The Korea Herald, in cooperation with carmakers, offers a test-driving experience to executive officials at multinational companies or ranking diplomats here. The opinion below is the author’s own. For any inquiry into this column, please contact jylee@heraldcorp.com. ― Ed.
By Kim Byung-chul, Director of Philip Morris Korea
I sat ― no, drove ― in the lap of luxury when I had the opportunity to take the new Porsche 911 Carrera S for an outing on a recent weekend.
The car is one of the fastest cars on the road today; it takes a mere 4.3 seconds for the car to reach 100 kilometers per hour, straight from zero.
Although I was unable to drive at the car’s maximum speed of 300 kilometer per hour, I can tell you I experienced the fastest speed of my life.
I don’t think I need to state that the Porsche 911 is one of the most iconic vehicles in the world’s auto history.
The car is also a classic: its traditional rear-engine layout has rarely changed since the car’s first debut back in 1963.
Even among Porsches, the new 911 is claimed to be the most technically accomplished model, equipped with a powerful 3.8-liter flat six-cylinder engine and a lighter chassis.
I could feel that the enhanced power and reduced weight had all helped create a faster and safer vehicle.
The wheelbase was longer to make driving more comfortable, while the seats were heated, another bit of glad news for us Koreans who have been hit by spell after spell of cold.
For the test-drive, I took the car out on the highway stretching from the Incheon International Airport, about 70 kilometers west of Seoul.
I swear, the engine responded almost instantly when my foot touched the accelerator. As I sped along, I could see the other cars fading fast away behind me.
The car was asking me to drive faster even though I was already driving at the fastest speed of my life. I had to resist. (Please forgive me ― I cannot confess to speeding in a national newspaper.)
One thing is clear: the Carrera S will give you infinitely more than you expect, whatever that may be.
Even the sound of the rear engine that loudly rang in my ears whenever I accelerated, sounded like wonderful music.
On the technological side, one of the convenient features to my liking was the torque-vectoring system, which allows for quicker and more precise cornering.
Its fuel efficiency is 9.2 kilometers per liter, which I didn’t think was too bad for such a high performance sports car.
Personally, I loved the playful features that the Carrera S had, such as the key, which is an exact miniature replica of the real car. This means you actually get two cars for the price of one.
Redesigning an iconic car, such as the Porsche, usually ends in failure.
Fortunately, for the new 911, it inherited all the merits of its predecessors with improved performance and quality that took the car to the next level.