6. Classic reports Rocky Mountain 356 Porsche Club

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1 6. Classic reports Rocky Mountain 356 Porsche Club West Coast Holiday 2006 The next day began with some more seminars, but unfortunately the day dawned cloudy and a little wet. Nevertheless, everyone set off in good spirits to the Twin Creek ski lift, where a Concours was planned. And suddenly, the heavens appeared to have mercy and the sky cleared! Prizes were handed out for the vehicles selected by a jury and by the participants,and in the afternoon, the awards ceremony was held. Then there was time for some more seminars, and some participants spent the rest of the day visiting Aspen. What a fantastic Porsche meeting, and what a turnout! Over 340 participants came to the West Coast Holiday 2006, an event that stretched over five days and focussed on two places: Snowmass and Steamboat Springs. But the lead role was of course played by the 165 Porsche 356s, which on 4 September 2006 gradually arrived one by one at the Silvertree Hotel in Snowmass, situated in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The next day, the impressive parade of vehicles made its way to Marble, home of a historic marble quarry. The white marble quarried here was used in the construction of many national monuments in the United States. For example, parts of the Lincoln memorial in Washington were made using this rock. The journey then continued on to Redstone Castle, where it was time for lunch. When the cars had finished their travelling for the day, the drivers assembled for the very popular technical seminars, which constitute a key part of this event. The next morning, all the Porsche 356s set off towards Steamboat Springs, where the remainder of the meeting was held. The journey there took in the Independence Pass, which lies above the tree line at 12,095 feet (3686 metres). Of course, with the fabulous view that greeted them, the group felt compelled to stop to marvel at the scenery and take some photographs, before continuing over Muddy 35

2 Creek and the Rabbit Ears Pass, with a break for lunch in Kremming. The final destination in Steamboat Springs was the Sheraton Hotel, where the day ended with a huge buffet. The group, incidentally, was honoured to be joined throughout the trip by Sandra Mayr, the new manager of the worldwide Club Support team at Porsche AG, who clearly very much enjoyed the event. The next day dawned, and the participants were looking forward to another varied programme of entertainment. The highlight was the Funkhana, which called for a keen sense of humour and plenty of skill. One of the tests involved the co-pilots guiding their drivers round a course which would have been pretty easy had the drivers not been blindfolded! Some participants preferred to take a trip to Steamboat Lake, whilst the ladies were invited for afternoon tea. The final day of the event arrived all too soon, and the fun concluded with a competition for the participants to choose the nicest car and an auction of Porsche 356 accessories. So, the mood was already upbeat as everyone looked forward to the Gala evening, the highpoint of any event like this, but on this occasion to be taken literally access to the restaurant on Mount Werner was by cable car. It was to be a very successful and enjoyable evening, with speeches, honorary awards and high spirits. Following a parts market the next morning, the participants took their leave and set off on their journey home through the Rocky Mountains. Miles Christensen 356 Registry Inc. President: Chuck House Tel.: +1 (0) Fax: +1 (0) ChuckHouse@356registry.org 36

3 Club Porsche France 911 Classic 917 Porsches in one car park When the Le Mans Classic event began in 2002, the Club Porsche France 911 Classic had the idea of using the event to bring together the world s Porsche enthusiasts. As a result, this event has since become the biggest racing event for classic racing cars. This year marked the third edition of the Le Mans Classic event, and, with 2006 also being the 100th anniversary of the Automobile Club de l Ouest, we felt it would be appropriate to celebrate in style together with the Club Porsche France 911 Classic, which had made a bet that they could gather together 911 Porsches in the Club grounds with the support of RS Magazine. To cut a long story short, the bet was won. No fewer than 917 Porsches turned up, lined up by model in the club car park, as they had been at previous events. This enormous 25,000 m 2 Porsche car park was exceptionally impressive, and those who had ordered the VIP package even had the pleasure of a short helicopter flight and a bird s-eye view of the event. The flight was part of the extended offer the club had integrated into the VIP package for this year. Those who purchased this package were eligible to eat in the Porsche hospitality tent, had access to the Porsche Lounge and had the chance to drive two laps of the track either at the wheel of their own car or experience one lap of the track as a passenger in a modern Porsche. Some were even lucky enough to do this lap in a Carrera Cup car or a Cayenne Turbo. Was it lucky to be a passenger in a Cayenne? Yes, because the driver had nothing to fear as the car skidded round the S of the Tertre Rouge or the other bends on all four wheels, and could even play with the Cayman S or the BMW Z4 Coupés also on the course to the amazement of those who had not expected to see a Cayenne at this event. But let s take a look at the event s programme. As a welcome gift to the 2,000 Porsche enthusiasts who had come from all over the world, the team at the Club Porsche France 911 Classic had put together a Porsche 906 goody bag, to mark the 40th birthday of this model as part of the celebrations. The participants received a special limited, numbered edition 906 model from RS Magazine, a commemorative 906 plaque from Porsche Classic, a straw hat for protection against the July sun and a few useful accessories from Porsche such as a lanyard keychain, pen, notebook and other small items. Once in, and armed with their tickets, the participants made their way to that Porsche car park we mentioned earli- 37

