NÜRBURGRING
Misconceptions abound. I admit, I used to think of the Nürburgring as simply a racetrack. Granted, sometimes, this is precisely what it is, but at other times, rather like Vivian Ward, the character played by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, the Green Hell can be anything you want it to be: a private automotive proving ground for those with corporate-deep pockets, a mustvisit getaway for fans of hard-hitting guitar bands (the Nürburgring serves as home to Germany's largest rock music festival) or, as is the case during touristenfahrten days, a one-way toll road open to all.
Aside from the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring endurance race, and despite the site's rich history with Formula One, these ‘tourist driving’ days are what most people commonly associate with the iconic racing venue. Got a driving license and a road-legal vehicle? You're good to go. Yep, pay the toll and head out onto the 12.9-mile circuit, comprising 154 corners, two banked ‘carousels’ and more than three hundred metres of elevation change.
For many Porsche owners, a lap or two of the Nürburgring is a ‘bucket list’ adventure, but few realise just how accessible the dream is. With this in mind, myself and ten fellow marque enthusiasts from the Westcountry Porsche Drivers Club decided to programme our sat-navs for mainland Europe and set off for a round of the ‘Ring. The trip promised the opportunity not only to embark on a pilgrimage to one of the world's most famous motorsport venues, but also the chance to explore the capabilities of our cars and put our driving skills to the test. Additionally, the break gave us an excuse to indulge in German food and drink, not that we needed much convincing – the timing of the expedition coincided with one of our party's birthdays.
We were looking forward to Porschecentric conversations with like-minded Europeans visiting our target destination. As it turned out, our fellow thrillseekers were chiefly Finns, Icelanders, Dutch, Danes, Italians and French. Oh, and Germans, obviously. Somewhat unexpectedly,engaged in chat with petrolheads visiting from the United States. No Julia Roberts, though.
