Rainy Days and Porsche

A while back, my husband was reading a book called “Polishing Your Car on Rainy Days.”

At the time, I wasn’t really interested in cars, so I said things like, “Why polish the car on a rainy day? It’s going to get wet anyway.” But my husband said,

I get it, you know? It’s not about not washing the car just because it gets wet in the rain. I really get it.

Now, I feel like I somewhat understand that feeling. (Though I still don’t polish the car on rainy days.)

This year’s rainy season was really wet, so I had quite a few chances to drive the Porsche in the rain, and I found myself thinking again, “Porsche in the rain has a really special atmosphere.”

Porsche gives you a strong sense of enclosure, so when it’s raining, it feels like only “me” and the “Porsche” exist in that space…

You don’t really get that feeling in other cars, but when I’m in the Porsche, it’s like only “me” and the “Porsche” are here in this moment, and the gentle sound of the rain is the only thing you hear. It wraps you in a mysterious sense of unity with the car.

The Direct Feeling of Porsche

My husband has always loved driving in the rain, especially in air-cooled Porsches, where he says you can feel the rain more directly. He once said:

Air-cooled Porsches let you hear the rain more directly than modern cars. The sound of raindrops hitting and bouncing off the roof is indescribably soothing, and the small wipers wiping away the rain in their clumsy way make you feel affection for the car. Also, the cabin is small and cozy, so the atmosphere of a rainy drive is just something special. It’s kind of like being in a tea room on a rainy day… or so I think, haha.

I definitely think driving an air-cooled Porsche would add even more atmosphere to rainy day drives.

He also loves driving in heavy rain and calls himself a “bad weather driving maniac.” Just the other night, after my daughters and I had gone to bed, a fierce downpour started, and he couldn’t resist going for a midnight drive in the GT3.

About driving in bad weather, he said,

I’ve always loved driving in rain or snow. There are fewer cars on the road during heavy rain, too. It’s that contrast between the bad weather outside and the comfort inside the car that’s great. It’s hard to explain, but I love the feeling of being protected by the car, a sense of security, and a stronger bond with my car.

Going out for a drive in heavy rain on purpose really shows how much he loves driving (laughs).

I once asked him, “But I’ve heard a lot of people don’t want to drive their precious Porsche or beloved car on rainy days because it gets wet and dirty. Doesn’t that bother you?” He said,

Not really. I love driving itself, so I think cars are meant to be driven. If they get dirty, I’ll just wash them again. If they get damaged, I’ll fix them.

Makes sense (laughs).

The upcoming 992 Cabriolet has a wet mode, so I’m really looking forward to experiencing how that feels.