Twenty thousand photos, four thousand eight hundred kilometers, five stages, three weeks, Porsche 992 Turbo S Cabrio. These are the technical specifications of the most recent CURVES tour, which took the team through Portugal just a short while ago. And what a tour it was. We were wowed by fascinating landscapes, exciting roads and experiences that literally took our breath away. In one respect only is the CURVES team anything but reticent in the current hot production phase: whenever the conversation turns to our rear-engined travelling companions. And in particular the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabrio, which Porsche Deutschland (Germany???) made available to us to be our soul surfer, travel buddy and workhorse and ended up giving the drivers raging withdrawal symptoms. It is still quite inexplicable to us how the Porsche engineers manage to create such perfection in such an honest and unpretentious way. How amazing grip is combined with razor-sharp handling, how bizarre, utterly violent and bloody raw power is delivered so smoothly, how mathematical feedback and calm control can become the best friends of exuberant driving pleasure. Pure emotion and soulful driving at its best.
For a brief moment we suspected that it was simply a shot of convertible magic, because Portugal offers a fragrant background soundtrack of warm air and the sweet smells of the countryside and a melancholy charm. You drive through the mountains and through the smell of forests, earth and herbs. You drive along the coast and take in deep breaths of endless expanses and unknown depths, of seaweed and salt. You drive through the villages and towns and are accompanied by the pungent smell of diesel, surprised by the smell of grilled chicken. But then, when we go for gold on the Portimão racing circuit, we dropped the whole idea. This is where the convertible’s feel-good thing had no impact whatsoever. All we were interested in was the handling that is so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes – the ultimate punch. The turbo is simply formidable in coupé form. Amazingly so. We therefore decided not to speculate any more, but simply went out and enjoyed every minute. What more can we say, but thank you, Porsche, for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. We don't quite understand it, but the message came through loud and clear.
By the way, this was also the opinion of the Portuguese, who greeted us everywhere with thumbs up and nods of appreciation. Where else do you see that happening: 650 hp and nothing but sheer, ungrudging joy. In fact, only one person would have had good reason to envy us as we covered the many hundreds of kilometres through Portugal, and that was the driver of our juggernaut, the Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid. But even he seemed to be more than satisfied with the view of the 911 Turbo Cabrio from behind, and otherwise raved about the smooth authority of the electrified Cayenne, about silent surfing, comfort and its curve sense. In a few weeks' time CURVES Portugal will be rolling off the presses ...
