Hello everyone. This is Mina, the administrator of the “Welcome Home, PORSCHE” blog. It’s already the 4th installment of our interview series that started in May. This time, we spoke with Tomohiko Kimura from Osaka, a car enthusiast who has fallen in love with the thrill of the circuit and is enjoying a fulfilling car life.

Chapter 1. Current Cars and Car Life

1-1: About His Current Cars

— What cars does Mr. Kimura currently own?

For the circuit, he owns a Ferrari F430 racing car, the “F430 Challenge”, a BMW M3, a Mazda ND Roadster NR-A for both commuting and circuit use, a Mercedes-Benz C-Class that his wife drives daily, and a MINI for his son—five cars in total. He also once owned a Porsche Boxster for his wife. Looking back, almost all the money I’ve earned through hard work has gone into cars (laughs).

— A Boxster for your wife… that’s enviable!

About three years ago, the first Porsche I bought was a Boxster. I’ve always admired the Porsche GT3 and dreamed of “one day running on the circuit in a GT3,” but at the same time, I thought, “Jumping straight to a GT3 for my first Porsche might be too much… I want to experience a regular Porsche first.”

Then one day, my wife, who had little interest in cars, saw the Boxster and said, “That car is really stylish.” I thought, “If my wife says that, this is a step closer to the GT3!” (laughs), so I bought a standard 981 Boxster.

— What about the interior and specs?

The body color is white, with a red soft top and interior. Since my wife uses it daily, I didn’t add any sporty options like Sport Chrono. Still, when I first drove the Boxster after delivery, I thought:

“As expected from Porsche, as expected from a sports car.”

Though it’s a basic 270-horsepower Boxster and slower compared to the 400-500 horsepower cars I usually drive on the circuit, it was incredibly fun. The light body makes it nimble, the engine pulls strongly and revs beautifully, and the unique German steering feel is fantastic. It really made me realize Porsche is a true sports car manufacturer.

1-2: The Allure of the Circuit

— Do you remember your first time on the circuit?

Yes, very clearly. Before driving, I was extremely nervous and thought, “This is scary… I can’t possibly drive here; I’m totally out of place.” But once I started driving, it was incredibly fun. I thought, “This is so enjoyable! I wish I had discovered circuits sooner!”

— It sounds that fun! What’s the appeal of the circuit?

I believe it’s “being able to fully unleash the car’s performance.” Sometimes I speed on the highway, but it’s a completely different experience driving near the limit on a circuit. The first car I drove on the circuit was a BMW M3, and I was amazed thinking, “It can corner at such high speeds! The M3 has so much potential!”

Driving on the circuit, not just on city streets, I truly felt the M3’s real capabilities. The M3 is often called “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, and that’s exactly how it felt.

— Still, circuit driving sounds scary…

That’s true. But after experiencing circuit driving, I actually find driving on public roads much scarier. People on circuits generally have better driving skills and strictly follow etiquette because any violation can lead to a serious accident immediately.

On the other hand, public roads have all kinds of drivers—from beginners to elderly—and there are also motorcycles and pedestrians. They often behave unpredictably, which is very frightening. Since I started circuit driving, I’ve become much more conscious about safe driving on public roads.