Just got back in from my euro delivery. The experience was one to never forget.

First, the flight from Houston to Amsterdam taxied out to the runway, only to find out that one engine could not achieve full power. 2 hours later after a fuel pump was changed while we waited on the plane, the plane taxied out again to experience the same phenomenon. We then de-planed while the mechanics tore back into the plane. After 5 hours the problem was solved and we departed. Needless to say, there was alot of worries that the problem might surface in mid flight.....

After catching the last connection to Stuttgart and the eating the worst meal in my life at the Amsterdam airport, the wife and I reached our hotel at midnite and stole a couple of hours of sleep. The next morning we made it to Porscheplatz 2 and got a delightful tour of the plant and learned a few interesting points. 1)you can order your interior any way you want regardless of what the US dealerships say - any special requests should go to PCNA directly 2)Porsche has an auction system for car sales that any private individual can bid on 3)Porsche selects and cuts all the leather on the car in house 4)every engine is put on an engine dyno for 15-30 minutes and the output is recorded. Every car will put out 103-105% of rated power or it is torn down


The moment finally arrived and we met our GT3 in the delivery area. After a very thorough run-through we jumped in the car and headed to Munich. Only problem was that some 30 ft past the factory gates, the check engine light lit! We immediately turned around and parked the car. Tilman our delivery specialist took the car to the "werkes" area and we dawdled in the museum only to learn that the car had a camshaft position sensor malfunction and would need at least a nite for repair.




Being that we had already booked our travel for Munich that night Tilman arranged for us to get a loaner, which ended up being the Tequipment press car - a decked out C2S cab with leather everything and powerkit. We continued onto Munich in this great drop-top and still made our dinner reservations. Porsche fixed our car (faulty electrical connection) by 8pm and arranged for the GT3 to be trucked to Munich the next AM. The car arrived at 9am, with the driver having started out at 5am from the factory. It was really a white-glove treatment as this was a special affairs contract driver they called.

 

I was very, very impressed at the Porsche response to my dilemna. Because of the short time allotted and the fact I had already booked all my accomodations it was critical for me to continue onto Munich ASAP. I told Tilman I had planned to leave right after the lunch for Munich to visit Techart and Ruf. Unfortunately with the delays I was not back on the road until 4 pm and missed both visits. I was grateful however to be able to keep on my itinerary without having to sacrifice an additional night in Stuttgart.

The Autobahn was everything I had heard, save for the sight of supercars or exotics. The C2S cab was about the nicest thing on the road, but hardly the fastest. I had trouble keeping up with a very determined German woman in a 330d who was managing 220+ kph towards Munich in thick traffic. I have to say, the Germans are GREAT about lane discipline!


Munich was very pleasant and we were able to have a very pleasant meal followed by a huge Weiss bier and pretzel at the Hofbrauhaus. I have to say that SAT/NAV is a definite necessity in Europe. It saved us literally hours of wandering and the frustration of getting lost.

Next stop was Innsbruck, which was much larger than I had expected. There were some splendid rooftop bars with views of the city, like these from the 360 degree bar.


Zurich was very beautiful and reminded us of Florence. Not too big, but a very nice waterside setting. There was lots of shopping for the wife along the Bahnhofstrasse, along with an abbey with some very imspiring stained glass work by Chagall:



Geneve we found also very beautiful, but far more urban feeling than Zurich. Just outside Geneve we had the best meal of our lives at Domaine de Chateauvieux. This is perhaps one of the most highly rated restaurants by Zagat, and I have to say it deserves it. I would return to Geneve solely to eat there again!


Outside Geneve I found some wonderful Alpine roads near Mont Blanc, much to my wife's dismay. I managed to get her carsick driving into the delightful town of Chamonix, which was a good break point. Hundreds of tourists were lined up to catch a gondola which climbed seemingly endlessly into the sky along Mont Blanc.

 

After this short break was the real wife-punisher, the N212 from St Gervais-les-Bains through the ski town of Megeve to Grenoble. This was a very, very intense drive at speeds no more than 40-90 kph on a narrow mountain-side pass. My delight was only matched by her nausea.


