5. Reports

Porsche Club News 5/03
5. Reports
Porsche Club of America
Porsche Parade USA 2003
tacular collection of historic Porsches,
could line up to be judged. The winners
were drawn from across the Porsche
range, including a 356, a Martini 935
racing car, a 928 GT, a 911 RSR, a
356 Carrera 2 and a 904, which won
the spectators’ prize.
The competition had only just finished
when a storm came in. Thunder and
lightning raged over the resort, depositing plenty of “liquid Florida sunshine”. Even the photographers fled
for cover, thus missing out on the
extraordinary spectacle of a Porsche
Diesel tractor having to tow some of
the historic cars to safety.
At the end of June, more than 1,000
members of the Porsche Club of
America met at Saddlebrook Resort,
north of Tampa/ Florida for a week of
celebrations with friends and their
Porsches in these semi-tropical surroundings – where alligators live in
every pool and occasionally wander
across the golf course, armadillos
frolic with one another in the gardens
and rare storks nest in the small fir
trees.
in torrents. The grassy area where the
event was due to be held was soon
completely waterlogged, but thankfully
the organisers, Ellen and Bill Riley and
their team, not only had an umbrella
ready for everyone, but also an alternative site at higher altitude, where the
competition could be held.
Incredibly, Monday morning started off
hazy but then the sun came out and
the wonderful cars, including a spec-
The Cayenne made its appearance
during the rally through the Florida
wilderness, where moss was growing
over the oak trees and beautiful longlegged birds like herons, cranes and
ibis were cavorting everywhere you
looked. With the fewest penalty points,
the event was won by Joe Boucher and
Tom Gould, driving the first Cayenne
ever to participate in a parade.
This was followed by three days of
motor sport on the spacious course at
Once the guests had arrived in their
various Porsches – including 356 and
996s, Boxsters and, yes, even the
Cayenne – they had time to get to know
the hotel complex. It includes a large
leisure area with shops and restaurants and numerous options for enjoyment and relaxation – from the 1.5
million litre super pool with wave machine to a wellness centre.
As the entrants in Sunday’s Concours
d’Élégance began to lovingly smarten
up their Porsches, the fine weather
disappeared and the rain came down
21
Porsche Club News 5/03
5. Reports
Porsche Club of America
Porsche Parade USA 2003
tacular collection of historic Porsches,
could line up to be judged. The winners
were drawn from across the Porsche
range, including a 356, a Martini 935
racing car, a 928 GT, a 911 RSR, a
356 Carrera 2 and a 904, which won
the spectators’ prize.
The competition had only just finished
when a storm came in. Thunder and
lightning raged over the resort, depositing plenty of “liquid Florida sunshine”. Even the photographers fled
for cover, thus missing out on the
extraordinary spectacle of a Porsche
Diesel tractor having to tow some of
the historic cars to safety.
At the end of June, more than 1,000
members of the Porsche Club of
America met at Saddlebrook Resort,
north of Tampa/ Florida for a week of
celebrations with friends and their
Porsches in these semi-tropical surroundings – where alligators live in
every pool and occasionally wander
across the golf course, armadillos
frolic with one another in the gardens
and rare storks nest in the small fir
trees.
in torrents. The grassy area where the
event was due to be held was soon
completely waterlogged, but thankfully
the organisers, Ellen and Bill Riley and
their team, not only had an umbrella
ready for everyone, but also an alternative site at higher altitude, where the
competition could be held.
Incredibly, Monday morning started off
hazy but then the sun came out and
the wonderful cars, including a spec-
The Cayenne made its appearance
during the rally through the Florida
wilderness, where moss was growing
over the oak trees and beautiful longlegged birds like herons, cranes and
ibis were cavorting everywhere you
looked. With the fewest penalty points,
the event was won by Joe Boucher and
Tom Gould, driving the first Cayenne
ever to participate in a parade.
This was followed by three days of
motor sport on the spacious course at
Once the guests had arrived in their
various Porsches – including 356 and
996s, Boxsters and, yes, even the
Cayenne – they had time to get to know
the hotel complex. It includes a large
leisure area with shops and restaurants and numerous options for enjoyment and relaxation – from the 1.5
million litre super pool with wave machine to a wellness centre.
