Is Porsche Driving About Pleasure?

When I’m riding in the Cayenne with my family, my husband and I often have this conversation.

Not just the Cayenne, but Porsches in general make you want to keep driving endlessly. Even when I’m on the highway and about to exit at the nearest interchange, I always think, “I want to keep driving a little longer. Maybe I’ll just stay on the highway a bit more.”

That’s how it goes.

I’m not the type who, like my husband, loves driving so much that I want to drive for 10 hours or more. A few years ago, when I was just about to graduate from being a paper driver, I would say “I’m tired now, please take over driving” after just 15 minutes behind the wheel, and then I’d sleep in the passenger seat for the rest of the trip.

Looking back, it’s quite something that now I feel I want to drive more and more—I think that’s pretty remarkable.

Then, the other day, I received a comment on my blog that said this:

In automotive critic Arimasa Tokudaiji’s book Dandy Talk, he wrote, “What makes long-distance driving possible is not ‘comfort,’ but ‘pleasure.’” That really hit home for me.

That’s what it said.

Oh wow!! That’s exactly right!

Of course, “comfort” is important for long drives. But if it were just comfort, you might be able to arrive at your destination without getting tired, but it wouldn’t make you want to keep driving even after you’ve arrived like a Porsche does.

The smooth handling on gentle highway curves, the sensation of acceleration, lane changes, the ability to drive exactly as you wish… It’s because the driving performance is so high and everything about “driving, turning, and stopping” feels great to the driver that you want to keep going—that’s what makes a Porsche.

Honestly, I think Tokudaiji-san was amazing to capture the essence of driving a car with the word “pleasure.”

That said, I haven’t driven many of Japan’s so-called “famous roads” yet, and usually only drive on highways or the Royu Driveway. According to my husband, who drives our Porsche on great roads all over Japan,

When I drive on my favorite roads in Tohoku or Okayama, it really feels amazing. Even though it’s been a while since delivery and I already know how it drives, I still get incredibly moved. Sometimes I even feel like crying from the emotion.

That’s what he says.

Electric Porsches Are Fun Too

Recently, there was news that the EU announced a plan to effectively ban the sale of new gasoline cars, including hybrids, by 2035. I used to wonder if the traditional car life would disappear once gasoline cars were gone and everything became electric. But after test driving Porsche’s first EV sports car, the Taycan, I realized there’s no need to worry.

The Taycan is truly a car of pleasure, making you want to drive endlessly.

However, because Japan’s charging infrastructure is still insufficient, my husband said,

It’s so well made that personally, I want to take the Taycan on longer trips. I want to tour places like Kanto and Tohoku without worrying about range or charging points, but the current environment makes that a bit difficult—that’s the biggest drawback.

So he decided not to buy one immediately, but he felt the driving experience of future EVs will definitely be something to look forward to and enjoy.

Of course, you lose the engine sound and engine feel, but I sincerely hope Porsche will continue developing cars that make you want to drive long distances and feel that same pleasure. That’s what I’m thinking these days.