Finally into the beauty, tranquility and decadence of St Tropez. It was very unnerving driving through the tiny alleys of the town, but after I saw a 599 managing it, I felt confident the GT3 could scamper through like a mouse.



There is nothing like a Saturday lunch at the Plage Voila Rouge. Billionaires shuttle off their massive yachts to eat a Bacchanalian lunch here, complete with some of the finest delicacies/companions from all of europe. Where else does one see pony-keg sized bottles of Brut flowing freely while half-naked nymphs model fashion clothing for the crowds?

 

Dude,

you were lucky.
My RS broke down just east of Munich. Had to get it towed back to Munich.
Excuse my language, but its a ****ing JOKE, for a Porsche to break down like that.
I wrote a letter. You should too, but with the Germans who know how far it would go.

 

Very lucky actually, I know exaclty where you parked your GT3 its in a smaller narrow street behind the port and not far from the boutique's such as Christian Dior etc. I tend to go there every year and its not far from where I live in Theoule Sur Mer, South of France.

St Tropez is nice and in the Summer you see lots of hott car's, I saw the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and 599GTB once they first came out.

 

Nice pics .

Thanks for sharing your "interesting experience" !

 

Yummy!!!! Oh and thanks for the story - sounds like you had a blast despite the car problems. I miss Europe.

 

Great write up. Thanks for sharing your trip. Sorry to hear about your GT3's problem but everything else seemed to work out wonderfully. So how long will it take your GT3 to arrive in the states?

 

Great writeup, more of you US guys should experience Europe!
See you guys in St. Tropez this summer?

 

It was a great experience - the kind of vacation I had dreamed about for 10 years. It certainly did not disappoint. We got to meet 6speeder "ANUBIS" in Zurich who took us to a nice bar on the lake and showed us his amazing Sportec TT. Cheers to him for his hospitality.

In regards to the car, it was quite a pleasure to drive through europe. We covered 1000km and were able to break in the car quite properly, since road speeds were continuously variable. The car consumed about 1.5 quarts of oil in the first 300 km and then promptly stopped. I did not find the GT3 too stiff or harsh for city driving despite the full load of a passenger (though my wife is only 100lbs) and 100lbs of luggage.

The Pilot Sport Cups are not adverse to wet driving either. I experienced little to no problems on wet highways even up to 130kph. Road noise was minimal.

Some comparisons to my AWE tuned 997TT:
1)GT3 feels more secure on the road, with less floating over uneven surfaces. As grippy as the TT feels, the GT3 is more - maybe attributable to MPSC vs PS2's, maybe not
2)GT3 has more direct steering feel - it goes exactly as directed like my old E36M3. Once again, tires may be a major factor
3)GT3 feels more connected to the driver with the 10x stiffer clutch pedal and short shifter. The TT clutch is like a toy by comparison - effortless and better suited to congestion
4)GT3 has more usable storage space in back without the rear seats and the Bose subwoofers
5)Alcantara on the seats (I ordered full leather and adaptive seats) holds you like velcro. I have all leather adaptives on the TT
6)GT3 powerplant is really tame below 5k rpms. For everyday driving it feels weak unless you really wind up the motor. On the autobahn I found it unable to definitively pull away from such cars as 335i and the S4 unless you downshift and charge the redline. By comparison, the TT will sling shot you away under almost any rpms or gear
7)The GT3 is a visual stunner, more distinct from other 997's than the TT. We got many waves, honks, cheers, thumbs up and picture takers

 

You frgot to mention they only take cash at Voile Rouge LOL

Congrats on the car and enjoy in good health

 

Thanks for the detailed write-up!
I definitely would love to do this one day.

 

Very nice write up. Thanks!

 

Thanks for all the pics and the write up. Saint Tropez is very nice. One of the best places in the world. It is time that I am gonig there for a holiday that year.

 

Ok baggage check, passport check, airline ticket check, vehicle delivery date check, leave wife and or girlfirend at home because it would be too boring for her check.