Paula with her first sports car

First off, let me define what the internet says is the definition of a “sports car”:

a low-built car designed for performance at high speeds.  Well that, in my mind, could be a lot of different cars, but I will just give you the history of my experiences and take you on my journey to my first “sports car”.

I am happy to be married to Kiro, a car crazy guy and because of that I have enjoyed many cars throughout our 46 years of marriage. He is a good looking European and did I mention he is car crazy. Growing up in Europe Kiro always loved the German cars and said he would have one someday. Over the years together, I have been lucky enough to enjoy his passion and grow into the love of cars as well.  Since Kiro is not a good passenger, he tends to be the predominate driver wherever we go but on those rare occasions that I get to take the wheel, I enjoy every minute of it.  I will tell you right now that I am not going to be the one who will embrace this new driverless technology because I really love to drive and I will never be put on any list as a racing queen of the track circuit. But no matter what car I am driving, they all have “made me” go faster than I should have.

Our very first car together was a gold 1972 Chevy Camero.  I was so excited because it was my very first car.  Kiro’s first car was a Fiat 1500 in Europe but this article isn’t about his first sports car.  We enjoyed the Camero but not a car I got overly excited about or considered my first sports car.  Along the way, we tended to change cars like people change socks.  We had an MG, racing green, convertible and the very day we bought it we both called off work on a cold October day and drove all over with the top down.  Two crazy kids enjoying life.  Fun and sporty but still did not consider this my first sports car.

After that we went through several makes and models of “sports cars”.

A Pontiac Trans Am, which our son Stefan loved because he was an avid watcher of the TV program Night Rider and asked Kiro to make the car do what Kitt did on the show.  Funny how our children think we can do anything.

Just to name a few more, a Fiat X/19, a couple VW Siroccos, a couple Corvettes, a beautiful Toyota Supra, a Datsun 280Z (we drove this beauty cross country), all fun and many good memories but still did not consider any of them my first sports car.

We also had an Infinity G35, very nice, and very sporty but again, did not keep it very long and not my first sports car.  We moved on.  One year, Kiro saw a BMW 6 Series and said he wanted me to see it.  Like a good wife and recipient of yet another sporty car I went to check it out. Low and behold I fell in love with it.  It was the prettiest car I had ever seen and Kiro bought it.  We did some traveling with this one as well and I absolutely loved every time I was in the car. We even got an offer from BMW for both of us to attend the BMW Performance Driving School in Spartanburg, SC. What an experience that was and I learned a lot about driving that I did not know.  That came pretty close to being my first sports car and we absolutely loved driving it but still not my first.

We weren’t getting old just yet but we did want comfort when we traveled so we got our first Mercedes, an E350, an amazing traveling car, easy to handle and very comfortable but definitely not my first sports car.  Love those Germans though, they know how to build cars.  Next as we tend to always want another new car, we bought an Audi S5. Now this baby was amazing.  More Kiro’s car but again I reaped the benefits of him and his car crazy passion for sports cars.  We drove this one to the Tail of the Dragon and talk about a high.  That car took the curves like the machine it was built to be.  It did not have a handle at the roof line so I was holding on for dear life for the 11 miles of 318 curves.  In Europe, Kiro grew up using the entire road to ones advantage so when we as a group with the Audi Club drove the Dragon, Kiro utilized the road and got caught on camera crossing over the centerline.  We got busted and our leader scolded us, in a friendly way.  We fessed up and to this day it is the joke between us when we drive the Dragon, don’t cross the center line.  But alas, this was not my first sports car.

In 2014, Kiro and our son Stefan got an invitation from the Porsche factory to test drive Porsches at the Ford Proving Grounds and that is where he saw the Porsche Macan S.  His first thought was ”that would be a good vehicle for Paula”.  Sporty, utilitarian and just great to look at…..plus it’s a Porsche. He told me about the Macan S and then we went to the dealer for a closer look.  There was one already a 2015 model on the boat coming from Germany so we made the purchase.  WOW!  THIS was going to be MY vehicle and I could not wait.  We picked it up and two days later we drove down again to the Tail of the Dragon with our sister car club.  Between Kiro’s driving skills and the Macan, we had the time of our lives.  I could not believe that this SUV actually was performing like a 911.  When we stopped for a break one of the other members in our group asked Kiro if he was a professional racecar driver.  I am not sure if it was Kiro’s driving skill or the Macan but combined, it was the ride of my life.  I would tend to say it was the Macan at it’s best and I could not have been more happy with my new sports car.  While some would say it isn’t a true sports car, I would beg to differ with them.  It might not be low built, but it is definitely designed for high speed.  My son even said he has never seen me so excited about a vehicle.

We then signed up to become members of the Porsche Club when Kiro read about the Porsche Parade that was going to be held in Jay Peak, VT.  Our SEMPCA group met up in Woodhaven to caravan to the event and that is where we met members Gretus Hoogestraat (organizer of the caravan), Tom and Christine Grabowski, and Dale and Marilyn Goby for the first time.  What an experience we had and from that moment on we formed some very special life long friendships. We felt like we had know them for years by the end of Parade. Kiro and I belong to two other German Car Clubs but the Porsche people are by far the best.

So my friends, I say to you now that the Macan S is truly my first sport car and when I drive it I feel on top of the world.

Caravan to PCA Parade at Jay Peak VT