With Porsche’s factory drivers on a high-speed Autobahn blast

Letter from Europe June 1968

While I was returning from the Targa Florio I was cruising quietly up the Autostrada del Sol at 105mph, admiring the scenery around Orvieto, north of Rome, when I noticed a red car coming up fast in the mirror. It was a Porsche 911S, and right behind it was a white one. I went up to 125mph and they sat on my tail and I could see in the mirror that the leading one had Stuttgart number plates! We were running comfortably in convoy when suddenly a motor coach pulled out to overtake a Fiat 600. The driver had obviously not looked in his mirror, and unfortunately did not heed my flashing lights and stayed in the fast lane, even though he was quite a way off the Fiat he was aiming to overtake. I went down on the inside of the coach, with the brakes hard on, and then saw that there was still quite a gap between the coach and the Fiat 600, so instead of panic braking I accelerated between the coach and the Fiat and out into the open road again. As I went through the closing gap at about 80-90mph I looked in the mirror and saw the two 911 Porsches overtaking the Fiat on the ‘inside’ down the emergency lane of the autostrada. Before the coach had actually overtaken the Fiat 600 we three were back in formation again and cruising at 125mph, but I don’t suppose the coach driver was even remotely aware of what he had caused.

I pulled over and let the two Porsches go by as I was intrigued to know who was driving them. The first one was driven by Hans Herrmann and the second by Gerhard Mitter, and they waved and grinned as they went by. After following them for some way at 120-125mph, I eased off and settled back to my 105mph cruising. I find that I can sit relaxed at around 100, but at over 120 I have to concentrate too hard. To chaps who are used to 160-170mph in works Porsches, 120mph is comfortable cruising.

The Porsche factory insist that their racing drivers travel about Europe by road and discourage them from using aeroplanes and hire cars, like the ‘aces’ do. Herrmann and Mitter were obviously flat-out for Stuttgart when they passed me. Invariably these 911S cars have experimental tweaks on them, which are being ‘endurance tested’ on such trips.

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On this month… 4am tests, Escort prang and 27-litre Rolls

The shame of it 

February 1958
In this issue we’re not impressed with the new driving licence: “It’s a flimsy cardboard cover affair that the British should be ashamed of…” Meanwhile Jenks, rather than corresponding from the continent, is testing a Hillman Minx Special at 4am around Hampshire.

Ford probe 

February 1972
Editor Bill Boddy tells us of the 20 cars he drove in 1971, including a Ford Escort Mexico that he crashed: “There were extenuating circumstances.” Elsewhere we oppose Formula 1 driver demands for safer tracks, which we say will make F1 “a milk-and-water parody”.

Merlin magic 

February 1991
It’s Boddy’s birthday in February and he’s still at the helm at 78. John Dodd has written to him from Spain to tell of his 27-litre Rolls-Royce powered by a Merlin aero engine. Dodd’s working on a book, The Rolls-Royce Myth Exposed. “I can’t wait to review it!” quips the chief.