

A M B I T I O N R A T H E R T H A N A B ST R A C K E X P E R I E N C E M A S T E R R S R


P O R S C H E I N L E I P Z I G


D A T E S See website for current dates


From the Bavarian capital, you start o� on a high-speed road to the alpine upland. The �rst pass you encounter is the Fernpass. This will take you and your Porsche up to a pleasant temperature. The Timmelsjoch is an entirely di�erent kind of thing. Spanning over 49 kilometres, it’s �lled with twists and turns, including 44 hairpin bends. At the top of the pass, you will cross the border into Italy. Here, you are expected – at the Therme Meran luxury hotel, which will be your start and �nish point during the coming days. The interior was designed by star designer Matteo Thun using high- quality, natural materials. You can draw strength at one of the three wellness facilities with a total of 25 pools. You’re going to need it.

The next day will bring with it a host of driving thrills. On the way to the chic resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, you can savour every bend and perfect your acceleration skills from the peak. The Alpine- Mediterranean delicacies prepared by head chef at Castel Fragsburg, Enzo Bellia, are also a delight. He and his team will treat you to a range of culinary delights, both familiar and unfamiliar.

The third day has a further highlight in store – the Stelvio Pass. On what is perhaps the most beautiful pass in all the Alps, you will need complete concentration and all of your driving skills. You will take your Porsche on a steep, almost 16-mile climb, with a gradient of 13.5 % at the peak. In total, 63 switchbacks lie in store for you. And each of them is sure to get your heart racing. A¨er the spectacular descent towards Bormio with a gradient of 14.8 %, your tour will come to an end in the picturesque town of Merano. The next day, you will master the Jaufen Pass without breaking a sweat, before taking your Porsche back down to Munich in seventh gear.

Sooner or later, every Porsche driver experiences the insatiable desire to swap their sports car for a race car with slicks. Getting maximum performance not just for overtaking on the motorway, but for the �nal, crucial bend on a track. Stepping out of your comfort zone, pushing your foot to the ¶oor and being pushed back forcefully into the hard bucket seat.

In the Master RSR training, this is exactly the road you follow. Or rather, the race track you follow. With a maximum of twelve participants, you spend two days driving 911 GT3 Cup vehicles on the FIA-certi�ed circuit in Leipzig, where each bend presents a new challenge and o�ers a new lesson. For braking, accelerating and ensuring maximum control of your car without any electronic assistance such as ABS or PSM. The continuous feedback from our experienced Porsche instructors helps you to get even faster and even more precise. But a little word of warning here, you may well break out in a sweat when you encounter the detailed replica of the notorious Loews hairpin bend.

Before you take on the Master RSR training, you need to complete either the Master or Master RS training from the Porsche Track Experience. A¨er the Master RSR course, you will be able to make further forays into the world of professional motorsport – as part of the Porsche Racing Experience, for example. One thing is certain: if you’ve ever been behind the wheel of a sports car, you’ll want to keep coming back for more.

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T R A C K E X P E R I E N C E C L A S S I C C A R SP A S T A N D P R E S E N T

The term classic car no longer applies to many drivers of these vehicles. A¨er all, what a driver want to do most with a classic car is drive it. Instead, the precious treasures are locked away in sterile halls under white cotton cloths, and only moved when they’re pushed from one corner to the other in velvet gloves, to ensure that the sun shining through the window does not raise the temperature inside.

If you’re also the owner of a classic car, then it’s time to stop reading right now. The one- or two-days Porsche Classic Cars training is aimed at fans of classic cars who believe that even older Porsches deserve the chance to race around the track. It’s about pure passion, unbridled driving thrills and emotion beyond power steering or traction control. The owners of classic Porsches (up to and including the 996 model) can take their vehicles for a drive on historic tracks – and come down the home straight rather than a concours d’élégance. The instructors at the Porsche Track Experience, including greats from the world of motorsports, will help you to exploit the full potential of your vehicle. While also ensuring that all classic cars are treated in accordance with their age. Incidentally, if you don’t own a Porsche yet, but have another classic or modern classic car (up to and including 1998 models) in your garage, you can still line up with this on the track alongside the duck tail RS and the seasoned rally expert 944.