4 er. The parking attendants were rushed off their feet and worked tirelessly to make sure that everything was right, which included lining up 200 Carrera 3.2s into two perfect rows. But the staff valiantly struggled on despite the sweltering heat, even though most of them would probably have given anything to take a closer look at the racing cars or even take a turn round the track themselves. On Saturday around noon, 324 Porsche drivers had the track to themselves. They drove two laps behind a pace car, more quickly than usual, of course, but as always with the restriction that no Porsche was to come to any harm as a result of a driver s daredevilry. The final impressive moment of this weekend in the Porsche Club grounds was the Concours d Elégance, for which almost 200 cars were entered. The president of the jury, a member of the Porsche Club of America, had travelled here especially for the occasion. As expected, he was ruthless and unerring, taking full advantage of the fact that he spoke no French. By the end of the three-day event, the Club team had every right to feel proud. With support from Porsche, RS Magazine and the Club s loyal partners, who were there from start to finish, they had succeeded in overcoming a huge challenge. In recognition of their efforts, the Club was presented with an award from the Le Mans Classic organisation. Club Porsche France 911 Classic President: Vincent Flandin Tel.: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) classic@club-porsche-france.org 38

5 Porsche Classic Customer Centre Oldtimer Grand Prix 2006 This year s Oldtimer Grand Prix once again attracted over 700,000 visitors to the Eifel region. More than 560 racing drivers lined up at the start of the legendary Nürburgring in classic racing and touring vehicles representing eight decades of history. Fans of the Porsche brand were also welcome to attend the event at their own expense, and numerous Porsche vehicles participated in the various races. In keeping with tradition, the spacious site hosted presentations by the various departments of the Porsche company in a large exhibition tent throughout the three days of the event. nal spare parts, and offer for sale special literature such as operating instructions or repair manuals. In addition, visitors were able to experience The Classic Customer Centre was there to demonstrate its competence in matters of restoration, provide information about the availability of origiat first hand how original parts are reproduced in what has been dubbed the living workshop. The event was supported by numerous sponsors, 39

6 who were also represented with information and promotion stands at the Porsche site. There was an extensive children s programme and a crane directly in front of the exhibition tent, which lifted particularly brave visitors 50 metres up into the air to view the spectacle from a higher vantage point. The Porsche Centre Coblenz had several new Porsche models on show and was available to offer wide-ranging advice. The Exclusive and Tequipment department presented the accessories programme, and representatives of the worldwide Club Support team at Porsche AG and from Porsche Deutschland were on site to answer any questions about the club. The Porsche Design Driver s Selection Truck was particularly popular, with crowds flocking to see and buy from the new Martini Racing collection. access to the site car parks, where the cars were lined up by model, and access to the Porsche hospitality tent, where continuous refreshments were provided. This was also the venue for the evening event on the Saturday, which provided fun for everyone in the form of a tombola, quiz, cocktail, wine and champagne bar, as well as a band. Porsche Classic Customer Centre Restorations: Tel.: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) classic-service@porsche.de Old and young timer parts: Tel.: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) classic-parts@porsche.de A particularly eye-catching sight was, of course, the 400 or so Porsches parked on the site, reflecting almost the entire history of the brand. Just like every year, the VIP package allowed 40

