{"id":37259,"date":"2019-01-14T06:00:40","date_gmt":"2019-01-13T21:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=37259"},"modified":"2020-08-21T11:31:11","modified_gmt":"2020-08-21T02:31:11","slug":"sanda-burgring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/sanda-burgring\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving the Porsche 911 (964C2) on the Sand Double Crinc"},"content":{"rendered":"

Driving the Air-Cooled 911 (964C2)<\/h3>\n

Since my mother-in-law was visiting over the New Year holidays, my husband and I decided to take the opportunity to practice driving together. First, we went for some manual transmission practice in the Boxster<\/a>, and then two days later, we took the air-cooled 911 (964C2) out for a drive.<\/p>\n

I could have just enjoyed driving without calling it practice, but last year, right after the 911 was delivered<\/a>, my impression was more \u201cdifficult than fun\u201d and I felt like I couldn\u2019t really master it. However, my husband encouraged me, saying, \u201cThe 911 is really fun, so you should drive it more and practice,\u201d so I decided to keep at it and try to enjoy the unique driving experience of a rear-engine Porsche.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Heading to the Sand Double Crinc<\/h3>\n

That day, my husband said,<\/p>\n

Since we\u2019re at it, let\u2019s go drive the Sand Double Crinc!<\/p>\n

I asked, \u201cI\u2019ve heard of the Nara N\u00fcrburgring, but there\u2019s a Sand Double Crinc too!?\u201d and he replied,<\/p>\n

\u2026No, that\u2019s just something I made up myself (-_-)<\/p>\n

What the heck? (LOL) So off we went.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It was my first drive in the 911 in a while. The heavy steering, stiff brakes, solid doors, mechanical engine noise, the smell inside the car, manually turning on the lights in tunnels (LOL)\u2026 I thought, \u201cAh, this is what an air-cooled feels like.\u201d My husband said,<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve driven about 3,000 km since delivery, and the engine runs much better now. It used to be stiffer, but it\u2019s softened up and the engine revs more smoothly. It\u2019s like the car\u2019s rehab is done and it\u2019s feeling great now.<\/p>\n

I had to admit, that made sense.<\/p>\n

Traffic was heavy that day, so we couldn\u2019t drive as freely on the mountain roads toward Sanda, but after about 30 minutes, the traffic thinned and we could finally enjoy the drive. Then, as we approached a winding uphill mountain road,
\nmy husband said this:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 911 is rear-engine with a heavy rear, so you drive by using that characteristic. Weight transfer and throttle control are the keys.<\/strong> Ease off the throttle before entering a corner, and once the car\u2019s direction changes, step on the gas. That way, the car will turn sharply for you.<\/p>\n

I tried as he said, but at first, it didn\u2019t go as smoothly as I wanted\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re too tense! The handling is stiff!\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019re too slow on the throttle!\u201d
\u201cUse the throttle more smoothly!\u201d<\/p>\n

He kept giving me tips, and gradually I got the hang of it. This was definitely something you can\u2019t experience in a Boxster or Panamera\u2014more like the unique feel of a rear-engine car. Instead of just steering in, you flick the rear end around, and when that works well, it\u2019s a lot of fun.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

My husband said,<\/p>\n

Yes! That\u2019s exactly it!<\/p>\n

But after about 15 minutes, I started feeling lightheaded,<\/p>\n

What\u2019s wrong? The little kei car in front is pulling away from you.<\/p>\n

he said.<\/p>\n

\u2026( \uff9f\u0434\uff9f) Oh, right.<\/span><\/p>\n

I said, \u201cI\u2019m exhausted because I\u2019ve been thinking about weight transfer and throttle control the whole time,\u201d and he replied,<\/p>\n

Why do you always get tired so quickly? (-_-)<\/p>\n

I was reminded of when I first started driving six years ago after being a non-driver for about 10 years\u2014I was completely wiped out after just a 15-minute drive to the local supermarket. I\u2019m usually pretty fit, but I guess I still get quite nervous when driving.<\/p>\n

After that, my husband took over the wheel and we headed home. According to him, the Sand Double Crinc is a hidden gem\u2014almost no cars, smooth roads, perfect for driving an air-cooled Porsche\u2014and that was exactly how it was that day.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There were country roads, mountain passes, and beautiful straights\u2026 you can enjoy a variety of roads just in this area. Also, my husband says the Sand Double Crinc North Course (lol) lets you keep going round and round endlessly, so you never get bored even after driving all day. That day, he was once again impressed:<\/p>\n

The Sand Double Crinc is amazing!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I wish there was a caf\u00e9 here like Cafe Seven in Tsukigase, Nara<\/a>, where car enthusiasts could gather. There are soba shops and small caf\u00e9s where motorcyclists meet, but nothing quite like that for car lovers.<\/p>\n

The Analog Charm of the Air-Cooled 911<\/h3>\n

On the way back, we stopped for gas. Since the 911\u2019s fuel tank is in the front, my husband said, \u201cWhen you fill the tank, the front gets heavier and the car feels more stable.\u201d It\u2019s amazing how small things can make a difference.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

After driving the air-cooled again, I was reminded how direct and connected everything feels.<\/strong> The engine noise is mechanical and raw, lacking the flashiness of modern water-cooled Porsches, but that analog feel is addictive. Sure, \u201cthe latest Porsche is the best Porsche,\u201d and I\u2019m thrilled every time I drive one, but you just can\u2019t get this analog charm anywhere else.<\/p>\n

Also, I noticed something for the first time: a round sticker on the door handle.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I asked my husband, \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d and he said,<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a phosphorescent sticker. It glows in the dark so you can find the door handle even at night or in the dark.<\/p>\n

\u2026How analog is that! (\uff1b\uff9f\u0414\uff9f)<\/span><\/p>\n

I get the glow-in-the-dark part, but it looks like something you could buy 100 for a dollar at a dollar store. They probably thought, \u201cWe\u2019ll go all out on the driving, but here? A sticker is fine, it doesn\u2019t affect driving (-_-)\u201d or something like that.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I\u2019m grateful every day to be able to drive the air-cooled Porsche 911, the Panamera, and the Boxster. And I\u2019m thankful to all the readers who put up with my Kansai dialect-filled articles. Let\u2019s drive lots of Porsches this year!<\/p>\n

By the way, here\u2019s the course my husband made up and called the \u201cSand Double Crinc.\u201d It really is a great road. (He even made maps dividing it into a North Course and a Full Course, just like the N\u00fcrburgring, lol.)<\/span><\/p>\n