Psssttt… over right here. Ah sure, you in all probability cannot acknowledge me on this crafty disguise.
Usually I rock as much as a automobile present in some type of BMW. Those that’ve learn my articles prior to now will know that my alliances with the Bavarian titan are blood tight. Fidowicz with no BMW is like Christmas with no pine tree. However this time I’ve gone undercover. We’ll infiltrate the Porsche crowd on the 2023 FlatSix occasion from the within, Trojan Horse model. However as a substitute of a horse, it is a 20-year-old convertible, and as a substitute of a military of Greek troopers sitting inside, it is simply me holding a digital camera.
I’ve left my BMW at house, and as a substitute managed to get my pesky arms on a unique set of keys for the weekend. As a result of, what higher option to become involved with the Porsche group than rocking as much as certainly one of their very own automobile exhibits in a Porsche?!
My steed is a 2.7L mid-engined, guide Boxster with a mere 160,000 miles on the clock and its justifiable share of age-related dents and scrapes. However whereas my disguise won’t be the flashiest within the crowd, beneath its look we’ve a effectively sorted sports activities automobile, fueled and prepared for the dash down from London to Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Whereas the Greeks needed to endure a sweaty, cramped, picket journey to achieve their goal, I acquired to take pleasure in my journey on a few of South England’s best B-roads, with wind in my hair and a raspy, induction-filled flat-six on the mercy of my proper foot. It is an expertise that is largely unparalleled within the motoring world, and one that gives a lot driving enjoyment that it is solely persevering with to develop the Porsche model.
A lot in order that it is not possible to go to any automobile occasion within the UK now with out it being dominated by Porsches, particularly the 911. You possibly can go to the annual MGB Homeowners Membership UK gathering and by some means MGBs will nonetheless be outnumbered by 911 homeowners. Head alongside to any Sunday Scramble occasion at Bicester Heritage and you will find a basic carpark that appears extra like a Porsche predominant seller parking zone.
You simply cannot shake issues. They’ve at all times been unbelievable automobiles, however not too long ago their presence at motoring occasions appears to have quadrupled.
I believe the current inflow of used Porsche purchases could be largely attributed to the rise of social media creatives and so-called ‘influencers’ getting their arms on them to take pleasure in as objects of luxurious on high of simply being nice sports activities automobiles alone. A Porsche is the kind of object that matches a way of life the place your furnishings is from Scandinavia, the meals you eat is plant primarily based, you might have tennis classes on Tuesday, and also you’re married to somebody who works on Vogue journal.
Individuals desire a slice of that life. Porsche themselves are conscious of this, and even discovered their very own way of life journal to encourage the mystique.
So the large query is, how does this new-found Porsche vitality radiate while you lastly get your arms on a bit of sports activities automobile to take to a Porsche occasion?
Bluntly talking, fairly effectively.
The FlatSix present is hosted by these additionally answerable for the UK’s present calendar spotlight, Gamers Basic. Because the identify suggests, it is finally a celebration of every thing Porsche.
The very first thing I noticed is that just about each 911 right here appeared to have an thrilling spec. Certain, you had the classier, safer choices like darkish metallic colours too, nevertheless it’s clear that your common Porsche buyer pushes the boat out to get one thing attention-grabbing and distinctive. This orange 911 might be the strongest instance of what I am attempting to say. Take a look at the contrasting purple inside!
This carries into the actual high-end choices from Porsche, and this 996 GT2 was undoubtedly a spotlight. The best way we see in the present day’s GT3 RS as a ridiculously succesful automobile with the most important rear wing on the earth, this in all probability had the identical impression on of us again within the early 2000s.
Tamer, however not too far down the meals chain had been these two 996s. The fantastic roof down blast with the Boxster actually acquired me occupied with a 996 Cab, and a green-over-tan one ticks all of the bins for the proper summer time sports activities automobile.
As is at all times the way in which with a pace hunter, you rapidly gravitate to the modified part. No quantity of social media affiliation with modern-day structure or finely minimize natural cotton can take away from the pure dedication of taking a automobile and making it quicker.
The primary set of paddocks hosted a line up of modified Porsches. All kinds too, from slammed G-bodies to Sultan Al-Qassimi’s 997 drift automobile.
However the actual gem from the present – and the one that basically made me perceive the love and keenness for Porsche – did not even come from a Porsche-badged automobile.
Once I attended this present final yr, I got here throughout a Porsche RTurbo – a 996 Turbo that acquired the RUF therapy at Pfaffenhausen in 2002. The chap who owns it’s known as Adam, and he introduced it alongside once more for this yr’s occasion. However that is not all.
Alongside the RTurbo, Adam introduced one other automobile he owns, and this one is actually particular. An precise RUF RTurbo.
That is proper, not a Porsche, however a RUF, with a RUF car identification quantity and all. Purchased new by his father, the automobile belonged to Adam’s mum who used it as her every day. Yup, Adam’s mum’s every day was a 1-of-25-ever-made, and solely right-hand drive RUF RTurbo on the earth.
In the present day, Adam makes use of the automobile himself to ferry his youngsters round, whereas his spouse drives the Porsche RTurbo. We have had some fairly cool line ups through the years on Speedhunters, however this one will likely be engraved in my thoughts endlessly.
I completed my time on the FlatSix present and headed again to the plucky Boxster. My day cosplaying as a Porsche proprietor was full, and I drove house occupied with the RUF RTurbo. It left me feeling fairly rattling good about the truth that the steering wheel I used to be holding onto shared the identical DNA as a automobile that blew me away.
I am going to depart you with an prolonged picture gallery from Flatsix 2023 under, and a few closing ideas.
It is not possible to check my love for BMW with what Porsche has to supply. It is apples and pears on the finish of the day, however the Porsche group’s attraction is plain, thrilling and, most significantly, optimistic. I do not assume I’ve ever walked away from a automobile present feeling like that earlier than.
Michał Fidowicz
Instagram: candyshowroom