As the entrants in Sunday’s Concours
d’Élégance began to lovingly smarten
up their Porsches, the fine weather
disappeared and the rain came down
21
Porsche Club News 5/03
the airport in Zephyr Hills. Some people had also signed up for the one-day
driver training course at the famous
Sebring circuit, but there were plenty
of other activities on offer. A coach
load of PCA members travelled to
Naples to visit the private Collier collection, an impressive collection of
Porsche racing cars and other famous
automobiles. There was also a golf
tournament, a competition with remote controlled cars and trips to attractions in the region, including the
historic town of Ybor and the fantastic
aquarium in Tampa, where the children
of the parade guests had the chance
to spend the night in sleeping bags
next to a coral reef with the inhabitants
of the deep seas.
Special attention was paid to the
almost 100 children throughout this
year’s parade. The “Parade Kids” programme organised by Janet Ledesma
provided activities and fun for the
whole week. These included a “dive-in
cinema” night for the older children,
who watched a film from rafts in the
pool, while their parents were enjoying
dinner alone. Lanean Hughes organised a slalom race for children of all
ages, where they used bicycles, scooters and pedal cars, or even tricycles,
which had to be pushed by parents or
other guests. One young lady completed the course turning cartwheels.
There were no losers, with every child
receiving a medal.
On the last day of a Porsche Parade,
you always need to get up early to take
part in the technical quiz, while the gala
evening is the ideal opportunity to say
farewell to new and old friends. For the
voluntary helpers, who had worked
for almost three years to put on the
one-week event, it must have been a
moment of great relief when the last
toast was over and the last glass of
wine had been finished. A well-planned
party came to an end. We raised our
very last glasses to Ellen and Bill Riley
and their hardworking team. Cheers!
Porsche Club of America
President: Tom Bobbitt
Tel.: +1 703/451 90 00
Fax: +1 703/451 01 45
22
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Guatemala
First Sports Driving School in Guatemala
On the last weekend of April, the
Porsche Club Guatemala successfully
organised its first Sports Driving
School in Guatemala City. The two-day
course was attended by a total of 17
Porsche Club members and one other
Porsche customer, and they completed the Porsche driver safety training
in five stages.
At the “Autodromo los Volcanes” circuit, situated at a height of 700 metres
close to the city, Porsche Sports
Driving School instructor Harald Becker
who had flown in specially from
Germany, introduced the participants
to the secrets of driving a Porsche
under specific conditions: as well as a
braking exercise, the drivers also practiced correct cornering and swerving
in dangerous situations. After the slalom on the second day, the participants finally had the chance to take
their cars around the whole circuit in
the free driving session.
“On this amazing track with its tight
curves, driving a Porsche is really fun”,
said Porsche Club President Juerg
Widmer, who was driving his 911 Turbo
on a closed racing circuit for the first
time. The other Club members declared themselves to be equally pleased
with the event, and Club Sports Officer
Sven Brobeil immediately scheduled a
second date for this season. “Word of
the success of our first Porsche Driving
School spread incredibly quickly in our
Club and among other Porsche drivers”, he said, adding: “We have to
offer more courses now – definitely an
advanced course for those people who
completed the first one, but probably
also another basic course for other
Club members and Porsche drivers.”
bers. “The Cayenne passed all the
braking and moose tests with flying
colours and in the free driving, I could
not get away from the Cayenne S!”
marvelled one participant, who was driving a 964, which he had inherited from
his father and which he wants to hang
onto, despite the power of the Cayenne
and the superiority of the new 911
models. “Maybe I will buy myself a
Cayenne sometime – as a second car”,
he told his friends in the Club.
Markus Nels/Porsche Latin America
Porsche Club Guatemala
President: Juerg Widmer
Tel.: +502 631 20 33
Fax: +502 631 20 34
The Cayenne also made its debut on
the track: A Cayenne S and a Cayenne
Turbo both lined up for the start. The
two cars, which had been provided
specially for the event by importer
Automotores y Marina S.A., not only
looked excellent but also made a
lasting impression on the Club mem-
23
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club de Venezuela
“German Speed Afternoon” in San Carlos
This demonstration was even more
impressive for those guests who took
their place in the passenger seat of a
Porsche for a lap with an experienced
racing driver.
After this excitement, it was time for
lunch, which provided an insight into
typical German cuisine.
automotive engineering at an exhibition of various luxury marques, whose
products are marketed in Venezuela
with the “Made in Germany” quality
mark.
With support from the German Embassy and in conjunction with various local
sponsors, the German Speed Afternoon was held on 13th July at the San
Carlos international racetrack in Venezuela.
