"Driving a car" Text by Yataro Matsuura
I wake up at 5am. It's still dark outside the window. I change into my running clothes and slowly drink a glass of water. I go outside and stretch thoroughly before starting my run. After running 7km around my house at a 40-minute pace, I wipe away the sweat and stretch as the sun begins to rise. I face the sun and take several deep breaths.
Plans for the day and ideas for them pop into my head. I write down the inspiration at that time on a piece of memo paper in my pocket, because I'm sure I'll have forgotten it by the time I get home. After my run, I take a shower, have breakfast, and hurriedly get ready for work. I arrive at the office at 8 o'clock and start work.
On holidays, everything is the same until breakfast, but then it's different. I feel as excited as a child before a school trip.
I change into a nicer shirt, jacket, and pants than I wear to work, and put on a tie. I've decided to wear a navy and white regimental tie at work, but on my days off I choose a colored regimental tie. Since I chose a cordovan belt, I take out my cordovan leather shoes from my shoe bag. I put on a mechanical chronograph wristwatch.
The reason for dressing up so much is because you're going to be driving a car. The hidden focus is on "driving a car" rather than "riding in a car."
We have an automatic transmission car at home, which we use for everyday shopping, the occasional commute, and short trips. This automatic transmission is designed for comfort in every way, and I find it extremely useful, as I don't get tired even when driving for long periods of time. It picks up speed in no time, is quiet inside, and glides across ice, just like sitting on the sofa.
However, there is no joy in "driving a car," and when it comes to automatic transmissions, the only impression I get is that it's just "riding a car," and that the car does everything for me. And sometimes I even think, "I wish people wouldn't treat the driver like an old man." There are far too many bland cars made in pursuit of comfort and convenience.
The reason I dress up and head out is to drive a Porsche, Germany's pride and joy, a sports car. The year of manufacture is 1978. The air-cooled, horizontally opposed, six-cylinder, SOHC engine has a displacement of 2.7 liters. Maximum output is 165 hp at 5800 rpm. Top speed is 210 km/h. The model name is 911SC. The body color is Grand Prix White. The word Grand Prix has a nice ring to it.
The driver's seat is called the cockpit, and when you step on the accelerator, a pleasant, dry engine sound plays lightly. It's a Porsche that, although it chooses its driver, drives the way it wants to drive, turns the way it wants to turn, and stops the way it wants to stop. Every time you drive a Porsche, it always gives you excitement, discoveries, and joy, so you want to dress it up to the nines.
When you pull the door lever with your finger, you hear a mechanical click. Open the door, sit in the seat, which is set low, and turn the ignition key, and the starter motor whirs to life. Timing it right, you lightly press the accelerator, the engine starts, and the needle on the tachometer jumps up in an instant. You leave the engine idling to warm it up.
While waiting for the engine to idle steadily and the oil pressure gauge needle to drop, lightly wipe the body with a dry cloth and check the condition of the paint. Listen to the engine sound, pay attention to vibrations, and check for any abnormalities in each part. Also check the tires for scratches or cracks.
Mechanical cars are very honest. You need to pay close attention to sounds, vibrations, smells, and even the slightest discomfort. While driving, it's important to sharpen your five senses and pay attention to things like handling, acceleration, braking, how the transmission engages, and any creaks in the bodywork.
By engaging in this dialogue with the mechanical car that is the Porsche, the Porsche is able to fully demonstrate its performance as a sports car, giving you the irreplaceable joy of becoming one with the car.
There are times when I feel like the Porsche is praising me while I'm driving. At those times, I can clearly see that the appeal of a car is not just about speed or luxury.
I have a few different driving routes on my days off. Sometimes I go as far as Hakone, and other times I drive while looking at the Shonan sea. My most relaxed drive is a roughly hour-long route from my house, starting with a light warm-up drive on the main road, then heading to Hodogaya from the Tamagawa entrance of the Third Keihin Highway, then onto the Metropolitan Expressway and driving through Namamugi, Haneda, Shiba Park, Shibuya, and Yoga.
Without feeling exhausted, you can fully experience the unique Porsche acceleration that cuts through the wind, the straight-line stability that makes you feel like you're flying into the sky, and cornering that doesn't lose its balance.
When you're done driving, turn off the engine, open the engine hood, check for loose fan belts and engine odors, and once again lightly wipe any dirt off the body with a rag.
I sometimes wonder if Porsche will acknowledge me. That's how high the performance of a Porsche is as a sports car. When I ask myself whether I am able to bring out its exceptional performance, I am at a loss for an answer. It's like the feeling of being in love, of constantly telling the woman you like that you love her, but she doesn't look back at you, and yet you keep trying your best.
It's inevitable that people will say things like, "They don't understand it," or "It's boring," about acceleration, handling, braking, gear changes, etc. I think it's probably because the place where it's being driven is not a race track but a public road that it's not satisfying.
