ONE of the most thrilling ways to kick off a cosy Sunday is to get behind the steering wheel of a Porsche and hit the throttle for some quick spins at the racetrack.
So when Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) invited us to join Porsche owners for a half-day of dynamic driving at Sepang International Circuit recently, we humbly obliged.
SDAP chief executive officer Arnt Bayer, in his welcoming address, described Porsche Open Track Day as a perfect Sunday activity for sports car owners.
”It is a way to show appreciation to our customers. It is an opportunity for them to maximise the potential of their cars and to experience a day of adrenaline-pumping driving.
”It is a perfect Sunday activity for sports car owners to have fun on the track and they can drive the same car to the office again on Monday morning. You can only do this with a Porsche,” he quipped.
There was a real motorsport atmosphere. SDAP technical support teamed up with its motorsport partner Michelin and Mobil 1 to ensure the cars were well-checked before starting.
At the racetrack, owners were able to improve and sharpen their driving skills under the guidance of certified Porsche instructors and race drivers. For the ambitious drivers, a time trial was offered as a motivation to boost their lap time. The best three lap times in each category were rewarded with a trophy.
We were initially treated to a breathtaking view of the sports car line-up at the pit lane, from the comfort of an air-conditioned hospitality at the pit area. SDAP executive Jessica then ushered us to not just one, but two Porsche cars as our ride for the next three hours or so.
We first hopped on the 718 Boxster for a few rounds before changing to the 718 Cayman. The cycle was then repeated among the four invited media including NST Cars, Bikes and Trucks.
The 718 Boxter is one of Porsche’s two restructured mid-engine roadsters, two decades after the first Boxster made its debut. The other is 718 Boxster S.
Both 718 Boxster and its S sibling are a tribute to the 718 race car, the iconic legend that was born in 1953 and took the 1960s by storm by claiming over 1,000 racing victories across the globe.
The 718 Boxster centrepiece is the newly-developed four-cylinder flat engine with turbocharging. With a two-litre engine, the 718 Boxster develops 300 horsepower and boasts a 13 per cent fuel economy improvement.
The new 718 Boxster generation marks the first time that Porsche is implementing sports car with four-cylinder flat engines since the end of the 1960s.
The 718 Cayman, meanwhile, is low, wide and sleek with exterior emphasising its closer relationship with the 718 Boxster.
Apart from roof and tailgate, the two bodywork versions visually resemble each other.
Executives at Porsche have described the 718 Cayman as an expression of superlative performance. Impossible to disagree.
With the introduction of the turbocharged four-cylinder flat engine, the 718 Cayman with PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono package accelerates from zero to 100km per hour in 4.7 seconds.
A 718 Cayman S with comparable equipment completes the century dash in 4.2 seconds with the top speed of 285km/h.
The 718 Cayman we drove has the top speed of 275km/h. We were nowhere near that level throughout the half-day, though. Still, our drive was an exhilarating one, punctuated by a brush with the gravel and some moments of oversteer.