Over 1,500 VIP guests attended the
launch of this event, where they were
able to admire the highlights of German
24
The highlights of the event were the
Porsche presentation in front of the
pits, the driving exhibitions and the
Porsche Club race at the end. The
Porsche Club members, accompanied
by their families and friends, brought
more than 60 vehicles of all models
and years to San Carlos. Corporación
German Cars, the Porsche importer in
Venezuela, also had a gleaming stand,
where the new Cayenne model was
on display. Many visitors took this
opportunity to gain their first impression of Porsche’s SUV and everybody
was particularly enthusiastic about its
drive qualities – a car that was made
for the conditions in Venezuela.
After the German Ambassador Herman
Erath had opened the event, the
Porsche Club members took their vehicles onto the track for 20 minutes,
providing an impressive demonstration of what a Porsche is capable of.
To round off this excellent day, a
Porsche Club race was held, with Club
President Bernard Bohn Breuer driving
the pace car, a Cayenne S, and then
starting the race after the parade lap.
After five extremely fast laps, the
winner was Marion Donoso, driving a
Porsche 996 Turbo. As well as the Club
President, the subsequent presentation ceremony was attended by Jochen
Oberrauter, Regional Sales Manager
of Porsche Latin America and a number
of well-known figures from the national
motor sport scene.
Everyone had an exciting day and is
looking forward to the next Porsche
Club Venezuela event. The Club would
like to take this opportunity to thank all
visitors, helpers and everybody who
helped to make this event possible.
Porsche Club de Venezuela
President: Bernard Bohn Breuer
Tel.: +58 2 271 93 62
Fax: +58 2 271 87 31
Porsche Club News 5/03
Club Porsche de France, Région Méditerranée
VIII. GT Passion
Those who chose the tour of the
Camargue had an excellent trip. At
9.45, the first vehicles reached the
Mas de la Chassagne, accompanied
by a blazing sun and a gentle Mistral.
By 10.30 everyone had arrived and we
started our visit. Face to face with a
herd of three-year old fighting bulls,
we discovered a lot of interesting
things about the breed from owner Luc
Jalabert. Later, we were even allowed
to watch young bulls in an arena and
witness a demonstration of a bullfight
to the local rules, which emphasise the
skills of the horses and their riders.
After an aperitif, it was time to eat,
with L’Anchoiade and braised veal on
the menu – delicious specialities of the
Camargue.
The passion for sporty and attractive
cars was the focus of our big weekend
at La Grande Motte. This 8th running
of our GT Passion event attracted more
than 80 car enthusiasts. On the Saturday, the emphasis was on enjoyment.
While some people set off for a discovery tour of our beautiful Camargue
region, the rest gave the full horsepower of their cars free rein at the Alès
circuit, without the fear of coming into
conflict with the law.
Around 5pm we gratefully met up again
back in the car park in front of the harbour master’s building in La Grande
Motte, where the sea breeze was a
breath of fresh air after the heat of the
day.
Who was it that said there were mosquitoes in the Camargue? Nobody was
troubled by the little creatures, but that
was almost certainly down to the slight
Mistral. The wind had also blown a bit
of dust over our cars – a souvenir of
the Camargue. At 8pm, more than 75
guests gathered in the restaurant at
At the Pole Mécanique it was really the
dog days of summer, with almost unbearable heat. At 3pm the temperature
at the circuit was measured at 65°C,
while the air temperature was more
than 40°C. This made it a good day for
the tyre manufacturers, as we wore
down more than a wagonload of tyres
on the hot circuit. The time trials were
held during the hottest part of the day.
The drivers of a 911 SC and two 911
Carrera 3.2 made it onto the podium,
which reminded us all once again how
reliable our classic models are.
25
Porsche Club News 5/03
the La Grande Motte golf course for an
outstanding meal followed by dancing.
The night owls in the group then went
on to a nightclub or even the casino.
On the Sunday, all the vehicles lined up
in the car park at the harbour master’s
building, which the harbour master had
kindly provided for our use. The 70
spotlessly clean Porsches had been
joined by several Italian sports cars
for the Concours d’Élégance. A large
number of spectators came to look at
the vehicles and to share our passion
for fast cars. This part of the event
was presented by Laurent Bernard,
in typically professional and stirring
style. “Alliance Auto”, the regional
Porsche dealer, presented every participant with a bottle of Muscat de Lunel
and a T-shirt.