Even so, the joy of "driving a car" called a Porsche is exceptional. I even think that every man should drive a Porsche at least once. When I drove a Porsche for the first time, I remembered the unknown feeling of "Wow!" when I drove a go-kart as a child.
That said, unless you have good physical abilities, it will be difficult to drive a Porsche with ease. At the very least, you will need good reflexes. That's how sensitively the Porsche responds to the driver's senses.
When you put on a British Harris Tweed jacket, tie a regimental tie, and get behind the wheel on your day off, what kind of car would you like to drive? Without a second thought, you would choose a mechanical car over an automatic transmission. And preferably, a sports car.
Two years ago, while I was thinking like this, I had a chance encounter with a couple who had been driving their Porsche for about 30 years, loving it like a child. As they got older and their physical strength had declined, it had become difficult for them to drive their Porsche, and they wanted someone to continue to maintain it and take good care of it.
They had put so much effort into it that they even went to the trouble of shipping the car by ship to America to have the engine overhauled, so I didn't want to sell it to a dealer and have it end up in the hands of a complete stranger just because I no longer drove it.
They entrusted me with a Porsche, even though I had never driven one and had no idea how to service a car myself.
When I first met their Porsche, they smiled and said, "It's in the best condition it's been in all the years we've owned it." And so the Porsche came to me. It had over 230,000 kilometers on the odometer.
When I first met my friend Porsche, I wanted to become as close as possible to him. If we were going to have such a good relationship, I wanted to be reciprocal and on an equal footing no matter what. I thought the Porsche 911SC was the kind of car that would allow me to have that kind of relationship.
For example, it's a relationship in which you strive to fix something if it breaks, and this relationship deepens the bond between you. You care about each other, are always mindful, and use your imagination. A life with a car where this kind of awareness is as important as a relationship. Here is a "new standard" for cars that I think is great right now.
Although it's an older car, the Porsche is more than a decade younger than me. It's incredibly athletic, so it might be a bit ridiculous to think we could have fun together. But every weekend, we're definitely getting closer.
"That's pretty impressive." I would be very happy if Porsche praised me like that.
Driving fast is fun, driving slowly is fun too - that's the joy of a Porsche. 
By sharpening your five senses, you will eventually feel a sense of unity between you and your car. 
Driving a sports car requires the physique of an athlete.
12 tips to understand the 911SC and its distance
- My car is a 1978 Porsche 911SC in Grand Prix White. When I get in, I put on a jacket and tie, just like I would if I were meeting someone special. I always dress nicely before going for a drive.
- The mileage is over 230,000 km, but it's still in good condition. Just like going to the barber every two weeks, I inspect and service my Porsche myself every two weeks. That way, it's ready to go wherever and whenever you want.
- When starting and stopping, he taps on the engine hood and says, "Thank you for your hard work today," and "Thank you for everything." He never does anything the car doesn't like, such as sudden starts, sudden braking, or sharp turns.
- Don't speed, drive gently. Be mindful of passing cars, houses along the road, and pedestrians. That doesn't mean driving slowly, though. In short, drive courteously and with a rhythm.
- Maintain the original condition as much as possible. Repair but do not modify. Even if a Porsche is old, most parts are available. It is not a dream to drive a Porsche for a lifetime.
- I'm impressed by the Porsche design, which allows you to hear the sound of the wind. No audio is necessary. Just open the windows and enjoy the engine sound along with the sound of the wind. A certain amount of vibration is also important for accurately conveying the feel of the ground.
- Wash your car only after driving in the rain or when it's really dirty. If you have the habit of wiping it down thoroughly before and after every ride, that's enough. If anything, you should always keep the areas you can't see clean.
- The steering is a bit heavy because it's not power steering, but it becomes surprisingly light once you start driving. The fuel economy is 10km per liter. The sturdy 2.7 air-cooled flat engine is extremely stable. The comfortable acceleration that comes with just stepping on the pedal is an appealing feature.
- 9. I don't really like cars with bulging eyes that look like they're "fast" or "go fast." Porsches from this era are charming, have no unnecessary decorations, and have a clean posture and appearance, making them truly good-looking.
- A Porsche is a car for one person to drive. I rarely have someone sit in the passenger seat. This is because I think it would be difficult to sit in the passenger seat when the driver and the car are one. I want to concentrate on the dialogue between myself and the car.
- People say that old Porsches are expensive and prone to breaking down, but that's a lie. The air-cooled 911 is the most practical and durable car available, because the engine can be overhauled (disassembled and serviced).
- Cars are a part of our daily lives, and they are connected to everything from food and clothing to shelter. Just like choosing shoes or a bag, you want to choose one that suits you. A Porsche that impresses you every time you drive it. Of course, it's a second car.
