The Porsche driving event from Split to Zadar offered a unique driving experience thanks to the impressive sports cars with excellent performance and good event organisation
Our unique Porsche driving experience began in the early morning hours in the premises of the Porsche Inter Auto in Solin where the Porsche team familiarised us with the event timetable. After the short lecture on driving in a motorcade with a particular focus on security, driving schedule, driver replacement, and proper seating in Porsche vehicles came the most beautiful part – the unforgettable ride from Split to the Zadar airport with seven fully equipped Porsches. The motorcade was led by the most powerful Porsche, the 580-horsepower 911 Turbo, followed by the 718 Cayman S, then the 718 Porsche Boxster S, Panamera Turbo new luxury limousine, the only diesel-powered car, the Panamera 4S, the powerful Macan Turbo and another Boxster S at the end.
My colleague, the experienced driver Zdravko Juričko, chose for the beginning of the road tour the Cayman S which can achieve the speed of 285 km/h with its 350-horsepower engine. We naturally did not even try to achieve such a speed on the way from Dugopolje to Vučevica, where we entered the motorway, nonetheless, the car handled like a dream, especially in curves which we easily got through due to the new suspension and excellent balance.
We switched vehicles and sat in the 911 Turbo S. With its technological characteristics and, most importantly, its incredible speed and astounding performance, the Porsche offers a driving experience that only rare sports cars can offer. And just how impressively it accelerates we tested a bit later. Then came the Macan Turbo which simply amazed me. Although not as attractive as its predecessors in our line-up, this compact SUV offers an unforgettably comfortable ride. It has plenty of space in the interior, but also great power (400 HP) which makes it a real sports car.
After arriving at the Zadar airport, the real action followed. In controlled conditions and with the help of professional drivers we had the chance to experience dynamic sports driving with real supercars – that is to say, a real Porsche driving experience. With the help of driving instructor Igor Lekić I tested how the Cayman S behaves while slalom driving. What is there to say – thanks to the system for enhancing driving dynamics and stability, Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), the experience was unique. The ride was swift, almost flying, but stable. And then came the most exciting part of this driving event – the Porsche Launch Control.
Thanks to the Finnish driving instructor Jukka Honkavuori I experienced the impressive acceleration achieved by the 911 Turbo S. Imagine holding one foot on the brake pedal and the other on the accelerator – and than just letting the brake go and bolting from zero to 250 km/h. Suffice to say, this model goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds. We did not even have time to settle our impressions and we were already on our way to Split in the new Panamera Turbo.
With its 550-horsepower engine, this limousine is a proper lady which, besides its dynamic properties, offers good comfort and sleek interior. Rain followed us for most of our journey on the motorway and the sun came out as we turned to Skradin. For driving on hilly roads around Skradin we took the diesel variant of the Panamera S, which brought us to Split in a casual fashion. At the end, we can only say that we cannot wait for the next Porsche driving experience 2018.
Photos Robert Matić