At 12.00, the Mayor invited the participants to take an aperitif, and the
oppressive heat meant that everyone
was delighted to accept his offer. The
26
parade through the town then began
at 3pm, accompanied by Jacques
Monniot. This year, the cars were presented on the pedestrian promenade
on the waterside in La Motte. Many of
the people visiting the beach there
took the chance to experience this
spectacle (see also photos of the event
on the Internet at:
www.club911med.com).
At about 5pm, our President, supported by the Mayor of La Grande Motte
and a representative from the local
branch of “Credit Agricole”, presented
the various prizes and trophies to the
winners of the Concours.
Mario Pagés
Club Porsche de France
Région Méditerranée
President: Jean Paul Viala
Tel.: +33 (0) 46 76 94 892
Fax.: +33 (0) 46 76 94 892
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Seetal Luzern
Porsche Weekend in Barcelona with driver training at the
Circuit de Catalunya
Over Ascension Day and the following
weekend, the Porsche Club Seetal
Luzern organised a two-day driver training course at the Circuit de Catalunya
in Spain. Despite the long journey
of well over 1,000 kilometres, the
Porsche weekend attracted a large
number of participants for this trip to
sunny Southern climes. The sunshine
and temperatures of up to 35°C certainly contributed to the good atmosphere.
On 28th May, a total of 94 Porsche
and speed freaks set off for the long
drive towards Barcelona. Sixteen vehicles made the journey on car transporters, as their owners preferred to
travel by air or overnight train. Once
again, numerous friends from the
Glarner Porsche Club joined us this
year. Everyone stayed in the ideally
situated Hotel Alfa in Vilanova, which
had a view of the circuit.
The Circuit de Catalunya is a modern,
fast Formula 1 circuit. On the morning
of the holiday, 63 drivers (including
twelve ladies) took the opportunity to
complete short exercises under the
guidance of the local RAAC instructors.
After lunch in the paddock restaurant,
we spent the afternoon getting to know
the secrets of the circuit on high-speed
introductory laps with the instructors.
The evening was spent enjoying an
aperitif and dinner in the hotel garden,
accompanied of course by lively discussions of the day’s driving experiences.
The Friday saw all drivers return to the
circuit. We had ample opportunity to
practice handling all the horsepower
of our lovely cars under the guidance
of sports officer Heinz Arnold. We dro-
ve in three different groups, with the
instructor from the PCSL Racing Team
leading to remind everyone of the ideal line, the braking and steering points
and the vertices of the corners; this
was important as the circuit includes
demanding uphill and downhill sections
and fast combinations of corners. Driving skill and excellent control of the
vehicle were called for.
We found ideal conditions to enjoy our
Porsches to the full, and to acquire
even more driving experience. As the
saying goes: “Practice makes perfect!”
Our resident professional and sports
officer Heinz Arnold was responsible
for the outstanding running of our
schedule and the driving programme,
and we would like to take this opportunity to thank him.
For the drivers’ companions who did
not want to spend their time watching
from the wall of the pits, a guided tour
of Barcelona was organised on the
Thursday, followed by a visit to the
Maremagnum (giant aquarium) and the
“Ramblas” (Barcelona’s main shopping
street) on Friday.
27
Porsche Club News 5/03
In the evening, the whole group met up
in the hotel garden in good spirits for
an aperitif and gala dinner with music.
The guests relived the events of the
long weekend, exchanged experiences,
swapped tips and made new friendships.
In addition to the driving activities,
there was an interesting supporting
programme. Saturday saw a coach trip
inland, where we visited the huge Cordoniù champagne cellars and had the
chance to sample their excellent wine.
Our journey then continued to Montserrat, one of the most visited places in
Catalonia. We enjoyed the breathtaking scenery of the Montserrat mountains and visited the Santuario de la
Mare de Déu de Montserrat, a famous
centre of adoration of the Virgin Mary,
where the patron saint, the Black
Madonna, is worshipped.
On our return trip, we treated ourselves
to a sumptuous, typical Catalonian
lunch with an extensive selection of the
popular tapas. To round off our stay,
our itinerary included another tour of
Barcelona, on which we discovered
much more about the many attractions
28
of the city (the buildings of Antoni
Gaudi, the endless building work, the
church of the Sagrada Familia).
Our big trip was brilliantly organised
by our Club member Martin Kammerbauer, who deserves immense praise.
