A Porsche fanatic's dream
Most of my experience driving Porsches centers on my ownership of a 34-year-old air-cooled 911 and several trips to the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles. So, when Porsche Colorado Springs invited me to their Ultimate Test Drive Experience, I was pretty excited. The team brought eleven cars for us civilians to drive, plus a Boxster Spyder RS for one of the three instructors who flew in from Porsche’s Track Experience School.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t going to be an open track day for us to hoon around in some of Porsche’s newest and funnest rides. Rather, we’d be broken into groups and cycle through the cars to get a feel for each and to understand the Porsche DNA shared among the entire lineup. And the lineup was diverse. You wouldn’t think that a 911 had anything in common with a Taycan EV, but it does. Besides similar design cues, the shared DNA is a focus on performance that’s been part of every Porsche model since 1948.
Sure, they’re not all fire-breathing monsters like the GT3 RS, but the Porsche Club of America will allow you to bring any Porsche on track because they know the cars are made to handle the stresses that track cars must endure. Porsche cars are serious machines that can run hard all day on the Autobahn or on the race course.
The experience was as thrilling as you'd expect
Due to time constraints, we were only permitted two laps in each car, but there was plenty of seat time overall. Speeds were relatively high, too. We pushed 100 mph on the high banks at Pikes Peak International Raceway before dropping down into the twisty infield sections that allowed us to test the brakes and drift through tight turns at over 50 mph. I know that doesn’t sound fast, but 50 mph while navigating a tight 180-degree turn? Trust me, it’s fast.
This wasn’t the type of event where you turn off all of the driver aids, so I never felt like there was any chance of crashing, but the Porsche instructors urged us to start in Sport mode and then shift into Sport Plus, which gives a little more throttle response, better steering feel, and track-focused suspension. I’ll be honest. I was there to drive, and we only had a minute to acclimate to each car before hitting the track, so I can’t tell you much about their interiors. All I know is that the AC blew cold in the 85-degree ambient temperatures, and the finish of each car was impeccable.
So, what were my thoughts on each car’s driving dynamics?
2025 Porsche Taycan 4s
I’m a fan of the Taycan. The model was Porsche’s first EV, and I’ve driven one all over LA, including the twisties of Angeles Crest, and even came close to buying a Cross Turismo wagon earlier this year. You just can’t beat an EV’s power delivery, and the Taycan doesn’t disappoint. The 4S has 536 hp and will hit 60 in 3.5 seconds. That’s fun, but Porsche nailed it with the Taycan’s steering feel. It gives the car a solid, planted feel with good brakes to boot. I was just learning the track when I drove this car, but I wouldn’t hesitate to drive one for the occasional track day. Actually, I’d get the Cross Turismo and drive it all over Colorado’s gravel roads, which it’s designed to do. It’s got gravel mode!
2024 Porsche Macan 4
Another EV that rocks! Its 402 hp will propel the car to 60 mph in under 5 seconds with room for the whole family. On track, the Macan 4 is good, but it isn’t quite as nimble as the Taycan, with a little more body roll. The brakes were great, but the steering felt less Porsche-like than I hoped. The Oak Green Metallic and Provence paint colors are stunning. Yeah, I’m fine with a purple Porsche.
2025 Porsche Panamera GTS
This executive tourer is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo putting out 493 horsepower. It’s a monster that makes a glorious noise when you step on the gas and feels lighter on track than its 4700 pounds would suggest. It’s more muscle car than sports car, and while I’d need more laps to better understand how to drive this car at the limit, I noticed a little bit of understeer. The interior was as lovely as it should be for a car with a base price of $157,000.
2025 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe
The E-Hybrid is powered by a 300-horsepower, 3-liter, 6-cylinder gasoline engine combined with a 174-horsepower electric motor, which will propel this 5,400-pound SUV to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. It’s a capable off-roader, too, but on track, I noticed lots of body roll. Even then, this thing can brake and corner as well as the other cars in our pack, and it easily kept up with the Panamera GTS, which is no small feat.
Porsche sports cars are the ultimate cross between performance and usability
We had four sports cars, too. However, three were base 911 Carreras, so I’ll combine my thoughts on those into one summary.
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera
There’s almost nothing a 911 can’t do, within its relatively small footprint. It’s a sports car to make every day special, so it was no surprise that I loved the 911, even if it was a base Carrera. The steering had a good weight, and there was excellent feedback from the tires. I love how 911s offer gentle understeer into the corner, but then the rear rotates to help steer the car. It’s such a fun chassis. That said, I’d opt for a higher-spec car, such as a GTS or even a T, for the type of driving I enjoy - canyons and light track work. I’d also opt for an upgrade on the interior so that it matched the quality of the car’s mechanicals.
2025 Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0
I’ve saved my favorite for last. The mid-engined Boxster is so much fun. The steering was telepathic, and the mid-engine format allowed me to play with the car’s balance mid-corner. All I had to do was think where I wanted to place the car, and the little Boxster would go there. The one issue for me is that there’s a bit of resonance from the engine sound at higher RPMs. I’d love it on track, but would prefer the greater sound insulation of a Cayman. After owning several British roadsters, I’ve realized that I like a steel roof overhead.
Driving these two cars back-to-back was eye-opening and allowed me to feel the difference in handling between the Boxster and the 911. With its mid-mounted engine, the Boxster was more predictable and felt like it rotated around my hips. The rear-engined 911, on the other hand, has more of a pendulum effect and rotates around the car’s nose.
Final thoughts
My verdict? I want them all. Horses for courses. The SUVs were impressive and will be on my list when it’s time for a new ski car, as will the Taycan. I’ve driven EVs for years and no longer have any range anxiety, but that’s not what I dream about.
For me, it comes down to 911 vs. Boxster/Cayman, and I’ve already got one car with an engine in the rear. So, as much as I love the 911, I’ll be ordering an electric Cayman when they become available. It’ll be my daily driver, and if it’s anything like the love child of a Boxster and a Taycan that I hope it’ll be, it’ll put a smile on my face every time I drive it. A huge thanks to Porsche Colorado Springs’s John Dyste and Ted Hampson for hosting and including me in this event.