And when you take your classic Porsche back home in the evening at a more leisurely speed a¨er your day on the track, one thing is certain: today, exciting dreams are sure to �nd you.

N Ü R B U R G R I N G

D U R A T I O N 1 or 2 days

D A T E S See website for current dates


C O N S U M P T I O N V A L U E Sof the vehicles depicted in this magazine

L E G A L I N F O R M A T I O N

PORSCHE EXPERIENCE STORIES

No. 1, Edition 2018, WSL81801000420

Porsche Experience Stories is published in two languages: English and German.

Porsche Experience Stories online

porsche.com/drivingexperience

Publisher

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Editing and design

Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur GmbH

Creative direction: Ralf Nolting

Editorial work: Oliver Birkmeier, Frederik Wetzel, Jan Ostendorf, Nina Puri,

Judith Stoletzky, Herrmann J. Müller, Roland Löwisch, Oliver Kessler

Graphic editing: Garnet Matthiesen, Anna-Lena Meyer

Account management: Julica Hauke, Frauke Skuballa, Marcel Duy

Production management: Jörg Nagel

Art direction: Daniela Kern, Sarah Fröhlich, Julia Machtans

Final artwork: Anneke Plein

Contact

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Porscheplatz 1, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany

Telephone: +49 (0)711 911 77549, [email protected]

Lithography

Otterbach Medien KG GmbH & Co., Rastatt, Germany

Production and printing

Gra�sches Centrum Cuno GmbH & Co. KG, Calbe (Saale), Germany

Printed in Germany

© Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, 2018

All text, images and other information in this magazine is subject to the copyright of

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

Any duplication, reproduction or other use without the prior written consent of

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is prohibited.

Porsche, the Porsche crest, 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, 911, 919, 944, 991, 996,

Cayenne and other symbols are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Porscheplatz, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany

www.porsche.com

Valid from: 01/2018

Porsche 718 Boxster, urban fuel consumption: 9.9–9.0 l/100 km, extra-urban: 6.0–5.7 l/100 km,

combined: 7.4–6.9 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions (combined): 168–158 g/km

Porsche 718 Boxster S, urban fuel consumption: 10.7–9.5 l/100 km, extra-urban: 6.5–6.0 l/100 km,


Porsche 718 Cayman, urban fuel consumption: 9.9–9.0 l/100 km, extra-urban: 6.0–5.7 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 Carrera, urban fuel consumption: 11.7–9.9 l/100 km, extra-urban: 6.3–6.0 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 Carrera S, urban fuel consumption: 12.2–10.1 l/100 km, extra-urban: 6.6–6.4 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 Carrera 4, urban fuel consumption: 12.2–10.1 l/100 km, extra-urban: 6.7–6.3 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, urban fuel consumption: 12.9–10.8 l/100 km, extra-urban: 7.3–7.0 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS, urban fuel consumption: 13.0–10.9 l/100 km, extra-urban: 7.4–7.1 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 GT3, urban fuel consumption: 19.7–19.4 l/100 km, extra-urban: 8.8 l/100 km,


Porsche 911 Turbo Coupé, urban fuel consumption: 11.8 l/100 km, extra-urban: 7.5 l/100 km,

combined: 9.1 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions (combined): 212 g/km

Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupé, urban fuel consumption: 11.8 l/100 km, extra-urban: 7.5 l/100 km,

combined: 9.1 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions (combined): 212 g/km

Porsche Cayenne S, urban fuel consumption: 11.8–11.3 l/100 km, extra-urban: 8.4–8.0 l/100 km,


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PORSCHE EXPERIENCE STORIES · 2018 EDITION PORSCHE EXPERIENCE INTO THE GREAT BEYOND Experience...

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