Episode 5: Memories of My Mother — Why I Drive a Porsche
Quote of the day: "The feeling of 'liking' someone has already begun by the time you notice it."
It might sound abrupt, but I drive a Porsche Turbo now.
A 2010 997 facelift model—that honest, round-eyed one.
I've loved vehicles since I was a kid.
Cars, trains, airplanes. Anything that moved made my heart race.
I think my passion for cars was inherited from my father.
My father was an unparalleled car enthusiast and apparently even held a Class B license. Bluebird, Hakosuka, and a maroon 240ZG—
A die-hard Nissan fan. Thinking back, he was a scumbag as a person, but he lived a consistent life when it came to cars.
Riding in my father's cars—no, even just looking at them—was always a joy.
It was right during the supercar boom.
Countach, 512BB, Miura...
Back when Satoshi Ikezawa's 'Circuit Wolf' had us completely captivated.
Honestly, back then, a Porsche wasn't even on my radar.
It was plain, round-eyed, frog-faced, and I even thought it wasn't cool.
Then one day—
It was when my father was away on a business trip.
When I woke up in the morning, my mother smiled at me and said,
"Shall we go see some supercars in Aoyama today?"
Huh? Really? What can we see?
When I asked excitedly, my mother smiled mischievously and said, "That's a surprise for when we get there."
We took the train to Aoyama.
I think it was around where 'Kodomo no Shiro' (Children's Castle) is now.
What they were doing there was a business where you could ride in a supercar for 5,000 yen for 30 minutes.
Thinking about it now, I think it was quite a stylish thing to do, but back then, I was just super hyped.
But what was waiting for me was a Porsche Turbo, which I had no interest in.
Honestly, I thought, 'This?'
But my mother said, "Alright, let's get in," and slipped into the passenger seat.
I went to the rear seat.
With my small body, I sank into those unique leather seats.
The sensation, the smell, the sound of the flat-six engine humming quietly—even now, my heart and body remember it clearly.
And the person behind the wheel was a tough-looking guy.
He didn't say a word, didn't try to scare us, just drove the car calmly.
I think it was the route from Aoyama on Route 246 into the city. The acceleration was just insane.
I think we passed 100 km/h in the blink of an eye.
My father's Z was fast, but this was a 'different world' entirely.
My mother in the passenger seat was having a blast.
But I—I got scared halfway through and started to cry.
Before I knew it, the 30 minutes were over in a flash. When we got out of the car, that guy crouched down and spoke to me.
"Did you have fun, kid?"
I shook my head and hid behind my mother.
Then he grinned and left me with these words:
"When you grow up, you'll understand the greatness of this car. If you listen to your mother, study hard, and become rich, you'll be able to buy one. I'm a racer who knows Porsches better than anyone in Japan, and this car is the best in the world. Do your best."
Those words from back then—
I feel like I'm finally starting to understand them a little now.
The heartbeat of that Porsche, that day—
I think it's what blew a 'turbo' into my heart.
This is a story from when I was five.
And, 45 years later—
I am driving a Porsche Turbo.
Why?
Because among the few memories I have with my mother,
that day was the 'best' one.
When I started working, I made three vows to myself.
Get married by 30.
Build a house by 40.
And—drive a Porsche by 50.
The one I rode in that day was a 930 Turbo.
The one I chose was the 997 Turbo, four generations later.
I'll leave the details of the purchase for another time—
Every time I grab the steering wheel and step on the gas, I remember.
My mother's cheerful voice and the G-force that felt like being kicked, which I felt in that rear seat.
My mother—
What would she say if she saw me now?
I hope to ask her in the afterlife.
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