My Story

It was the late 60’s when I first developed a passion for motor cars, and that passion came to me as a youngster when I saw my very first Porsche. It was the 1965 Porsche 356C and it had quite an unusual shape. As opposed to the designs of the day automotive designs were all similar and quite boring. The designs were largely squared with sharp corners and adorned with heavy metal, but the Porsche was uniquely different. The Porsche had a more functional shape. It was rounded and smooth, like an eggshell and, as expected from the legacy of German engineering; it’s simplistic look spoke of efficient utility. With all these distinctions from all other cars of the day, it stood out quite beautifully. The 356 had a 1.6L, flat four, air-cooled engine with a four-speed manual transmission and, oddly enough, was the same engine originally designed for the VW Beetle. I followed its evolution closely and years later, the 356 evolved to become the 911. It also became my dream car.

Perhaps some of you will recall having a poster of a Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Dino or the Ferrari Daytona hanging from your bedroom wall? My poster, however, was of the Porsche 911 and later, the 911 Turbo. Years later Porsche introduced a now popular commercial of a young boy who, while sitting at his school desk, glanced out the window in awe at seeing his first very first Porsche 911. Obsessed by what he had seen, he remained preoccupied with the design for the remainder of the day and, when the final bell rang, he rushed out the door, mounted his bicycle and made a beeline to the local Porsche showroom. As one of my daughters once shared; “That kid was just like my dad!” In fact, I could vividly recall the lengths I’d go through just to see and be around that car, but after many years had passed, I finally found myself in the market to buy my very first Porsche and, with that, I set my sites on the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S (Model 996).

Finding the car would prove to be quite a journey but, fortunately for me, members of the local St. Louis, Porsche Club were available to provide a wealth of information that helped me learn what to look for when buying these unique cars. So, after nearly three months of searching, I finally located my Porsche 911 in Denver, CO. I coordinated with the owner to arrange for the local Porsche dealership to conduct a full inspection and, it passed with flying colors. With negotiations complete, I flew to Denver, took a test drive, and had the car transported back to St. Louis.

Waiting for the arrival of my Porsche was undoubtedly the hardest part and, when it did finally arrive, it was quite an emotional moment. In fact, it still is every time I get behind the wheel.

My Porsche is arctic silver with a black leather interior. It’s the all-wheel drive, wide-bodied 6-spd manual. It has a 3.6L horizontally opposed flat six-cylinder that produces 320bhp @ 6800rpm and 273lb-ft of torque. The 911 offers a very different driving experience including a uniquely mechanical feel with a rear-engine that pushes you down the road. The car feels very planted, especially at speed; its handling is crisp, and it gives you a feeling of confidence at any speed and in any condition. It’s what some would call, “a pure driver’s car”, with perhaps, one important “nanny” feature… the Porsche Stability Management (PSM). This active control system stabilizes the car during extreme driving maneuvers and when it engages, it will most certainly get your attention. During Porsche drivers training, they teach you how to respond when the PSM does engage and it’s a lesson worth learning. It’s all part of getting to know your vehicle and trusting what it’s telling you.

The experience of driving a Porsche certainly lives up to its reputation and, each time I get behind the wheel of my 911 and, just before I start it up, I take a moment to reflect back on how fortunate I am to have fulfilled the dream of owning this car.