A Few Thoughts on Porsche

The other day, I casually posted this on Twitter: “Porsche is amazing. It lets you connect so easily with people you’d never otherwise meet. Somehow, owning a Porsche feels like having a passport to a whole new world.” I was surprised when the post received far more retweets and likes than I expected.

It seems plenty of Porsche owners feel the same way. One person wrote:

I love how you don’t have to think too much about age or status. You’re simply “Porsche fans” or “Porsche drivers,” and there’s an instant sense of camaraderie.Kei ichi (@Keiloves911)

Exactly. This is one of the best things about Porsche—and probably the biggest reason I recommend the brand. It really is a wonderful world. The cars are great, of course, but the connections are why I can’t leave Porsche behind. They’re the best.Yamaken HOC (@yamaken_hoc)

Those were just a couple of the comments people shared.

Porsche: A Passport to a New World

My husband often says that having a Porsche in our family has introduced us to people and opened doors to a whole new world. He freely admits, “I’m not very sociable.” (He’s not keen on business dinners or networking events, and usually heads straight home for dinner every day.) Yet he makes a point of going to gatherings at the Royu Driveway and convertible meetups, and often comes home buzzing: “I met some amazing people today!”

I haven’t been to a Porsche-owner gathering myself, so for me, the connections have come less from driving a Porsche and more from

the people I’ve met since starting my Porsche blog.

For example, I’ve had the chance to visit Porsche Japan’s headquarters and interview drivers competing in PCCJ (Porsche Carrera Cup Japan), including T.T. and TAD JUNJUN. I’ve also received submissions for my Porsche Owners File from people whose remarkable backgrounds left me amazed. And through the blog, I’ve connected with Porsche owners from all over Japan, from Kyushu to Hokkaido.

What’s more, these relationships aren’t formal or defined by business or hierarchy. They’re warm, down-to-earth connections between people who genuinely love Porsche—something that’s hard to find in a professional setting.

Of course, I’ve made many meaningful connections through work, too, including people who changed my life and those I’m grateful to call mentors. Those relationships are precious to me.

But meeting people through Porsche feels like being able to leap beyond the community I’m part of and land somewhere entirely new. Porsche really does feel like a passport to a new world.

You can connect so easily with people you would probably never meet otherwise. Those encounters inspire you to grow, and I can feel my own horizons expanding and life becoming more interesting all the time.

In yesterday’s Porsche Owners File article, one 911 owner described Porsche as “a car that brings good fortune”—a playful twist on the Japanese expression for a woman who brings her husband success. I think that’s exactly right: Porsche is a car that brings good things into your life.

My First Visit to the Royu Driveway

When I told my husband all this, he put it this way:

You really do meet a lot of people when you drive a Porsche.
There are the obvious opportunities, like tours and owners’ meetups, but sometimes another Porsche owner will strike up a conversation at a gas station. And so many of them are wonderful, courteous people—business owners, doctors, lawyers, and professionals doing great things in all sorts of fields.
Some of those encounters have even led to business opportunities. And seeing what those people are doing makes me want to work harder, too, so I grow as a person. (It’s like getting a real-life look at a documentary about inspiring professionals.) These are truly special connections.
A Porsche is a hugely expensive purchase, but the relationships and networks you gain along the way are hard to buy. In that sense, the value of a Porsche is priceless.

That makes sense. So, as I briefly mentioned in a recent post, I’m thinking of driving up to the Royu Driveway on my own this year.

My husband is also planning to attend a Porsche track day at Fuji Speedway, so I’m hoping to take our two daughters along to watch. I’m sure we’ll meet more interesting people there, and with PCCJ races on the calendar, I’d like to make a point of seeking out new connections this year.