7 Porsche Diesel Club Europa Ten years of the Porsche Diesel Club Europe Ten years ago, the Porsche diesel scene, if it existed at all, was a wellkept secret. Those beautiful Porsche diesels with their distinctive hoods had fallen into oblivion. They simply had no market value. They featured as rarities at Oldtimer meetings but were not considered important. Similar products from other manufacturers were in much greater demand. Of course, there were clubs for Porsche sports cars, but there were none for Porsche tractors. This prompted Harald S. Stegen, together with six other Porsche sports car drivers, all of whom also owned a Porsche tractor, to set up an association called the Porsche Diesel Club Europa e.v. Now, the scene just wouldn t be the same without this club. Things have moved on a great deal since then, not least thanks to the efforts of the committee members. For example, the Club now has an attractive and informative website. The club flies the Porsche diesel flag high at Oldtimer meetings and Porsche tractor stands So, it was with good reason that the Porsche Diesel Club Europe celebratpull in huge crowds at trade fairs such as Techno Classica in Essen or the Bremen Classic. Over time, numerous groups have been established, chaired by committed enthusiasts, and largescale events such as the four-yearly Porsche Diesel Parade in Wertheim, the meeting at Schüttgut in Zell am See with the tractor championships at the Großglockner, Austria s highest mountain, and the three-day Bregenzer Forest tour, have all met with an overwhelming response. The individual groups have also organised many events and excursions in their respective regions. The reaction from the media has been positive from day one, and has helped the Club not only to achieve recognition, but also to recruit new members. There are now over 400 members, whose collective aim is to keep the success story running long into the future. 41

8 ed its 10th anniversary in style. And we joined in with the varied three-day programme of celebrations under the patronage of Dr. Wolfgang Porsche at Gut Thansen in the Luneburg Heath. Participants came from all over the place; even Porsche diesel enthusiasts from Lake Constance didn t shy away from the long journey. Some, like the three members of a group from the Sauerland, even drove. 65 tractors came altogether, and they were all exhibited in line according to class on the cobblestones in the grounds of the listed Gut Thansen exhibition building. In addition to their tractors, some participants brought other much-admired vehicles to the event all designed by contemporaries of Prof. Ferdinand Porsche, such as Porsche 356s and VW Beetles up to build year The official part of the event began once participants had been given the necessary information and had received a decorative souvenir plaque. The prelude to the anniversary meeting was a superb evening with snacks and musical entertainment on a large, covered terrace. The guests lingered in the warm summer evening and enjoyed animated discussions. At some point late in the evening, somebody came up with the idea of turning on the headlamps of all the tractors for a few minutes it was a fantastic moment. It was well past midnight when the last participants left the grounds. At 9:00 am sharp the next day, the Saturday, everyone started out for a tour of the surrounding area. The route led through woods and meadows, through deep oak forests and beech groves, across moorland and megalithic graves, over sandy moorland tracks, metalled roads and bridges and past several old water mills. At lunchtime, the party rested at an old sheep shelter for a hearty lunch of well-seasoned goulash soup from a large communal pot. Then they were off again first the Juniors, then the Standards, then the Supers and finally the beefy Masters taking up the rear. The line of red vehicles snaked its way through the beautiful landscape, occasionally interrupted by an orange AP 17 or a green Allgaier System Porsche. The group passed large heathland farms and huge timbered houses as it travelled over rolling hills and through idyllic valleys, straight across the cultivated landscape of the Luneburg Heath. 42

9 When the time came for a coffee break, everyone met up again at Gut Thansen. By then, some members from Hamburg had also joined the event with a Porsche 356, a rare Porsche phaeton and three blue VW T1 buses. The latter were former Porsche diesel customer service vehicles. Meanwhile, the coach house at Gut Thansen was providing shelter to a collection of new Porsches: Caymans, Boxsters, Carreras and Cayennes. This exhibition had been organised by the Porsche Centre Hamburg, and all together they made an imposing picture of a large Porsche family. Hundreds of interested participants walked round to marvel at the vehicles and take photographs. Then, a welcome drink got the celebration evening off 0to a good start in the Event Barn at Gut Thansen. The room was decked out in autumn foliage, Porsche banners and flags, and a Porsche diesel stood in each corner as decoration. The patron, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, gave the celebratory speech, then culinary specialities from various regions were handed round. Participants were then able to burn off the calories they had consumed with some dancing, accompanied by music from a live band. President Harald S. Stegen took the opportunity to honour several members and presented them with an honorary pin, while he himself was awarded with a picture and the golden honorary pin by board members in recognition of his ten years of commitment to the Club. Much later, the organised bus took the guests back to their respective hotels. Sunday dawned gloriously sunny. The participants met for brunch, accompanied by music from the Die Fidelen Lopautaler brass band. The event was nearing its end. But there was still so much to talk about. Many of the participants already knew each other from previous events. Alexander E. Klein from the worldwide Club Support of Porsche AG rose to speak and offered his thanks with a few gifts for the organising team. Finally, the President bade official farewell to the participants. He wished everyone a pleasant journey home - and hoped to see them all again in 2007 in the Black Forest. Porsche Diesel Club Europe President: Harald S. Stegen Tel.: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) info@porsche-diesel-club.de 43

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