Gut reaction

I am sitting with Stephan, a certified Porsche trainer, in the latest 911 Turbo, on a disused runway strip in Aamby Valley, about 100 miles south of Mumbai, at the ‘Porsche World Roadshow’. The 911 Turbo is a car that I’d driven virtually for many years in the “Porsche Unleashed” game. What the game never prepared me for was how acceleration truly felt like. Not until today.

Stephan shows me the ‘Launch Control’ trick—put my left foot on the brake, switch the traction control off, gun the engine. And then I let go. It’s hard to describe the kick—a more visceral feeling than even a LearJet 60XR. I clutch the steering wheel as a bunch of cones come at me at an incredible speed and my spine merges into the surprisingly comfortable seat. This is no game. Time slows down, as though it’s being diluted by sheer speed.

Braking the car is an equally intense experience. Stephan had explained to me that this exercise was designed to test our reflexes, and that the cones in the road represented a truck. What’s more, I wasn’t supposed to touch the brakes until the last possible moment. So, when I finally brake, everything comes rushing back fast. Time is restored to its usual pace with a sudden jolt. Dazed, as I execute a sharp zig-zag the car seems perfectly nonchalant, even bored. That’s what you get for Rs 1.25 crore.

So, would I buy a Porsche? I prefer the new Lamborghini Gallardo 560/4, but this is a hell of a lot cheaper. Does Beelzebub do deals in half-souls?