My new Gen 2 2020 Macan Turbo
- Thread starter Brian_Innes
- Start date
Brian_Innes
Member
Colin,
Good news regarding your Covid results.
Thankfully, I did get a walk in the snow yesterday. Only a few miles south from my home on the A939, I parked and had a walk in the winter wonderland. Few people here as you can see from the sparse footprints in the snow. I didn't meet a soul. No one there but myself. The stillness was only interrupted by my boots crunching on the fresh snow. Sheer bliss.
Following the visit to the cemetery to place a flower on my wife's grave, my fingers were absolutely frozen. Never before have I appreciated the benefits of a heated steering wheel. I've always scoffed at such a thing. Totally unnecessary has been my opinion........until now. Within 10 minutes of driving the Macan with the heated steering wheel switched on, my hands and fingers thawed out. The plush Alcantara steering wheel rim made the warming sensation even more enticing. