Porsche World Roadshow
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From: Golden, CO
Porsche World Roadshow
So I went to the Porsche World Roadshow yesterday. I first heard that this was coming to Denver back in May, and I e-mailed a few dealers to see if I could get a code. I didn't hear back from any of them until last week, when one of them e-mailed me out of the blue with a code. I signed up immediately and took a half day from work to attend.
This was at the High Plains Raceway, which was about an hour and fifteen minutes out of Denver in the middle of nowhere. Apparently a bunch of Colorado car clubs got together, pooled their money, bought some cheap land and built a track. Pretty cool.
My buddy and I arrived and they had a tent set up with a Panamera GTS inside, a couple of Forza 4 driving simulators (that I'm pretty sure the wheel/pedals weren't calibrated correctly), some Porsche goodies for sale, and snacks (cookies, crackers, fruit, water, gatorade, sodas). They also had a Panamera Turbo, Cayenne Turbo, Cayman R, new Boxster S, and a new 911S cab in front of the tent that you were able to play with.
Once it was time for our driving slot, there was about a 15 minute talk by one of the instructors where they highlighted some of Porsche's technology. But they spent most of the time talking about track etiquette and safety.
We got to drive a Panamera GTS, new Boxster S, 911, and 911S on one lap around the track. You and a partner would each do one lap, switch drivers, then move to the next car in the line. You and the other cars were following the instructor (who was in a Panamera GTS). We screwed up by being in the very last car (911S) on the very first lap. The person in front of us was INCREDIBLY slow, and I couldn't come close to opening up the 911S. Then, we had to get out, and wait for every other person to go before we could get back into the first car. Moral of the story, don't be in the first group unless you can get in the first car in line, otherwise you will have to separate out your laps.
So for the main track-driving event, you only got to drive a total of 4 laps, one in each car. We also rode in the instructor's Panamera for about 4 laps, which was a lot of fun. I would have really liked to be able to ride with the instructor on a full-on hot lap, but they weren't doing that.
They also had a very short auto-x type course set up where they were comparing the Panamera S and Cayenne S to the hybrid versions. We didn't do that course, as we misjudged how long it would be before we would get back out onto the main track and didn't think we'd have enough time in between. I was far more interested in the 911 & Boxster anyway, so I don't feel like I was missing out too much.
Takes on the cars, in the order I drove them:
911S: Didn't really get to go fast enough to form any determinations, unfortunately.
Panamera GTS: Feels surprisingly sporty inside for a big 4-door car. Without looking at the hood I probably wouldn't have been able to tell if I was in a 911 or the Panamera. Good power, and felt very stable and secure in the corners and was the best at soaking up bumps. Turn in was definitely slower and it wasn't as light on it's feet as the 911 or Boxster, though.
Boxster S: More room inside than I expected, I'm 6'1" and fit just fine even with the helmet on. Power was better than I expected -- I had no troubles keeping up with the 100hp+ more powerful Panamera on the straights. Definitely the lightest car that I drove and I liked its tossable and less buttoned down nature -- it kind of bounced/floated over bumps, but in a good way. However, those same elements didn't work for my driving partner and he had a lot of trouble handling the Boxster on the lap. Didn't go off or anything, but he couldn't keep up with the instructors line and was very twitchy on the controls. He drove the Panamera beforehand and the 911 after, and didn't have any issues with those.
911: Very cockpit like interior, I liked it. In between the Boxster and Panamera on handling -- more buttoned down the Boxster and not quite as tossable, but a better ride and more stable. Power was roughly equivalent. The new 991 looks less different than than the 997 than I expected from the photos I have seen, it's very clearly still a 911. The rear is just wider, and though it's technically bigger it still drives pretty small. Very cool car and I can see why it's such an icon. I would love to have a chance to drive one on the street.
They gave us a pretty cool aluminum water bottle with PORSCHE on the side as a parting gift.
All in all, definitely worth the 1.5 hour drive each way and the 1.5 hours waiting between our first lap and our last 3 laps. Just the chance to drive a bunch of brand new, not-yours Porsches around a track in anger was an experience. I do wish there was more opportunity for seat time and some way to divvy people up into self-described driving capabilities, as the first lap was a total waste due to the slow person we got stuck behind. We got in a pretty good group for a last laps though, and those were about as fast as I was comfortable going.
My buddy/driving partner Tim.
We saw a maximum of 113mph on the front straightaway.
Couple of short videos also at: http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m...ld%20Roadshow/
This was at the High Plains Raceway, which was about an hour and fifteen minutes out of Denver in the middle of nowhere. Apparently a bunch of Colorado car clubs got together, pooled their money, bought some cheap land and built a track. Pretty cool.
