“Don’t Worry About Fuel Efficiency”

The other day, I met with someone my spouse and I have known for years who recently purchased a “981 Boxster Black Edition”, and I had the chance to hear about their experience. (I plan to share the details in the Porsche Owners File at a later date.)

We’ve known this person for about 10 years, and seeing them more lively than ever, saying with sparkling eyes, “Wow, the Boxster is amazing!”, really made me feel once again just how powerful the Porsche experience is.

One thing they said that stuck with me was this:

“I push hard on mountain roads and also drive around town, and my Boxster’s fuel efficiency is roughly 10km/L to 11km/L, so I don’t think it’s bad… but if you’re driving a Porsche, you really shouldn’t worry about fuel efficiency. It’s a waste to drive while worrying about fuel economy. Porsche is a car to fully enjoy driving!”

I thought, “That makes sense.” But this isn’t the first or second time I’ve heard such a sentiment; most Porsche owners I’ve met have said, ‘You shouldn’t worry about fuel efficiency when driving a Porsche.’

Previously, someone waiting for delivery of a “Panamera 4E-Hybrid” left a comment on this blog:

Personally, I was drawn to Porsche after seeing the 919 Hybrid compete at Le Mans, and I wanted to experience that technology, so I chose the Panamera 4E-Hybrid. I’m not very concerned about eco-friendliness.

My husband also often says, “If you’re driving a Panamera Turbo, you shouldn’t worry about fuel efficiency.”

That said, with the shift from air-cooled to water-cooled engines and from naturally aspirated to turbocharged, fuel efficiency has improved dramatically compared to older Porsches. I think the fuel efficiency of our Panamera Turbo, given its size and power, isn’t too bad.

What Do Porsche Owners Say Online?

If you prioritize fuel efficiency, it’s probably better to drive an eco-friendly car, and maybe Porsche buyers aren’t really looking for “eco” or “fuel economy”… Curious about this, I searched online and found comments like these regarding Porsche’s fuel efficiency:

Honestly, if you’re driving a Porsche, how meaningful is it to hold back performance just to save fuel?

＊https://automove.jp/?p=58224

In my opinion, the Cayenne’s fuel efficiency isn’t great. But that’s understandable given its high performance. You need to be understanding about fuel consumption to buy one. But the Cayenne is such an attractive car that once you own it, you don’t really care about fuel efficiency.

＊https://www.navikuru.jp/review/porsche/cayenne/2010/fuel/

If you’re choosing a high-end sports car for driving pleasure, you definitely don’t want your driving compromised by worrying about fuel efficiency.

＊https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q13137438173

For someone looking to buy a 911 Turbo S, fuel efficiency probably isn’t a big concern.

＊https://www.autocar.jp/firstdrives/2013/08/27/48553/

I see. This time, I gathered voices from people who don’t worry about fuel efficiency, but I was struck by the fact that there are surprisingly few articles discussing Porsche’s fuel efficiency. Maybe this itself shows that the public doesn’t expect great fuel economy from Porsche.

What Does Goro Okazaki Think?

Digging further, I found an article where motor journalist Goro Okazaki shared his view. It was about his own car selection:

I’ve never chosen a car based on fuel efficiency. It’s not that I don’t care about fuel economy, but I want to drive a car I like, a fun car, a car that suits me, a car that lifts my spirits. If it happens to have good fuel efficiency on top of that, great.

＊Goro Okazaki’s “I Want to Drive Cars” vol.85 The Justice of Car Selection

Absolutely! I think the way a professional motor journalist expresses this is spot on. Many Porsche owners probably share this feeling.

I also aim to buy a Porsche someday (lately, I’ve been interested in the 911 Targa), and I realize if you’re going to buy a Porsche, it’s important to earn well enough that you don’t have to worry about fuel efficiency. Time to work hard!