We would also like to thank all the sponsors who have generously supported
us once again this year.
Porsche Club Seetal Luzern
President: Esther Friberg
Tel.: +41 (0) 17 131 278
Fax: +41 (0) 17 131 541
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Beider Basel
Trip to Poland
To Poland? In a Porsche? At first, many
people were sceptical when our treasurer announced the destination for
our traditional trip over the Ascension
Day weekend. But more and more of
them soon came around to the idea
and there were eventually 19 of us in
the group that set off on 28th May.
People made their own arrangements
for the journey, with some driving the
whole distance in a group and others
meeting at the Görlitz border crossing,
but that night all the cars had arrived
safely at the hotel after their 1,000
kilometre route. And what a hotel it
was! Even as they arrived, some people were still thinking: “Where have we
ended up here?” No wonder; after all,
it does make you think when you pass
through tiny villages on narrow, bumpy
roads in the darkness and then have to
turn off onto a forest track. But there,
in the middle of the woods, a fantastic
newly built hotel awaited us. In short,
the welcome was warm, the rooms
were comfortable and the dinner was
wonderful. It was only the next mor-
ning that we could really appreciate
the hotel’s romantic location. It is situated in a sunny wooded valley near
Kowary, formerly known as Schmiedeberg, next to an old mine tunnel. This
tunnel is the reason why the hotel came
to be built here. In the 20th Century,
first the Germans and then the Russians mined uranium here. In doing so,
they discovered the healing properties
of radon and, from 1974, the tunnel
was used as an inhalatorium for people
with respiratory diseases. The water
emerging from the tunnel is also considered beneficial, said to promote
potency and cure related problems.
Some of the people in our group certainly drank plenty of water over the
next few days.
The mine museum is also definitely
worth a visit, and is made up of an
underground route, passing showcases of minerals and making it clear
how hard the work of the old miners
must have been. For our tours of the
region, a minibus was provided, and it
was definitely better suited to the local
road conditions than our Porsches.
Meanwhile, the cars stood in front of
the hotel, well protected around the
clock by the team from the local karate
club, whose boss was our guide and
friend during our stay.
We travelled around the whole of this
lovely region, visiting a Western city
and a farm in Myslakowice where, after
we had eaten, the local choral society
entertained us with their songs while
we sat around the campfire. And then
there was the food! We did not know
how excellent and substantial Polish
meals could be, with their soups,
salads and, of course, the vodka. That
evening, we almost fell into bed.
29
Porsche Club News 5/03
The next morning, we were standing
under the spotlight. Representatives
of radio and TV stations were there.
The cars were filmed, we had to rev up
our engines for the radio broadcasts
and our President gave an interview.
The items were broadcast throughout
Poland and, as a result, a large number of visitors arrived at the hotel to
have their photograph taken with the
Porsches.
We also had a reception with the Mayor
of Kowary, followed by a tour of the
town.
And all the time we came across places
with unpronounceable names – like
Szklarska Poreba. Here, at the edge
of a natural park, there is a tourist area,
which is ideal for walking in summer
and for skiing in winter. The lovely
walking trails passed waterfalls and a
castle, where you can find out the
secrets of the mountain people and, if
you are lucky, even be knighted.
Awaiting us there were a tasty dinner,
plenty of wine and vodka, good musicand an accomplished striptease
show. We then danced deep into the
night. The following morning, after
breakfast we set off for home – with a
lot of great memories in our luggage.
Wolfgang Hetzinger
On Saturday, our itinerary included a
tour of Jelenia Gora, formerly Hirschberg, with its beautiful old town. After
a lunch break in an idyllic old inn above
a reservoir, we continued to Siedlecin
(Boberröhrsdorf), where there is an old
tower house, which was built in 1313.
In itself, that is nothing special – but
this one contains a mural from around
1345 showing the story of the knight
of the round table, Sir Lancelot, and
that is unique in Europe. Upon our
return to the hotel, there was not much
time to get ready for the formal farewell party. Once smartened up, we set
off for Karpacz, where a room had
been reserved for us in a nightclub.
30
Porsche Club Beider Basel
President: Günter Richter
Tel.: +41 (0) 79 64 45 341
Fax: +41 (0) 61 69 10 709
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Südtirol
30 years of the Porsche Club Südtirol
opportunity to catch up with a lot of
old friends. Some people also took
the chance to add a visit to the new
tourism museum.
