When I was a teenager I had a friend who owned a Porsche. It was white, sporty and made a hell of a noise. A nice noise though. A sort of deep sexy roar. I vowed that one day I would have one.
I don’t know if it’s being part-Italian, but I do like a fast car. Not that I like going fast, that terrifies me, but I just like the roar of an engine and the knowledge that there is all that power there, should I ever need it.
The children have picked up on this. Every time we see a Ferrari or a Porsche they yell “Ferrari” or “Porsche”. Leo is the best at it. The other day he even recognised the Porsche logo on a flag above a garage.
When Rupert first told some friends about our plans to move to Abu Dhabi they said “you’ll be able to buy a really cheap second-hand Porsche. They throw them away there”. Finally my dream was going to become reality I thought. Obviously now I have three children the sporty convertible is not an option, it would have to be the four-wheel drive. I started fantasising about abandoned Porsches littering the roads with notes stuck on their windscreens reading ‘please look after this car.’
This has not happened, although we did see one brand new BMW for sale at a knock-down price. The explanation? “Unwanted gift”, read the ad. How could you not WANT a brand new BMW?!?
Every time we see a Porsche Cayenne (the four-wheel drive) Leo shouts “there’s the Porsche we want.” This happens every ten minutes, because here they seem to be the car to have. They are even more ubiquitous than the Swedish flag in Sweden.
He has even decided that we need the sporty one as well. “The good thing about Porsches,” he told me very seriously yesterday, “is that you can get a big one and a little one.” Now there’s an idea which would send our bank manager to an early grave.
Clearly it’s unrealistic. We can get a perfectly decent car for less than a third of the price of the Porsche and we’re here to consolidate, not race around the Corniche pretending to be as rich as everyone else clearly is.
But if there was ever a time when we just maybe could do it, it’s now. They really are cheap. Well, cheaper than at home. And so lovely. And as the advertisement rather cleverly says: “You have to ask yourself. Do you want a car, or do you want a Porsche?”
We all know what Leo wants.
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2008
For years I dreamed of owning a Porsche.
But, as you know, I drive a huge Chrysler 300 because it’s one of the few cars in which I fit.
Now I am in menoporsche.
Throw away BMW indeed –
I recently was talking with a bride who got a Porsche as a wedding present. This particular one didn’t even know what it was. “It’s kinda Ugly” she said. “I really wanted an Escalade”.
If you ask Rupert he might possibly tell you that there is only one “proper” Porsche. But if you want a 4×4 you should look at the VW which is almost identical to the Cayenne. But I suspect it might be like driving a Skoda. Helena, you need a family car and a 911 for you and who ever happens to be in the front seat. You could even sqeeze two children in the back!
Visualise 3 small children chanting ….
‘Porche’, ‘Porsche’, ‘Porsche’, Porsche’, ‘Porsche’
adinfinitum in the back of the car.
Helena joins the kids in the mad chanting, and Rupert barks,
” Oh go one then, you only live once….”.
Ensuing tears, elation, new flat, great car, and it all falls neatly into place…..
Considering the meltdown of the world’s economy I think a camel each might be more appropriate.
Helena,
When I was a freshman in college I dated this Senior who was very worldly and sophisticated. He drove a porshe and took me to the only semi-formal dance I went to in college. I adored him and his car until I realized it was an “automatic”. He told me he was engaged to a girl back home and he drove a very unsexy car, so I kept on looking. Those were the days!