The Base 911

We have a Panamera Turbo at home, but about a year after delivery, my husband often said things like this:

The Panamera Turbo is definitely amazing, but honestly, that much power isn’t really needed on Japanese roads. If I were to buy another Panamera, the base model would be more than enough. No, it’s actually perfect.

That’s what he said.

Well, I understood where he was coming from as I listened.

Then recently, when we went to the Royu Driveway, a remarkable Porsche owner who drives different new and old Porsches every week showed up in the new 911 (Carrera S) and said this:

This is more than enough now. It’s fast, comfortable, and totally fine as is.

This person has driven various Porsches like the GT2 RS, GT3, and 911 Turbo, so when someone like that says “this is fine,” it really means something.

Also, an owner who has experienced everything from the latest water-cooled models to air-cooled ones once told me, “The base 964 model is the most fun. I don’t need the power of a GT3; this level of power in a base 911 from that era is just right and enjoyable.”

I see…

The Charm of the Base 911

You start with the base model, gradually move up to higher trims, reach the pinnacle, and then eventually come back to the base again.

It’s kind of like a young, ambitious person dreaming of becoming wealthy, climbing the ladder, dining at fancy restaurants every day, getting everything they want, but as time passes and gray hairs start to show, they ultimately say, “Plain white rice really is the best, isn’t it?” (What kind of analogy is this? lol)

When I shared this with my husband, he said:

Yeah, I think in the end, the base 911 is probably just fine. After all, we’re driving on Japanese roads, not the Autobahn in Germany. I think you can fully enjoy a base 911 here.
Also, for touring, the base 911 is great. It’s fun to drive both at low and high speeds, and you can recline the seats to take a break.
I’ve driven the Boxster GTS, air-cooled models, GT3s, and so on, but if you ask me what I want next, I’m really interested in a base 911.

I sometimes think, if the conclusion is “the base is fine,” why not just buy the base model from the start? But apparently, that’s not the case. When he bought the Panamera Turbo, he said:

It’s obvious from the numbers that I don’t need that much power, but I didn’t want to say “I don’t need Turbo-level power” without ever owning a Turbo. It’s better to own it once, be convinced, and then realize the base model is enough.

Makes sense, I guess.

However, the fact that many people come full circle and think “the base 911 is best” also means that the standard 911 is incredibly well-engineered. It’s not that you can’t be satisfied without the top trims; even the basic model is a thoroughly crafted, high-quality sports car that everyone can agree on and return to.

That’s pretty amazing.

Lately, I’ve been thinking I want to be a woman with that kind of charm—someone people come back to and say, “You’re the one after all.” (What kind of ending is this? lol)