The Porsche Club Südtirol was formed
in 1972 in Bolzano and our anniversary was an occasion that merited a
huge celebration for our members.
Trauttmansdorff castle near Meran
opened its gates to us, and the Club
was able to welcome all its guests in
the courtyard. A visit to the attractively
laid out botanical gardens provided an
We then set off on our way to Marling.
A convoy of Porsches, headed by the
oldest 356 models represented in our
Club, snaked through the Etsch valley
via Lana to Marling.
At the anniversary celebrations in the
Sporthotel Nörder, former President
Fritz Egger gave a review recognising
the highlights of the Club’s 30-year
history, while the current President
Werner Gramm provided a comprehensive overview of current events and
issues.
Particularly popular was the Porsche
Gallery, which included various documents, badges, photos and video films
giving an insight into past events and
awakening feelings of nostalgia in
many of those present. The evening
ended in fitting style for the occasion
with a gala dinner in the gourmet
restaurant.
Porsche Club Südtirol
President: Werner Gramm
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: +39 (0)471 979 468
31
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Ortenau
Joint Club excursion
On Sunday 4th May 2003, the Ortenau,
Pforzheim, Baden-Baden, Südliche
Weinstraße, Kurpfalz, Bodensee-Oberschwaben and Elsaß Porsche Clubs
met for a rally. The meeting point was
the former Hotel Alexanderschanze in
Kniebis, where the numerous participants arrived from all directions. We
numbered 86 people and 48 Porsches.
Like last year, the event was organised by Jürgen Zeferer from the PC
Ortenau. In 2004, this kind of event
will be able to look back on a certain
tradition and the planning will pass to
one of the other Clubs involved.
At 11.30 prompt, we set off in convoy
for the Dollenberg sport and spa hotel
in Bad Peterstal-Griesbach, where all
the vehicles assembled in the car
park, making for an impressive sight:
Porsches from almost every year were
there to be admired.
Everyone liked the hotel, which has a
wonderful view over the Black Forest
and into Alsace. The buffet, from the
32
slightly French-influenced kitchens,
was particularly well received. We
enjoyed a little more rest before continuing our journey at 3pm. From Bad
Griesbach we drove via Bad Peterstal
to Oppenau, where we turned right
towards Ruhestein. The uphill stretch
to the Allerheiligen waterfalls was
especially enjoyable driving – hill
climbs were once held on that route.
Our rally ended at the car park in Ruhestein. The Club members bade each
other farewell and everyone took away
happy memories of a lovely day spent
with old and new friends.
Jürgen Zeferer
Porsche Club Ortenau
President: Peter Scheid
Tel.: +49 (0)7835 547 40
Fax: +49 (0)7835 547 454
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Göppingen
Annual trip to the Burgundy Region
went on to our next wine tasting at the
“Patriarche” wine cellars. There, we
were particularly impressed by the
vast size of the premises, where
almost four million bottles are stored.
On 19th June, the guests at the Pforzheim motorway service area could
hardly believe their eyes or their ears,
as 15 spotlessly clean Porsches with
a total of 4241 BHP assembled to set
off together towards France. Twenty
nine members of the Porsche Club
Göppingen used the long holiday weekend for their traditional annual trip. This
year’s destination was the Chateau de
Rigny, which is wonderfully situated in
the Burgundy region. From Pforzheim
to Mulhouse and then on via Besancon
to Rigny, all the vehicles made for an
impressive convoy. After our relaxed
arrival, the shady terrace or a refres-
hing bathe in the castle pool were most
inviting.
On Friday, the “Burgundy wine route”
was on our itinerary. On a chartered
coach with driver, we first of all discovered the historic centre of Dijon. The
temperature climbed relentlessly to
38°C, so the first wine tasting in the
cool vaults of the Chateau de Marsannay was very welcome. Snail terrine,
cheese and rosé wine fortified us for
our journey onward to Beaune. In the
afternoon heat, air-conditioned boutiques and shady pavement cafes were
the preferred destinations, before we
That evening, discussion turned to the
art of driving a kart and on the Saturday morning, the elite racing drivers,
along with their fans and their own
photographer, set off for the “Karting
Circuit Dijon-Prenois”. Qualifying was
held first, with an exciting battle for
places. Fifteen drivers, including one
lady, then provided some scorching
duels out on the track, and there was
clearly no place for gentlemen. The
other Club members used this time for
a shopping trip, refreshing themselves
in the pool or relaxing on the hotel
terrace.
