911 Turbo S Cabriolet in Ruby Star Neo (All photos: Porsche Malaysia)
Few pleasures can equal that of flooring a mechanical marvel on a dedicated race track but doing so on home ground — at the renowned Sepang International Circuit — hits sweeter. In conjunction with the recent Porsche World Roadshow (PWRS), the Stuttgart-based marque, together with Sime Darby Auto Performance, hosted a driving day out where a total of 23 cars were lined up for guests to appraise. Under the guidance of certified instructors specially flown in from Germany for the occasion, participants were able to relish pushing the power-packed vehicles to the limit and in a safe and controlled environment.
PWRS proved especially opportune to those looking to buy into the brand or are still on the fence about which model suits them best. But for long-time fans and petrolheads, having access to the car maker’s most iconic creations, including the 911 GT3 RS, 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, 718 Cayman GT4 RS as well as the new Panamera and fully electric Taycan — all in a day, no less — was the stuff of dreams.
“We are thrilled to host PWRS in Malaysia as it offers a truly extraordinary driving experience for Porsche dreamers fully immersed in sports car fascination. It offers an exclusive opportunity to experience the full potential of these high-performance machines, providing a real taste of adrenaline and the incomparable Porsche DNA,” said Sime Darby Auto Performance CEO Christopher Hunter.
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Participants were split into groups of 10 and rotated among four stations: acceleration and braking, slalom, handling and off-road driving. Our designated instructor, Fabio Citignola, who also happens to be a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race driver, doled out succinct instructions on correctly entering high-performance territory, starting with the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet at the first station.
This, of course, meant we got to toy with Launch Control, which enables the car to be propelled at maximum acceleration directly from rest. From the get-go, the sonorous growl emitted by the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet warned of a brutal power if provoked. After setting it into Sport Plus, we depressed the brake all the way before the our foot floored the accelerator. Said growl exploded into a beastly howl and the hairs on our arms stood at attention. The Launch Control icon appeared on screen and as the brake was released, the car thrusted forward at full speed, clocking triple digits in a little over two seconds, while throwing our bodies into the furthest contours of the bucket seat.
Nothing quite prepares you for the slap of the G-force. But as soon as the double cones drew near, it was time to slam on the brakes. The entire exercise took only 12 seconds, but what we learnt was that grinding to a halt is as much about performance as accelerating. Plus, those carbon ceramic stoppers work wonders for the short braking distance and no doubt provides superlative control in extreme driving situations.
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The 718 Spyder RS was a real looker, but the way it zigzagged past the slalom cones served as a reminder that this mid-engine roadster is as agile as it is rakish. Tailored for mountain passes, the 4.0-litre, six-cylinder, high-revving naturally aspirated engine took on the swerves and meanders effortlessly. The key to quickly weaving through the series of cones is staying as close to them as possible while maintaining a maximum controllable speed. The steering needs to be incremental but precise, said Citignola, who stressed proper hand positioning (9 and 3 o’clock, always) on the wheel.
All eyes inadvertently gravitated towards the handling station whenever the convoy of GT cars re-entered the pitlane. The star players of the day were the 911 GT3 RS, 718 Cayman GT4 RS, 911 Turbo S, 911 Targa 4 GTS and 911 Carrera 4 GTS. Two drivers were alloted a car and took turns going around the circuit. After the second lap, the pair moved on to the next vehicle. Rinse, repeat.
The professionals, who can corner an apex in their sleep, are the ones who effortlessly push their cars to the limits. The rest of us try. Each model unleashed its own distinct personality on track, and the differences in handling, drivability, power and negotiating curves were apparent.
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Early on, almost everyone called dibs on the Holy Grail — the GT3 RS — dubbed an engineering marvel and hands down one of the best vehicles Porsche has ever made. It looks and drives like a full-blown race car with all the quintessential 911 elements maxed out, save for the power maybe, though a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six revving to 9,000rpm is scarcely anything to look down on. But many found themselves shifting their affections to the ear-shattering GT4 RS after experiencing the full line-up. The raw sound it emitted was clearly the soundtrack of every motorhead’s fantasy.
But of course, if you are a firm believer that good experiences are meant to be shared, then the Cayenne range, including the S variant, certainly has the ability to rake in the numbers with your crew on board. What is more impressive is its talent in getting out of some rather sticky situations. During the off-road segment, it easily overcame steep slopes and deep ditches, even when a wheel came off the ground. The Cayenne’s enhanced adaptive air suspension, backed by the Porsche Active Suspension Management, also allows greater ease of mind if the car so happens to end up in a pickle.
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This year’s PWRS also welcomed the new Panamera, Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo, plus a sneak preview of the all-electric Macan set to launch in Malaysia at the end of the year. Pre-orders for the Macan are now open.
The participation fee this time round was RM2,888 for weekdays and RM3,888 for weekends — a fair amount considering the level of interaction you get with the vehicles. There is no confirmation on when the next PWRS will be but, if this year was anything to go by, it is important to register your interest and book your slots before they are all snapped up.
This article first appeared on July 8, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