My buddy and I arrived and they had a tent set up with a Panamera GTS inside, a couple of Forza 4 driving simulators (that I'm pretty sure the wheel/pedals weren't calibrated correctly), some Porsche goodies for sale, and snacks (cookies, crackers, fruit, water, gatorade, sodas). They also had a Panamera Turbo, Cayenne Turbo, Cayman R, new Boxster S, and a new 911S cab in front of the tent that you were able to play with.
Once it was time for our driving slot, there was about a 15 minute talk by one of the instructors where they highlighted some of Porsche's technology. But they spent most of the time talking about track etiquette and safety.
We got to drive a Panamera GTS, new Boxster S, 911, and 911S on one lap around the track. You and a partner would each do one lap, switch drivers, then move to the next car in the line. You and the other cars were following the instructor (who was in a Panamera GTS). We screwed up by being in the very last car (911S) on the very first lap. The person in front of us was INCREDIBLY slow, and I couldn't come close to opening up the 911S. Then, we had to get out, and wait for every other person to go before we could get back into the first car. Moral of the story, don't be in the first group unless you can get in the first car in line, otherwise you will have to separate out your laps.
So for the main track-driving event, you only got to drive a total of 4 laps, one in each car. We also rode in the instructor's Panamera for about 4 laps, which was a lot of fun. I would have really liked to be able to ride with the instructor on a full-on hot lap, but they weren't doing that.
They also had a very short auto-x type course set up where they were comparing the Panamera S and Cayenne S to the hybrid versions. We didn't do that course, as we misjudged how long it would be before we would get back out onto the main track and didn't think we'd have enough time in between. I was far more interested in the 911 & Boxster anyway, so I don't feel like I was missing out too much.
Takes on the cars, in the order I drove them:
911S: Didn't really get to go fast enough to form any determinations, unfortunately.
Panamera GTS: Feels surprisingly sporty inside for a big 4-door car. Without looking at the hood I probably wouldn't have been able to tell if I was in a 911 or the Panamera. Good power, and felt very stable and secure in the corners and was the best at soaking up bumps. Turn in was definitely slower and it wasn't as light on it's feet as the 911 or Boxster, though.
Boxster S: More room inside than I expected, I'm 6'1" and fit just fine even with the helmet on. Power was better than I expected -- I had no troubles keeping up with the 100hp+ more powerful Panamera on the straights. Definitely the lightest car that I drove and I liked its tossable and less buttoned down nature -- it kind of bounced/floated over bumps, but in a good way. However, those same elements didn't work for my driving partner and he had a lot of trouble handling the Boxster on the lap. Didn't go off or anything, but he couldn't keep up with the instructors line and was very twitchy on the controls. He drove the Panamera beforehand and the 911 after, and didn't have any issues with those.
911: Very cockpit like interior, I liked it. In between the Boxster and Panamera on handling -- more buttoned down the Boxster and not quite as tossable, but a better ride and more stable. Power was roughly equivalent. The new 991 looks less different than than the 997 than I expected from the photos I have seen, it's very clearly still a 911. The rear is just wider, and though it's technically bigger it still drives pretty small. Very cool car and I can see why it's such an icon. I would love to have a chance to drive one on the street.
They gave us a pretty cool aluminum water bottle with PORSCHE on the side as a parting gift.
All in all, definitely worth the 1.5 hour drive each way and the 1.5 hours waiting between our first lap and our last 3 laps. Just the chance to drive a bunch of brand new, not-yours Porsches around a track in anger was an experience. I do wish there was more opportunity for seat time and some way to divvy people up into self-described driving capabilities, as the first lap was a total waste due to the slow person we got stuck behind. We got in a pretty good group for a last laps though, and those were about as fast as I was comfortable going.
My buddy/driving partner Tim.
We saw a maximum of 113mph on the front straightaway.
Couple of short videos also at: http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m...ld%20Roadshow/
Last edited by JGordon; Sep 20, 2012 at 09:17 AM.
un-Touch'd krew
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From: My own level of hell
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From: Golden, CO
Come in My Hole
Joined: May 2002
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,152
Likes: 0
From: Golden, CO
Apparently Porsche is about to unveil a Panamera wagon concept, the Panamera Sport Turismo:
http://jalopnik.com/5946625/porsche-...-porsche-wagon
And just like that, my hate for the look of the regular Panamera has been supplanted by lust for this Panamera. I would so rock one.
http://jalopnik.com/5946625/porsche-...-porsche-wagon
And just like that, my hate for the look of the regular Panamera has been supplanted by lust for this Panamera. I would so rock one.