Anne-Sophie Travers and Daniel Deparis, who organised this excellent summer Club trip perfectly, then drove us
to a river terrace in Gray for our farewell meal, which provided a friendly
and enjoyable end to the day.
After a generous breakfast on the
Sunday, the Club members set off for
home. Glorious weather and some very
quiet stretches of motorway even
helped to make the journey home a
pleasure.
Porsche Club Göppingen
President: Gerd Müller
Tel.: +49 (0) 7162 460 001
Fax: +49 (0) 7162 460 002
33
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club Isartal-München e.V.
Summer trip to Lago d’Iseo
Well refreshed, the afternoon saw us
continue towards our destination at
Lago d`Iseo. Italy’s seventh largest
lake remains something of a hidden
gem, considerably more Italian, authentic and tranquil than the other Northern
Italian lakes.
A warm welcome awaited us at the
“Relais Mirabella” hotel, high above the
village of Clusane. With a wonderful
view over the lake, a refreshing aperitif
on the terrace and a dip in the swimming pool, we soon forgot about the
Italian summer heat, well over 30°C.
In the evening, we enjoyed a first class
meal on the hotel terrace.
To make our schedule for the year as
attractive and varied as possible, as
well as motor sport events, our calendar includes excursions and social
events.
The summer trip is one of the highlights every year, and this year it took
us to Northern Italy to Lago d`Iseo. Ars
vivendi, the Italian way of life and
German sports car engineering –
always an attractive combination.
To encourage our members to join the
trip, a brochure showing the most
important highlights was produced in
advance, and as a result the rooms
originally booked had soon gone. Luckily, we were able to add to our booking.
We did not want to leave anyone who
was interested at home.
On 27th June, 31 people and 17
Porsches met at the Inntal motorway
service area to set off southwards.
From there, it was just a stone’s throw
over the Brenner Pass. We drove in
34
small groups, as staying together is
virtually impossible with this number
of cars.
In Trento we left the motorway to
drive along idyllic mountain roads
through the back country towards Lake
Garda. Before reaching our final destination, we had something special
planned: after driving along the picturesque corniche road we reached
Bardolino, where we were met by the
Mayor Signor Valter Rizzi in person,
for a guided tour of the town. Our “official” escort meant that our group not
only got a very special impression of
Bardolino, but also a close look at the
historic local government buildings.
Our walk around the town was rounded off by an excellent lunch at the “La
Loggia Rambaldi” restaurant, situated
directly on the waterfront. The pedestrian zone was also where we assembled our vehicles for a photo shoot.
We had special approval to drive them
there – much to the delight of the many
Italian and German onlookers.
Saturday’s itinerary provided the next
highlight of the trip – an exclusive visit
to the renowned RIVA shipyard. Since
1842, it has been producing classic
ships in typical wooden design to the
highest demands. Our factory tour
was both fascinating and impressive.
A group photo in the shipyard rounded
off our visit.
For the afternoon and evening, we
had prepared something very special.
A hired coach took us to the port,
where a specially chartered boat was
waiting to take us on our very own
lake cruise. The captain had been well
prepared, and we enjoyed an aperitif
on board, to the gentle motion of the
waves and with fantastic views of
Monte Isola.
It was on Monte Isola, the large densely forested island in Lake Iseo, that
we were expected for dinner. This
island has preserved its original charm
through the centuries: the old houses
are carefully restored, tiny villages are
Porsche Club News 5/03
then continued on country roads along
the Val Camonica towards the Passo
Tonnale and then over the Mendel Pass
to Bolzano. This route provided a
treat for all the fans of corners and
hairpins.
We definitely all have fond memories
of our three great days in wonderful
surroundings – we would recommend
a similar trip anytime.
Erwin Pfeiffer
Porsche Club Isartal-München e.V.
President: Günter Brenner
Tel.: +49 (0) 89 904 44 40
Fax: +49 (0) 89 904 44 43
well maintained and the mountainsides
are covered in lush green vegetation –
the only downside is that no cars are
allowed on the island! At the “Canogola” restaurant, we were treated to a
variety of typical Italian specialities.
The platters of appetisers and delicious
seafood dishes made our mouths
water.
Although our return involved choppy
waters and a heavy storm, we made it
back to the mainland unscathed, and
an excellent day came to an end.
