Winter Porsche, Carrera 4GTS

March has arrived and the weather is warm and fluffy.

Our 991 early model Carrera 4GTS has been delivered to us for about a year and a half.The engine is running great, the engine revs up sharply, and the exhaust note is getting louder and louder.I think.

I originally chose the Carrera 4GTS because I wanted to own a four-wheel drive Carrera, andIf you want to go all out, feel free to drive around during the off-season winter months.with the thought thatPorsche-approved winter tiresThe Porsche was prepared for the winter, so to speak.

However, I was busy from the end of last year to this year and could not go touring enough, but I would like to give you a digest of my short winter touring and driving on snow-covered roads.

Wakayama to Mie in winter

Tamaki Shrine

At the end of the year, I had a little time on my hands, so I ventured to Wakayama.

First of all, our destination this time is a very famous power spot.Tamaki ShrineIt is. Originally, Tamaki Shrine was located deep in the Kii Mountains and was calledOnly those who are called can go."The shrine is also known as the inner shrine of the Kumano Sanzan.

I have been to this shrine a few times in the past, but the atmosphere is so different that I do not go here lightly. This time I visited the shrine because I wanted to get a little power.

Passing through Osaka City, we reached Gojo City in Nara Prefecture and then R168. Although there was no snow, the temperature was only around 3 degrees Celsius in late December. The good thing about European winter tires is that they can be used on dry road surfaces without any sense of uneasiness.

On the way, turn left from R168, cross the Totsukawa River, and continue up the 1.5-lane mountain road. Although not exactly a narrow road, we had to be careful when passing each other on the way up the steep hill, and snow appeared on the road as we approached the top of the mountain. We knew from prior road information that there was snow on the road and that winter tires were restricted, so we did not panic and continued on up the mountain.

The closer one gets to Tamaki Shrine, the more snowfall rapidly increases.The Carrera 4GTS was surprisingly easy to drive on snow-covered roads, even in situations where the RR would have had trouble with traction.

After enjoying the snowy road for a while, we arrived at the parking lot of the shrine. From here, a 10-15 minute walk down the mountain road leads to the main shrine building. As we approach the main shrine, the atmosphere changes.The air was tense and tingling before, but on this day, the atmosphere was very mellow.The temperature is cold, but the warmth of the air is very calming.

After visiting the shrine, we descended down the mountain, returning to R168 and heading further south.

After a quick drive on R168 with little traffic, we arrived at Shingu City. We spent the night here.

From Onigajo Castle to Mie

The next day, I started out on K141 (Orange Road) in the morning. Even at the end of the year, the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula is warm. We ran through the spring-like sunshine in a sporting mode.

On the way, we stopped at Onigajo Castle, which an acquaintance told us about.I stopped by without prior knowledge and was overwhelmed by the spectacular natural scenery, which was quite impressive.If you are ever in the neighborhood, this is one spot you should definitely stop by.

After leaving Onigajo, we now head north on R169. This R169 has become much easier to drive than in the past. If you want to drive north to south in the Kii Peninsula, you should consider R169 and R168 as a starting point.

Near Yoshino Town, we turned right onto the famous R166, which is still one of the most pleasant national roads to drive after a long absence. Since this day was after the end of the year cold wave, traffic was light and there was some lingering snow near the mountain pass. We drove up the mountain in sports mode, making full use of the paddles, and enjoyed the pleasant sound of the car as we repeatedly downshifted for no reason at all.

The next day, I thought of going to the Shiga area, but I had some urgent business to attend to, so my year-end touring ended here.

Snow Winding

I was not able to complete my touring trip, and I ended the year with a lot of frustration. Just as I was thinking of going for another run somewhere, I heard on the news that a big cold wave was coming.

In Kansai, snow begins to fall at night even on the plains.Looking at the live camera at Ashiu, it's all white with heavy snow. This is promising!(LOL), so I got up early the next morning and went to drive the 911 before the snow was plowed away.

The next day the snow cleared up and the conditions were perfect. It is very rare to see Ashiu so white that you can't even see the center line.

This time, while driving slowly, we carefully check the behavior of the Carrera 4GTS.

As snow removal progresses, areas with snow and areas without snow become more sparse, and the amount of icy slopes increases.

When the driver presses down deeply on the accelerator in second gear, the car rushes up with strong four-wheel drive traction, whipping up a cloud of snow smoke.Braking performance is also perfect.On curves, the driver downshifts and carefully shifts the load to enter the curve, and on exits, the driver turns the car around and simultaneously accelerates to run in a straight line.

Basically, the 911 is perfectly fine on snow-covered roads as far as flat ground and climbing.I tried various curve patterns in different driving styles, but it is not scary or stable in any way for normal driving.

On the other hand, be careful on downhill curves.Even the Carrera 4GTS is prone to negatives caused by the heavy rear end. For example, if you take a sharp turn downhill, brake a little late, and step on the brake after entering the curve of the turn, the 911 will easily try to shake its butt out.

Of course, the PSM will put in the control, so unless the speed is too high, it will not go out of control as it is.For a moment, I cringe as the rear end comes out more than I expected and almost oversteers.In these situations, it is better to brake firmly on the straight part, slow down, and then carefully enter the curve.

After that, we continued to drive the 911, carefully savoring the winding roads on the pressurized snow. Snowy roads are dangerous, but they are also the best situation to check the performance and behavior of a car.It is important to know 911 in depth and be prepared to handle any situation safely, in case of emergency.

It is said that you can't understand a 911 until you drive it for at least five years, but in order to learn more about it, I will continue to drive my 911 in various environments.