The 2025 NW Passage — Spring, an annual tour put on by the Porsche Club of America Oregon Region, is fast approaching. From June 11-16, some 40 sports cars, mostly late-model Porsches, will set off on a 1,500-mile romp through the Pacific Northwest. Stops include Leavenworth, WA, Sandpoint, ID, and Walla Walla, WA.
SCM has long been a sponsor of this event, and we have participated many times. Last year my son Bradley drove SCM’s 1975 Porsche 911S, and I piloted our 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe. This year, a friend has offered to loan me his brand-new Porsche Macan. As most of the cars are newer Porsches — last year Bradley won an award for being the youngest driver in the oldest Porsche — I decided to go with the flow and drive a modern car. Bradley has entered our 2006 Lotus Elise.
But now there’s a new element in play. Good friend and long-time SCMer Brad Miller will be my co-pilot. However, on the 16th he needs to be at the Seattle airport to pick up his wife, who is returning from Paris.
Rather than make a long detour in the Macan, he suggested Bradley forgo driving the Lotus, and instead take Brad’s 2024 Porsche 911 Carrera (992.1). It’s outfitted with a PDK transmission, the Sport Chrono Package and Sport Exhaust, along with the Heritage tweed and leather interior. With only 1,200 miles, it’s basically a new car.
That way, on the last day Brad could go on to Seattle in his 911 while the rest of us head back to Portland in the Macan.
I’ve mentioned this offer to Bradley and he’s honored that Brad would trust him with his car, but we haven’t really had a chance to talk much about it.
From my point of view, driving a new 911 on the tour will mean it’s a completely different event.
The 992.1 is a better machine in every way than the Lotus, but driving the Lotus is a visceral, almost primitive, experience. Will being in the new 911 make the tour ordinary instead of exceptional?
Let me know your rationale in the comments and I’ll share your thoughts with my son.
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At least it’s a Porsche at a Porsche event (not that I minded driving the former Martin Collection Viper a decade ago in that very event).
Yes. Go with the 992 at the ORPCA event and enjoy. Nothing ordinary about it.
Have Bradley drive the new 911. Since you own the Lotus, he will have many more opportunities to drive it. When will he have another opportunity to drive a new 911 on an extended tour?
Talk about first world problems! Drive a Porsche in a Porsche event. Have Bradley drive the new Porsche, it’ll make an interesting contrast to the SCM’s 1975 911S.
Is the tour more about the car you drive or the people you get to share the experience with? I understand the desire to go vintage, but the new 911 is a small sacrifice for Bradley to make [sarcasm here, if not obvious] to make the time work for Brad and Keith. Plus, you guys live primarily in the world of vintage. This will be a different and cool experience for Bradley.
I just hope Bradley understands / appreciates how incredibly lucky he is…
He absolutely does and is most appreciative.
Drive the Lotus. It is a Porsche event, but something different if fun for everyone. He will be one of many in that car, but one of one in the Lotus, kind of like you were one of one in your E-Type.
I disagree with “….a better machine in every way than the Lotus”, as the Lotus will go around turns faster, is more engaging, and just more fun. The Porsche, even though it is a Porsche, is a sanitized, modern, digital car that does everything well, but insulates the driver from the reality of really driving a car. I mean, electric steering? Come on! I have a modern Porsche for every day kind of driving, but it never comes out when it it time to really play!
Electric steering. I have never felt any difference between my 997 and my newer electric 991 steering. If it hadn’t been for the panic in the Porsche forums when it was announced I would have never known.
Bradly take the Lotus. There is plenty of time for you to drive an old guys car (admittedly sensational), but not so much to drive a Lotus.
How is a new 911 an ‘old guy’s car’?
For me it’s a no-brainer to take the offer, but I’m old and Elises are a bit raw for me now. 🙂 Bradley may feel differently. And also, I’ve never had the chance to do an extended drive in a 911.
This whole notion of “better car” is flawed. The new car is “easier”. And easier is nice for when you’re tired, need to commute, etc. For a driving trip, the “better car” is the car that’ll make you want to drive, that gets you engaged with the road and the act of driving.
In the General Aviation world, people talk about getting the plane suited for your mission. Translated to the car world, your mission is a driving event, so take the driver’s car. A brand new 911 with comfort, completely isolated from the outside world, is for sure a better choice than a Macan, but the Elise is perfectly suited for this mission.
Brad’s wife must travel light if he plans to pick her up at the airport in the 911!
you’re overthinking it! be well!
I think Bradley should drive the late model 911. Take every opportunity to enjoy any vehicle to experience what each is like on the road!! You only live once..
The Porsche 911 is a modern and instant classic by default. I think this would be wonderful opportunity for a comparison article. The Lotus is a pretty raw, very visceral experience, but it can be experienced at any time since you own it. Also, I think the incredible generous offer will make for such a great story later in life! “A friend of my dad’s let me drive is almost brand new 911 when I was only X years old!” While I agree that driving a modern, reliable and comfortable car takes away some of the “will I actually survive this” factor when driving an old car, but it invites new experiences.
He will have just turned 18.
When will this opportunity come again?
Take the new Porsche!