It’s been really rather lovely all weekend in turnip crunching Devonshire, dry cold and sunny. With chores despatched, Roast Pork consumed and kid’s energy levels handled with a walk come bike ride (they rode and we walked) a blat beckoned. With the arrival of the R26.R recently most of the limelight has been cast on it, but there was a Stuttgart itch that needed scratching. With new boots all round, stoppers refreshed and a full service following a recent visit to Millbrook Proving Ground in Buckinghamshire, the 911 was as good as she could be………and even clean!!! The majority of the Porsche purists will tell you that 4 wheel drive isn’t a place that Porsche should play in, and how a 911 should be RWD. I disagree, especially in the case of the 997, as I have always found the additional weight over the front axle in the 4WD versions increases the feel through the steering, plus its 95% RWD for a majority of the time. I’ve owned the 2009 997 Gen 2 Carrera 4S for about a year, and it is one of the best all round sports cars I’ve spent time in. It’s fitted with the Sports Chrono pack that includes a fairly pointless lap timing stop watch, as a majority never go near a track. At the last service it was commented on that they were surprised about the number of laps recorded on the ECU, and that most are never used! The main benefit of the Sports Chrono is the addition of a sport button and adjustable suspension, which make the sort of noticeable difference the M button does in an M3/M5. With temperatures starting to register on the gauges we rumbled out of the village (sports exhaust burbling) and onto the A303 past Honiton heading towards London. The usual Sunday afternoon suspects were evident, heading out of the West Country and back towards the South East, roof boxes loaded and kids plugged into Rear Seat Entertainment via iPads (other tablets are available). With oil and water temps where they should be short groups of dawdlers were despatched with ease, the 3.8L really does demolish traffic when given a prod, and the noise and shove never fails to bring a grin. Peeling onto the B3170 the road transforms to a series of fast sweeping bends linked by bumpy long straights which offer a real challenge to anything that isn’t well sorted. I’m itching to attack it in the R26.R. The road drops through wooded areas down towards Corfe and Taunton, and the shaded road stays damp in places on anything other than the warmest days. The glistening road keeps you from really pushing in places and with PSM (Please Save Me not Porsche Stability Management as they list in the brochure) turned off the back of the car transfers into lovely drifts when provoked. Out of Taunton on the A39 towards Minehead, the signs warning of Biker accidents gives an indication of the type of road that stretches ahead. It is a road that I know inside out and have memories of some amazing drives on and today was one such day. Traffic was quite and well-spaced, sun out, window down and engine growling it was everything I love about cars and driving. There’s a left hander that tightens on the apex, the road drops down to it after a long straight and you can see any approaching traffic long before they arrive to it. Turning late and jumping onto the loud peddle the back swings out even with the 305 section rubber, and with opposite lock on we slid through and out, proper smiles per mile. Out of Minehead and onto Porclock for more of the same well sighted and varied roads, it’s a real challenge and keeps adrenalin levels high. The journey towards home is over Exmoor and the roads swap from open fast A roads to twisty B stuff, slower but more technical and at one point the revs flared as all 4 wheels defied gravity and we briefly flew. Once off Exmoor its fairly standard dual carriageway and motorway which was busy and fairly slow, although a 5 minute play with a very rapid RS6 was good fun. Getting close to home and allowing the car to cool down slightly, I snuck into the local pub and parked next to a very smart Triumph TR4. Quick pint with a couple of the usual suspects and home……Bl**dy cracking drive and as the garage door closed I couldn’t resist (and never have since buying it) a look back, what a machine.
Once again I am jealous, however I'm going out as soon as I've had my tea. Just not in a Porsche, sadly.
I think everywhere has at least a few great roads, just a case of finding them. There are some wicked roads around the Bath area, and your close to Coombe!
Another great read thanks, the real beauty of cracking cars is the fact they can produce such moments of joy and that's whether you're in a Renault or a Porsche! So many folks (mainly our better halves) would think us mad to just want to go for a drive, quite simply you either get it or you don't.
Cracking read and describes precisely how i feel whenever i pull the 306 rallye out for a spin! never fails to put a massive grin on my face and i always have a look back before the doors closed.
