+1. Spot on. There is a practical part of the brain that says get the big comfy sedan. You get the M5 and you’ll be enamored with all the new tech in the car. Within a year it will just be a sedan to you. Big, heavy and looks like every other new large sedan on the road. There really isn’t anything special about a BMW now that they are a mass volume car & finance company. I’ve owned 10 and became bored with every model after a 2 years. You’re not trying to talk yourself into buying a 911, you’re trying to talk yourself out of it. I highly doubt you would fall in love with a BMW M5. Porsche IS a different level.

*OP, Awesome Graphite Blue 911! Those seats are worth it!

Blue Pepita in light and shadow.


An appropriately green 928 S4 living in the Black Forest.
Thanks again for all the comments and Graphite Blau love! And for the seat kudos - they are absolutely fantastic. As posted above, previously seen in 50th and 911R, but in black and not in blue. Here’s a seat detail shot that shows the blue Pepita. Another reason to stay at Brenner’s Park is this green-on-green 928 owned by the hotel, and available for rent. They also own the green Samba behind it and a green convertible Beetle.

Modern glass in Innsbruck.


Looks great from any angle!
Casteles and more castles - plenty of eye candy to accompany the gorgeous terrain and asphalt in Bavaria. More traffic today since it’s Monday, and the trucks were back. Popped over the foot of the Alps and into the Tyrol today. I’d say the GTS is as dramatic as a schloß on a hill!

Thank you! We are indeed heading to Salzburg later in the trip. We already have reservations at Schloss Fuschl on Lake Fuschl, which should be gorgeous. The Salt Mines sound intriguing - I appreciate the recommendation.

Getting into the real numbers.


Faster friend in München.
Thanks again to all for the kind commentary!

We met up with a friend in München last night, after driving from Innsbruck north. This was my first shot at derestricted autobahn after some break-in miles, and I did succeed at a new personal land speed record, despite the A95 having mostly 4 lanes and not many straight sections. I’m going to await the A9 for the 6-lane flat out segments.

Regardless, the GTS is a rock at high speeds. It’s unfairly stable and can clearly handle the loads of velocity - better than some (much older) race cars I’ve owned. I can understand how the 991 platform can be made even faster, such as the variant we found waiting for us at our Altstadt hotel!

PS - Kudos to my co-driver wife for (1) encouraging me to enjoy the car and (2) taking these fantastic dash photos! Be absolutely certain your co-driver is ready for this if you do ED.

Just us and the mountain before 07:00.


As F Porsche intended.


Look at that beautiful ribbon!


The early bird gets the epic road.

There are sometimes moments of absolute clarity, where none of your choices in life are in question. Zero uncertainty; these are the moments one may wonder “how did I get this lucky?” Driving the Großglockner this morning was one of those moments. I felt grateful for a number of reasons: (1) Most importantly, my wife and co-driver. It was at her insistence that we awoke at 05:20 and got on the mountain before *anybody.* (Except for a few incredible cyclists - and these guys climbing the Alps are truly incredible!) She gets so many kudos. (2) The purchase of the car, with the ED wait, the long options list, etc. Not an iota of buyers remorse. (3) And especially the option of ceramic brakes! - we needed to slow down before all these no-guardrail second-gear turns! It’s the perfect road coupled with the perfect experience, and all of you should drive it. I promise no regrets. It’s the best 65 miles (we went both ways) this car will ever see.