This 1972 911E Is a Netflix Exec's Dream Ride
Porsche passion knows no boundaries.
Passion for Porsche
Porsche has made even non "car people" into car people many times over since its inception, and for obvious reasons. Rarely do we come across vehicles that stir our soul the way that Porsches tend to do, providing us with something that's far more than just a basic mode of transportation. As such, quite a few famous folks and other corporate execs gravitate toward the brand, and that list includes Kathryn Koehler, an engineering director at Netflix, who was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal regarding her passion.
Lifelong Love Affair
Amazingly, Koehler - who is now 49 - first took ownership of her 1972 Porsche 911E at the tender age of 16, and she still has it to this day. She also learned how to drive it on the race track - not the street - and like many of us, she attributes her parents as the source of that particular inspiration.
First Car
"When I was growing up in Clearwater, Florida, my uncle and my parents were involved with a local Porsche club," she explained. "I had a long commute to school, so it was a foregone conclusion that I was going to need a car. The day I got my driver’s license, at 16, I came home and there in the garage was this 1972 Porsche with a “Happy Birthday” sign draped across the headlights. The garage was full of my friends, and when I stopped hyperventilating, I realized how special this car was. This was in 1989, and I was the car’s third owner."
Forever Ride
"I named her “Baby” and, two weeks later, my parents had me on Sebring International Raceway with a racing instructor," Koehler said. "I did track days throughout my high school years. I spun that car out so much, I ended up with the nickname 'Spin.' I got some speeding tickets, too, and so for my 17th birthday, my parents got me a radar detector. When I went to college, I took this car from Florida to Stanford. I realized that campus was not a great place to have a car so, after my sophomore year, I drove it back with my father, stopping at four national parks. After I graduated, my parents pressured me to sell the car. But I decided that Baby was going to be with me forever, so I drove it back to California. She has been with me here ever since."
Various Upgrades
Rather than leave the car stock, however, Koehle has made some changes over the years. That includes boring out the original 2.4-liter powerplant to 2.7 liters, repainting it, and adding racing shocks, racing seats, and a roll bar for track use.
Driven Less
Over the years, as one might imagine, Koehler hasn't driven her beloved Porsche as much as she used to, noting that it's a bit loud and uncomfortable for daily commutes. "But I do regularly take the car for a spin - not the kind of spin that I did in high school, although I could probably steer myself out of a spin better than most suburban moms," she said.
Passing It Down
Regardless, her passion for Porsche hasn't waned one bit. In fact, she made the journey out to the automaker's factory in Germany a couple of years ago and even threw her 911 a 50th birthday party. Recently, Koehle taught her own 16-year-old son to drive stick in the old Porsche, passing down what she learned from her own parents many years ago - and helping to keep the family's passion for Porsche alive and well.
Photos: JJ Casas for The Wall Street Journal
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