Last month, during the Obon holiday, we spent most of the second half with no particular plans. My husband, however, headed out for a few drives. He wrote about one of them here—please take a look if you’d like to hear how it went.

An Obon Holiday GT3 Drive

As the Obon holiday drew to a close, I couldn’t resist the urge to go for a drive. With limited time, a long-distance trip wasn’t really an option, so I decided to explore the mountain roads of Hyogo Prefecture—my home turf.

I’d hoped to leave around 6 a.m., but I overslept and didn’t get going until 8. At my wife’s request, I was also on the lookout for “video footage to use in a project,” so I packed an assortment of camera gear. Here’s the list:

• SONY α7Ⅲ (mirrorless camera)
• SONY RX100M3 (compact digital camera)
• SONY SEL24105G (lens)
• SONY SEL70300G (lens)
• DJI Mavic Pro (drone)
• GoPro HERO7 BLACK (wearable camera)
• GoPRo HERO4 Silver (wearable camera)

And that’s not all: several spare batteries, an in-car charger, various mounts, a GorillaPod, a selfie stick, and more made for quite a load.

I packed everything into the space where the GT3’s rear seats would be (the GT3 doesn’t actually have rear seats), then headed north on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. From there, I took the Kitakinki-Toyooka Expressway and drove along Route 427, which I consider one of the best roads in the prefecture, before stopping at Michi-no-Eki Sugiharagami no Sato Taka.

This road is an absolute joy. It isn’t especially long, but it’s wide, quiet, and full of ups and downs—a fantastic drive. I shifted the GT3 up through second, third, and fourth, then back down through third and second.

I repeated the sequence as I climbed over the pass and headed back down the other side.

The GT3’s sports exhaust valves normally open at around 4,000 rpm. But I recently discovered that, in fourth gear or higher, a firm press of the accelerator can open them at around 3,000 rpm, unleashing that glorious sound.

I took another look at the GT3 owner’s manual, which says that pressing the Sport Exhaust button optimizes low- and mid-range torque. The valves may be controlled more variably than I’d realized. The engine lets out a deep, resonant “roooar,” while the force of acceleration presses me into the seatback.

There’s nothing quite like it.

Taking the GT3 on My Favorite Roads

After a break at the roadside station, I turned back. Going farther south means more houses and traffic, so I usually make this my turnaround point. I retraced Route 427, then headed north again and joined Route 9.

As you’d expect of a single-digit national route, Route 9 carries plenty of traffic, but it’s still a road where you can enjoy a brisk, flowing pace.

My next destination was Prefectural Route 89, the course used for Chronoscalate in Hachikita, a hill-climb race held on closed public roads. I’d been wanting to drive this route for a long time.

The pavement is a little rough for the first stretch, but the road soon opens up into a smooth, enjoyable run. It’s short, but the light traffic makes it fun to drive. At the finish, the trees along the roadside give way to open views, making for a great place to enjoy the road.

Next, I headed toward Oya on the flowing Prefectural Route 6. Oya is home to Oya Ski Resort, one of the places I’ve been skiing since I was a kid. Route 6 can occasionally get blocked by a small truck or two, but it’s still one of my favorite roads. From Route 6, I joined Prefectural Route 48 and stopped for a break beside Hikisihara Dam (Lake Onzui).

The GT3 Is in a Class of Its Own

After that, I made my way to Higashiyama in Haga, Shiso City. It’s a spot I often use for photography, and the drive there takes in an exceptionally enjoyable road. It branches off Route 29 at Tanibashi Junction; it seems to be a municipal road, though I’m not sure of its name. What I do know is that it’s wide, with a series of sweeping, exhilarating uphill bends.

At the top of the pass is Forest Station Haga Higashiyama Onsen, where you can dine, stay overnight, or camp. Shiso City has plenty of excellent driving roads, but this one is easily among my favorites.

I’ve driven this road countless times in all kinds of cars since getting my license, but the GT3 is in a class of its own. It turns into corners with a confident, almost gripping precision. I’d never test the limits of its cornering speed on a public road, but every bend feels effortless.

Then, making the most of the rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout’s tremendous traction, the GT3 surges out of each corner with ferocious acceleration. It’s truly remarkable. Honestly, it’s a different breed from supercars that rely on sharp initial steering response to make their handling feel impressive.

Once again, I was reminded that Porsche focuses its engineering on the fundamentals of a car’s performance. After putting the GT3 through its paces and working up a sweat, I headed home, bringing this short touring drive to an end.

Driving time: 8:09
Distance: 372.8 km
Average fuel consumption: 12.9 km/100 km (approximately 7.7 km/L)
Average speed: 48 km/h

Still, I’m nowhere near ready to call it a day…