Club extraordinaire. One privilege given to Porsche owners is the opportunity to join the Porsche Club of the Philippines and enjoy all things Porsche. In these pictures vehicles of the Porsche Club of the Philippines are lined up, waiting before the start of a fun drive to the Northern Luzon Expressway.

THERE is a saying that to whom much is given, much is required. In the automotive world, that is especially true with locally available luxury car brands (e.g., BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Audi, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ferrari and Maserati), considering the high admission price of each and every vehicle under the aforementioned marques.

But when one purchases a Porsche in the country through PGA Cars (official distributor of Porsche vehicles in the Philippines), one not only gets a car capable of outrunning most vehicles available in the market today, but also the opportunity to experience the life in the fast lane that is the hallmark of the Zuffenhausen, Germany-based brand.

One example is the opportunity to join the Porsche Club of the Philippines (Porsche Club Philippines or PGP), an organization that celebrates all things Porsche. “When one buys a Porsche, whether it’s brand new or pre-owned, he or she is automatically entitled to a one year free membership in Porsche Club Philippines. After that, a minimal fee of P3,500 is collected from them. The dues collected from each member helps keep going the privileges that are entitled to each Porsche Club Philippines member,” said Porsche international affairs director Spencer Yu.

Privileges for first-year Porsche owners include, but are not limited to: 1) Free subscription to Christophorus (a Porsche AG-funded magazine that focuses on the high-end lifestyle); 2) Top priority in international events handled by Porsche AG, along with special rates charged to PGP members attending these events; 3) An exclusive tour of the Porsche factory in Germany; 4) Discounts on parts, accessories and service; 5) A membership card that also serves as a discount card, applicable in certain establishments; and 6) Top priority in exclusive events, such as driving clinics (e.g., the Porsche World Roadshow), fun drives, formal and informal gatherings.

“With these privileges, we want to maximize owners’ driving pleasure from their Porsche vehicles as well as fostering goodwill and friendship among members,” said Yu.

In order to experience firsthand the Porsche life, this writer and Philippine Star motoring editor Dong Magsajo joined the organization one Sunday in January on a fun drive. The drive started from the PGA Cars headquarters in EDSA Greenhills, then drove all the way to the Tabang, Bulacan exit along the Northern Luzon Expressway (Nlex), then drove back to Manila and ended up at the Seattle’s Best coffee shop at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati for breakfast. Using a PGA Cars-certified pre-owned unit (specifically, a 2004 Porsche Cayenne S) as his faithful steed for the trip, he found out that the Porsche life is all about being in the fast lane, but at the same time enjoying each tenth of a kilometer traveled.

The long stretch of straightaway on the Nlex and the Tabang exit using the Cayenne S gave this writer the freedom to exercise the sport utility vehicle’s links with its 911 brethren, all in three-fourths to full throttle. Stomping on the throttle from a dead stop resulted in a half-second of tepid forward movement as the 4.5-liter V8 engine got into the powerband (1,950 rpm onwards), then the Cayenne S somehow ignores its considerable heft (5,200 lbs) and simply springs into action. On the other hand, each and every kilometer traveled (especially on the hidden Tabang turnpike straightaway) gave this writer a paradoxical sense of calm alertness and oneness (of sorts) with the Cayenne.

Perhaps this was due to the sublime steering, road feel (with near-telepathic feedback) and ridiculously great handling (for an SUV), but if this is the common ground that Porsche owners often celebrate, then this writer recommends going to the PGA Cars dealership or call 727-0381 for details on how to live the Porsche lifestyle.  

THERE is a saying that to whom much is given, much is required. In the automotive world, that is especially true with locally available luxury car brands (e.g., BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Audi, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ferrari and Maserati), considering the high admission price of each and every vehicle under the aforementioned marques.

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