CARRERA BANGALORE

Carrera Bangalore

Ashwin Mahendran's story of daily driving a 991 Carrera S in Bangalore, India.

“My relationship with cars is extremely personal. I love it because it’s the nicest release, the quickest holiday, the right amount of solitude, and in some ways, a great social connect. Although, I believe, for me, the love for cars is driven by actual mileage rather than social,” says Ashwin Mahendran, a proud 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S owner based in Bengaluru, India.

No matter how high-tech it becomes, Bangalore is still a quaint place at its core, one that encourages you to go back to the old-school ways: from relishing local food at one of the ‘Tiffin Rooms’ to driving to your heart’s content with a bunch of lifelong friends. It’s a signal that some things are better left unchanged.

Ashwin believes he was at the right place at the right time to get this Guards Red 991.1 Carrera S in 2017. Save for a set of BBS CH-Rs, the car hasn’t been altered from its original spec. Having lived with it, Ashwin likens his
Carrera S to a classic case of under-promising and over-delivering, an oft-repeated impression said of Porsche’s on-paper performance figures.

“I think every enthusiast must experience the 911 at least once. If you like it, you’ll keep it - and there’s only a handful of people I know who haven’t. If they try it, their first handshake is with the Carrera, and they hold on to something like a 911 Turbo even as they broaden their collection with more exotic cars.”

Ashwin believes in maintaining a one-car garage, and his Carrera S fits the bill. It has been on Sunday morning drives, long road trips, and even on occasional track days. Ashwin notes that although very enjoyable, the car is still a touch soft for the track. The EPAS, he adds, is accurate but also ‘unduly light’. Which, on the bright side, makes it much easier to be daily driven.

No matter how high-tech it becomes, Bangalore is still a quaint place at its core, one that encourages you to go back to the old-school ways.

“I think every enthusiast must experience the 911 at least once. If you like it, you’ll keep it - and there’s only a handful of people I know who haven’t."

A trip to the desert state of Rajasthan was the most memorable for Ashwin and the car, an endless expanse of sand, open tarmac and the occasional camel, all experienced from behind the wheel of an incredibly potent sports car.

Would he have preferred his Carrera S to be a manual? He adores the DFI engine for its responsiveness, and the PDK complements that with great liveability. With the option of Sport+, it nearly mimics the suddenness of a single-clutch shift at full throttle, which just about seals the deal.

“To own, live with, drive, and essentially be an all-rounder, you just can’t beat a 911. Especially in terms of usability, but it’s also its readiness to be exciting when you need it.”