Our return journey on Sunday first of
all took us to the earth pillars at Zone
on the Eastern side of the lake and on
for a brief visit to the small town of
Lovere at the Northernmost tip. We
35
Porsche Club News 5/03
Porsche Club evening at the IAA 2003
“The GT3 RS is our favourite car here”,
enthused Tina and Mark Trewartha, a
married couple from California. However, the two members of the Porsche
Club of America regretted the fact that
the model is not available in the USA.
They found the IAA “very big and
impressive” and they admitted that
they were using their eleven-day stay
in Germany not only to visit the exhibition but also for a “Factory Tour” at
Porsche in Zuffenhausen and in Leipzig,
“to take a look what Porsche is doing”.
17th September 2003, 7pm: The exhibition halls at the 60th IAA in Frankfurt
were almost deserted – with one
exception. In Hall 5, the Porsche stand
was still crowded with people. Around
350 guests had arrived there for the
Porsche Club evening, which had been
organised exclusively for Porsche Club
members.
The event was hosted by Porsche AG
and Porsche Deutschland GmbH, but
only a limited number of places were
available. Ultimately, some applications
had to be rejected, as the response to
this invitation turned out to be overwhelming. “More proof of how vigorously the Clubs are working”, emphasised
Hans Riedel, Sales and Marketing
Director, in his address during the evening – an evening where there was
plenty to celebrate. The 40th birthday
of the Porsche 911, for example, the
ongoing history of that legendary
sports car that celebrated its launch
at this exhibition back in 1963. Or the
36
incredible range of innovations: the
911 anniversary model, the Carrera
4S Cabrio, the Turbo Cabrio, the
Cayenne with six-cylinder engine and
the GT3 RS.
They and all the other guests were
informed about the models included in
Porsche’s current range by a hightempo show typical of the marque,
which was introduced by the sound of
Porsche engines starting up. This
year, for the first time, Porsche AG has
signed up two professional presenters, who will be used at various events
and trade fairs, like this IAA: René
Hiepen, ZDF sports reporter and presenter with a soft spot for boxing and
Porsche Club News 5/03
special atmosphere.” The trio had not
travelled from Luxembourg alone. A
total of 15 members of the Porsche
Club Luxembourg had made the journey
to Frankfurt. After they had sampled
the buffet, they used the friendly
atmosphere to tell other Club members about their excellent co-operation
with the Luxembourg Porsche Centre
and how they are committed to getting
other people interested in the Porsche
marque.
Eve Scheer, actress and presenter, for
whom Porsche is a synonym for “top
quality fast cars”.
This well co-ordinated team provided
the visitors with useful details about
the 21 vehicles on the 1,800 square
metre Porsche stand. They alternately
presented from one of the five information levels, which were devoted to
the new models in the 911 range,
the Carrera, the Boxster, the Cayenne
and the Porsche accessory range. In
between the presentations, models
demonstrated various items from the
Selection Shop, accompanied by lively
rhythms. The dynamic yet informative
20-minute show, which was staged six
times on each day of the IAA, impressively underlined Porsche’s slogan for
its appearance at the IAA: Porsche.
One step further. This is an important
element of the Porsche legend, which
continues to cast its spell over Club
members, and which they experience
first hand and enjoy at events like this
one – in the company of fellow enthusiasts, the frequently mentioned Porsche
family. Jean-Marie Erpelding, JeanClaude Wahl and Pierre Petesch confessed: “We come here because of the
All the Porsche fans who had travelled
to the event, whether they were from
Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria or
the USA, had interesting tales to tell.
The remainder of the evening passed
by in the wink of an eye, with musical
accompaniment provided by the group
Harmony Central. At around 23.00,
Isabella Alexa, Club Co-ordinator for
Porsche Deutschland GmbH, said farewell to the guests. Gradually, they all
began to make their way home or, like
37
Porsche Club News 5/03
car park. Shortly afterwards, Hall 5
was also deserted.
Bernd Woytal
On behalf of the Porsche Club
Co-ordination
the 60-strong team Porsche AG team
working on the stand, to their hotel.
The Porsche team was staying at the
Arabella Sheraton Congress Hotel,
which among its other services provi-
38
ded a popular shuttle bus service
during the exhibition. But for that
evening, the Club Co-ordination had
laid on its own bus to take Club members back to the “Rebstockgelände”
Information at www.porsche.com.
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Why should it be any different today?
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Original parts, advice and assistance.