Gone in 60 seconds!

The Aamby Valley, about 95 km from Mumbai, is a stable for all high bred cars. And the airstrip couldn’t have provided a better location for this test drive. This is where I could check the speed and brakes. See, a car adventure is a combination of speed, safety and luxury. The recently concluded Porsche road show got me a chance to closely feel, touch and ride the world-class German machine – Porsche. If I were to sum it up in a line – these babies are smooth like butter.

The road show was divided in four different segments – Slalom, Braking, Performance, and Off Roading. I got to control and pull the reins of Boxster S in slalom section. I would call it above average in terms of maneuverability during the sharp twists and turns. The two variants – Boxster and Boxster S come with 2.7 liters and 3.4 liters, which result in the power output of 245 bhp and 295 bhp respectively. It’s fast, great looking, and a dream to drive. Solid build and fine attention to detail mean it’s usually wonderful to own, too, and more practical than we’d expected. I like the fabulous driving experience, rock-solid image, cast iron residuals, and excellent build quality. The only drawback – low ground clearance.

Then came in the beauties, Cayenne S and 911 Carrera S. My pick was the solid Cayenne S. It gives a rocking 385 bhp of power. Though it zooms you from 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, braking is a tad difficult to handle at high speeds. And with low ground clearance, you cannot pull it off the road and zoom through the mud and muck.

The braking section was equally exciting with Cayman S AT, as I had to push the brake from 120-0 km/h in just 2.5 seconds – what a thrill it was! I also tried my hand on Cayenne S for off roading, but it was a disappointment. Looks can be deceiving! This swanky car cannot handle a rough drive.

Coming to the speed testing, speed rallyists like yours truly normally take on to 250 kmph and wow. It’s now that I can feel and validate what thrill, excitement, adventure, luxury means. A great car loves bitumen but detests mud. So go for a great combination of beauty with brains, which is Porsche, of course!

The writer is a city based gemologist and own an adventure club, clubfootloose.com. Mail him at solisethi@gmail.com