My last post was about Gavin’s Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Targa. This is the car that inspired a business: hiring Porsche 911s for scenic drives around Sydney, Australia.

“Seven years ago, we moved to the scenic coast and highlands area south of Sydney,” says Gavin. “I soon realised that there were some fantastic driving opportunities in our back yard. I put two and two together, and ended up with five Porsches! We offer drives & lunch through spectacular scenery. There are eight full climbs & descents, with over 200 kilometres of driving, in a range of Porsche 911s: a 1977 3-Litre Carrera, 993 Varioram, 996 Carrera 4S, 987 Boxster 2.7 and 997 Carrera S.

“We’ve set all of our cars up quite differently: each offers a specific experience. The Porsche 993 Varioram Tiptronic is in original condition. The 996 Carrera 4S is set up quite aggressively in terms of suspension, wheels, geometry and exhaust. Both the 987 and 997 are original spec. We opened the doors in February this year and took our first clients out in March: so far it’s been perfect.

“We’re less than an hour south of Sydney by either train or car and we take in the best sights in the region via back country roads.  Guests swap amongst the vehicles throughout the day, so they get a chance to drive each of the fleet on different roads.  All of our overseas/interstate guests have been wowed by the variety of scenery and roads on offer. We’ve got the route right, so with a good Porsche hire fleet and some fun stops for refreshment, it’s impossible not to have a great time.

“There’s something new for most people, regardless of their driving experience. People are always surprised at the performance offered by the air-cooled 911s and the Boxster (poor man’s Porsche & all that).  Many of our guests are in the process of moving out of other European performance cars – mostly M-cars and AMGs – and it’s interesting to see their reaction as they exit each of the 911s.  While lower in outright horsepower, they never fail to talk about the sound, feel and dexterity of the cars compared with their current drives.

“I’m in love with our own product and it’s got to be one of the best jobs in the world watching the smiles just get bigger and bigger.  People usually ask me which is my favourite car over lunch, and I really enjoy watching them struggle to answer the same question when we get back to the garage at the end of the day!”

Sounds like a dream come true to me – not been to Australia yet, but I’ve got a busload of mates down there now. Gavin promises a day to remember when I eventually get down to Sydney. The website is www.driveporsches.com.au.