On Ogi and Yahagi’s Car History

Masataka Matsutoya, host of the long-running car show Ogi and Yahagi’s Car History: No Car, No Life! on BS Nippon Television, appeared on the show. He’s also the host of Car Graphic TV, and is well known as a car enthusiast. A music producer and motoring journalist, too—what an incredibly talented guy.

On the show, Matsutoya’s own Porsche, a 911 GT3 (996.1, manual), made an appearance.

*Image source: Ogi and Yahagi’s Car History, “Masataka Matsutoya”

With an engine derived from the one used in the Le Mans-winning race car, the 911 GT3 was hailed at the time as “the 911 closest to a race car.” It was the first 911 to switch from an air-cooled to a water-cooled engine, and launched in 1999 as a limited run of 1,400 cars. Demand was so strong that production was extended, bringing the total to 1,889. It carried on the role of the air-cooled-era Carrera RS, and was snapped up by enthusiasts who wanted something more focused than a standard Porsche.

Matsutoya has owned countless cars over the years, and this one ranks among his top three. He praised it as “a first-generation car with a manual transmission and an exceptionally good suspension setup.”

The Golden Rule for Porsche Manual Drivers

I was watching and thinking, “Wow, this Porsche is a classic, too,” when Matsutoya began talking about “the golden rule for Porsche manual drivers (those who have driven a 930-generation car or later).”

Apparently, Porsche drivers don’t touch the accelerator when pulling away.

First, ease the clutch up. As soon as the car begins to move, give it some throttle. As Matsutoya put it, “If you rev the engine first, you don’t really know Porsches.”

That’s totally me… ((；ﾟДﾟ)

Porsches have plenty of torque, so there’s no need to rev the engine before moving off. The Toyota Comfort I learned to drive in, by contrast, wouldn’t move unless I gave it some throttle. I’d assumed that was simply how you drove a manual—but it turns out the right technique can vary quite a bit from one car to another. (Though, to be fair, you can’t really compare a Porsche with a Comfort.)

Next month, my husband and I are planning another Boxster GTS manual practice session, with my mother-in-law kindly watching the kids. I can’t wait until I’m comfortable driving the Boxster around town.