2013 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet: Road Trip to New York, Will Day 1 Never End?
April 10, 2013
If you didn't read Part 1 of this 2013 Porsche 911 Goes to New York series, let me catch you up: It is 8:49 p.m. mountain time and I am 568 miles into a 973-mile drive from L.A. to Salida, Colorado. I'm in eastern Utah and I'm convinced that the 911's 3:10 a.m. (adjusted for mountain time) arrival estimate is way off. At least that's what I tell myself.
Eventually, I arrive in Grand Junction, Colorado, and exit Interstate 70 in favor of the far more scenic U.S. Highway 50. I know it's very scenic, because I've read about this highway, and occasionally during this drive, I catch sight of some really tall snow-covered mountains when the moon hits them just right. I can't believe how many Fourteeners this state has. In California, we have five (my favorite being Mt. Shasta). In Colorado, they have 25. The reality, though, is that it is completely dark, and I totally miss out on some cathartic moments as I'm unable to take in the magnificence. (Already I'm lobbying my spouse for a road trip on U.S. 50 this summer. He'll come around.)
Also, it doesn't take long to understand why the Porsche's nav system has decided it will take me so long to get to Salida. First, there are a lot of speed traps. Getting through Grand Junction alone takes at least a half hour, as U.S. 50 is a major surface street here, and littered with traffic lights and low speed limits. It's maddening for the hurried traveler (tip: don't be in a hurry). Second, within an hour or two, I'm aware that we're gaining elevation. It has started to snow and the temperature is dropping fast.
2013 Porsche 911: Wrong Steering Wheel
February 15, 2013
When we were buying our long-term 2013 Porsche 911 many members of our editorial staff were passionate about the steering wheel. "Scott, whatever you do don't get a car with the standard wheel with those weird shift buttons," they told me several times. "Make sure we get the SportDesign steering wheel with the real paddle shifters."
2013 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet: One of Porsche's Better Navigation Setups
February 7, 2013
Porsche has never done navigation very well. Not sure why, probably because it was too busy building the best sports car in the world. Or maybe it was that detour into SUVs?
Regardless of why Porsche user interfaces were poorly done in the past, its latest setup is much better. As you can see, the screen is sharp, easy to read, and big enough to see without squinting. Even with L.A.'s mess of freeways clogging the screen, you can still pretty much tell what's going on.
2013 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet: Auto Stop/Start
January 29, 2013
One of the first things I noticed when I got into our sleek, smells-so-new 911 is that it has an Auto Stop/Start function. And that it had been turned off.
I totally understand why. A couple of months ago, I was shuttling a short-term 2013 Porsche 911 from the photo studio to the office and had stopped to make a right turn when the car, apparently, died. I was sure I'd killed it somehow and would have some serious explaining to do to Oldham. Then I realized what was up. Not sudden death. Just Auto Stop/Start. Whew.
