The other day, I introduced an article about my husband’s touring trip titled A 2-Day, 700km Journey in a Porsche 911 (Air-Cooled 964), and this is the second part. Please enjoy.

Porsche 911 Touring Day 2

In Kochi city, we stayed one night at one of our regular hotels, Hotel Nikko Kochi Asahi Royal. It has a mechanical parking garage with a width limit of 1850mm, so a 964 or Boxster can fit. Since going out for dinner was a hassle, I ordered katsuo tataki donburi via room service.

This dish was surprisingly exquisite and delicious. Whenever we stay here, I always order it. It has a decent portion size, so just this one dish is quite satisfying.

While checking tomorrow’s route, I stretched carefully before bed because sitting in the 964’s seat for long periods tends to give me back pain.

The next morning, I overslept a bit, and the clock showed 8:30. I hurried to get ready and looked outside, but unfortunately, the sky was cloudy. According to the weather forecast on my phone, rain was expected in the afternoon.

I quite like driving the air-cooled 911 in the rain. I’m a self-proclaimed bad weather driving enthusiast, so I enjoy driving in rain or snow, but driving the 911 in such conditions is especially fun. The sound of raindrops hitting the body and the tiny wipers working hard create a real travel atmosphere. Plus, the strong traction and stability from the rear engine feel great.

First, I took a light morning jog along the Yokonami Kuroshio Line, and today I aimed for my favorite Route 194. As expected, there was no one on the rainy Kuroshio Line. I parked at the Katabira Saki Observatory parking lot and took a short break. Sitting inside the air-cooled Porsche, gazing at the gloomy sky and the dark Pacific Ocean, was a special moment for reflection.

Leaving the parking lot, I headed north on Route 194 toward Saijo City. This road is wide and easy to drive—simply the best. Occasionally I got stuck behind slower cars, but traffic was light enough to maintain my own pace. I stopped at the roadside station 633 Minosato for a late lunch. From here, Route 194 transforms into a truly thrilling mountain winding road.

The Tiptronic was locked in 3rd gear on straight sections, downshifted to 2nd before corners, then back up to 3rd while accelerating, repeating this pattern as I powerfully climbed the rainy Route 194. When I came here previously in this car, it was snowing, and the road near the pass was lightly dusted with snow, but this time it looked clear.

After passing the pass, a very long downhill stretch began. The downhill 911 is fast. The front-to-rear weight balance is optimized, making it much easier to drive. The rain intensified, and the water spray from the tires appeared in the rearview mirror.

While casually cruising, I suddenly noticed a black Honda Odyssey closing in aggressively from behind.

Maybe because this is such an old car, they didn’t realize it was a Porsche—or maybe they just wanted to see it. Either way, if I had to brake suddenly for any reason, they would definitely rear-end me. Don’t underestimate Porsche brakes.(Sometimes people tailgate closely behind Porsches to get a look, but seriously, don’t do that.)

To avoid danger, and with no suitable place to pull over, I increased my pace slightly to put some distance between us. Since it was raining, I didn’t push too hard, slowing well before corners and taking them carefully. The Odyssey initially kept up well but gradually fell behind.

Old as it is, it’s still a 911.

The difference in corner exit acceleration is huge. Feeling the rear traction so clearly while powering through corners gives a real sense of confidence.

After enjoying about 70–80 km of hill climbs and descents, I arrived in Saijo City. From there, I took the highway and headed to Sakaide City’s Goshikidai Skyline in the 911. I thought it was my first time on the Goshikidai Skyline, but when I arrived, I remembered I had been there once shortly after taking delivery of my Boxster. Since I drive so many different roads, my memory of places lately has become a bit fuzzy.

The Goshikidai Skyline has some rough patches on the road surface, but near the summit it’s relatively smooth and one of my favorite roads. Recalling my memories from when I came here in the Boxster, I felt nostalgic while enjoying the winding road with the Seto Inland Sea to my side.

Since time was tight, I headed home after this, driving nonstop on the highway. The return trip was comfortable cruising with no crosswinds, and I was once again amazed at the highway stability and confidence of a car that’s nearly 30 years old.

The front end is admittedly a bit light, but somehow there’s no sense of insecurity with this car. It must be because the chassis feels completely under my control. Even after such a long highway drive, it was thoroughly comfortable. After all, the 911 is a car bred on the Autobahn.

911 Touring, Complete

I parked the car in the garage, quietly turned the key, and shut off the engine. The total distance traveled was 762.7 km. Once again, the car ran smoothly and energetically, and I ended this two-day tour with gratitude.

Total distance: 762.7 km
Average speed: 62 km/h
Average fuel consumption: 10.4 L/100 km (about 9.6 km/L)