There is an old saying that even a bad day at the track is better than a good day in the office. If that statement rings true, then a great day the track is even better, and thanks to great weather and an invite from Porsche, I’ll agree. Yesterday we left Orlando bright and early for a 10:00AM tee time at Sebring International Raceway for an invite only Porsche event, The Porsche World Roadshow.

The day started with a meet and great followed by a tech session on the basics of performance driving from Porsche Sport Driving School’s Chief instructor Cass Whitehead. After the quick classroom session was over we paired up and headed to a large autocross course where we got to put the newly released Boxster through its paces. I typically prefer more pure driving sports cars, however I was quite impressed with the technology in the Boxster after playing with it’s Sport settings and electronic suspension dampening. The performance of the car could be greatly changed for the conditions simply by pressing a few buttons located next to the shifter.

A second autocross course was setup for the Technology drive featuring the Panamera and Cayenne Hybrids and V8 Counterparts. On the short course we were encouraged to go full throttle on multiple occasions and test the throttle response to compare the differences between the 2. When you think Hybrid you typically think of slow Toyota Priuses clogging the left lane, the Porsche version couldn’t be further than the opposite. The Porsche Hybrid delivers amazing throttle response and low end torque thanks to it’s electric motors assisting a powerful NA engine, which delivers a driving experience that sticks to Porsches pursuit of ultimate performance, all while improving fuel efficiency.

With the performance drive completed it was off to the big track for what most participants traveled long and far to experience, driving the latest Porsches on the famed Sebring International Raceway. The format was a lead follow session on the Sebring modified course in the Panamera GTS, Porsche 991, and the 991S. While the driving was done in a somewhat controlled environment, it still allowed us to push the cars through their paces for a few laps each. I left quite impressed with the new 991, which makes the most of recent technology to deliver a great drive, adding new creature comforts not found in the previous model. All of the models we drove were equipped with Porsches new PDK transmission, something as a purist I should hate, however its a phenomenal piece of equipment and for 99% of the drivers out there exactly what they need. A big thanks to Porsche North America for putting on this event and our good friend Andreas at Porsche Orlando for the invite (If you’re in the market give him a ring). This was the ultimate way to test the newest models and draw our own opinions on them, most of which were positive!

If you’re a sports car racing fan then chances are you’ve heard of GMG Racing and their ALMS Porsche Cup cars. In addition to their racing efforts, they also produce a great deal of parts for street cars looking to take the track. We’ve had great luck with their Roll bars and suspension components in our test car in the past, so when I was in the area I decided to stop by their shop and see it with my own eyes. I was greeted by Fabryce, the man in charge of this world class shop and he was nice enough to take a few moments to show me around. The second you walk into the shop you are overwhelmed. Porsche Cup cars, stacked 2 high in some areas, along with street Porsches, Audis, and Ferrari or two, you name it and it’s under one roof. They have all the equipment you’ll need to setup the ultimate street or race car from their 4WD dyno cell (which may look familiar if you’ve seen the LFA commercial on TV), A dialed alignment rack, fabrication center, and even a 3D printer for quick prototyping.

I want to thank Fabryce for taking the time to show me around, GMG is truly one of the shops in this country that others can use as a benchmark. We’re proud to have them as a technology and resource partner and look forward to growing this relationship in the future. If you’re in the west be sure to check out the Global Tuner Grand Prix at Laguna Seca they’re putting together October 22-24, this is one of the rare track days at Laguna with no sound restrictions. Details can be found at the GTGP website http://www.globaltunergp.com/

This weekend we had the pleasure of checking out the Festivals of Speed here in Orlando . This annual car show takes place at the Ritz Carlton Orlando and features some of the finest cars in the country, many of which would never be seen if it weren’t for such a great show. This event has become a showcase for the finest luxuries in life, and features displays from some of the most well respected brands in the world including Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Panerai, and Lamborghini. The event encompasses the entire weekend and starts with a kickoff party in a private jetport featuring aircrafts, boats, cars, and many premium brand displaying and sampling their products. We’ve always enjoyed attending as spectators, however this year we were provided the privilege of not just attending, but displaying some of our great automotive creations as well. We brought a wide variety of cars to showcase the diversity of services we are able to provide here at Titan Motorsports.

The cars in our booth included : James Stewart Sr. Completely Custom 66 Chevrolet Chevelle, Green 997 Porsche GT3RS, Titan Motorsports Yellow 996tt, Titan Motorsports Camouflage 996tt race car, Matte Black Renntech CLK Black Series, BMW Z4M Coupe and Dr. Nicks TRD Widebody Supra.

I would like to take a moment to personally thank our great clients who put their cars on display, as well as Leslie for making sure the booth looked great at all times. We’re looking forward to displaying at many future shows both locally and across the state, and can’t wait for the next Festivals of Speed here in Orlando.

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