Better than four

Let’s go for a drive! Words that used to elicit joy and excitement have recently become more associated with torture, thanks to the punishing traffic situation that continues around major cities in the Philippines.

 

Even driving a sports car won’t help you get around any faster. But along with some light at the end of the dark stretch of traffic along Edsa, there are some occasions that remind us that yes, driving is fun.

One word usually suffices to bring some of that magic back: Porsche. But in this case, we received four: Porsche, Sepang, Boxster, and 911.

 

Not needing to be asked twice, we packed up and headed to Malaysia. So on a cloudy Monday morning, we soaked up the glorious sight of a Lava Orange 718 Boxster S and a Miami Blue 911 Carrera S Cabriolet.

The brand best-sellers Macan and Cayenne were also warming up their engines trackside.

 

Our objective for the day was to improve our driving skills while putting Porsche’s newest through their paces.

 

Surviving long hours

 

First things first: to survive long hours in the cockpit, whether doing hot laps on the circuit, or crawling along in traffic, you need to be fit.

 

The instructor responsible for Porsche drivers’ fitness gave us a sampling of the exercises ideal for a racing driver.

Strengthening the core muscles is important, as most of the action from driving comes from the torso.

Leg muscles are crucial to actuate the brake and accelerator. He made sure to have us stretch before the drive.

 

We discovered that exercise balls are better than coffee for waking up and getting the blood circulating.

Then comes getting into the proper seating position. This is something that can’t be taken for granted, both in competition and in everyday driving.

 

Fatigue sets in quickly if your body has to contort and stretch more than needed because of poor seating position.

 

It helped that the Porsches on track that day, from the Cayenne and Macan S SUVs, to the 911 and 718 Boxster, had seats that adjusted in every direction, as well as steering wheels that were power-adjustable for reach and rake.

The Sepang Racing Circuit, a staple of the Formula One calendar since it was opened in 1999, first brought Formula 1 to Southeast Asia.

 

It was one of the first of the new generation racing circuits, purpose-built for safer and more exciting racing.

 

The track is wide, with sweeping corners and two long straights to experience maximum acceleration.

The Porsche Media Driving Academy cut the track into several sections for driving exercises.

 

The first combined two corners to teach the proper way to turn into and exit a corner, as well as how to stitch them together to optimize one’s time.

 

As we took the corners, first in the 911 and then in the Macan, driving instructor Admi Shahrul radioed lessons from the trackside as he watched the drivers adjust their lines to come nearer to the corners’ apexes.

 

He also listened intently to the engine note as the drivers took the combination of corners.

 

His assessment of my stint? “You’re more confident in the Macan. You just go and take it flat out. In the 911, you’re more cautious. Perhaps you give it too much respect. You can go faster in that car.”

 

Indeed, the new 911 Carrera S is better than ever, thanks to an all-new flat-six engine. Twin turbos greatly increase the output of the model, to 420 hp and 500 Nm.

 

Dealing with hazards

 

Following that were lessons in emergency braking and evasive maneuvers. The context is that hazards come with little or no warning, so extreme measures such as full braking and quick steering may be needed.

 

Instructor Leo Wong pointed out that a key strength of a Porsche is the braking system. Large discs and robust calipers resist fading, even after repeated hard braking on the circuit.

 

The new 911 Carrera features four-piston monobloc calipers with 330 mm-diameter discs.

 

The S model goes up to six piston fixed calipers in front and four-piston calipers at the rear, and the front diameter is increased to 350 mm.

 

Optional ceramic composite brakes, larger (410 mm front, 390 mm rear) and lighter (by 50 percent) provide even more fade-resistant stopping power.

 

Slalom course

 

The most exciting sectional activity was the slalom course, lined up along Sepang’s main straight.

 

The best car for the job is of course the mid-engined Porsche 718 Boxster S. The engine’s location just behind the driver gives a tightly-controlled and very responsive feel.

 

The instructor here was no less than Porsche Works driver Earl Bamber. The New Zealander won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans in the record-breaking 919 Hybrid.

 

Vince Pornelos did the Philippine contingent proud as he clocked the fastest time for the slalom.

 

The 718 Boxster has one key change: from six cylinders to a turbocharged four. Engine snobs may be concerned about the performance, but Porsche simply wouldn’t compromise the performance for the sake of efficiency.

 

The 2.5-liter flat-four engine produces a maximum 420 Nm of torque at just 1900 rpm and 350 hp, more than the outgoing model.

 

Mileage is also expected to be noticeably improved over the previous Boxster.

 

One sacrifice that had to be made was the engine sound. The previous Boxster had us at startup with its thrilling flat-six drumbeat, while the new has a sound that, eyes closed, can be identified with other marques carrying flat-fours.

 

The Porsche Media Driving Academy allowed us to experience the thrills of driving, as well as improve our driving skills, especially when it comes to safety.