Romancing luxury on wheels

15 February 2005

Driving impressions of two super luxury cars — the Porsche 911 and the Audi A8 L By Our Automotive bureau

With two Porsche dealerships having been finalised in India — one at Delhi and the other at Mumbai — it is now a matter of signing on the dotted line and driving away in one of the three Porsche models available for sale- the Porsche 911, the Cayenne and the Boxster.

The cream of the three models is undoubtedly the Porsche 911. It's history dates back some 40 years when Prof Ferdinand Porsche went about creating a true sports car, which has, over the years, turned out to be one of the most exclusive automobiles in the world, bordering on a cult icon.

The early examples of this car are already rubbing shoulders with the most regarded sports cars of the '60s at various museums around the world and in the collections of numerous collectors. Though the car has been through various forms — coupe, cabriolet, targa-top — the coupe remains, by far, the most popular and good enough to make a 2+2 sports coupe.

The present 911 belongs to a platform dubbed as 997, the latest and most recent interpretation of the legend called the Porsche 911. This car guards its exclusivity almost as fiercely as did the original and, in the process, keeps the connection between itself and the original alive even as it seeks a rendezvous with new technologies to further expand the boundaries of performance.

The 911's ability to perform is humbly yet acutely reflected by the coupe's wedge shape that shines the light on the car's race bred, purposeful stance with minimal cladding. This may set it apart from the Italian giants but one good look at the 911 and one is aware of its lean muscularity and clarity of line and precision in every outline.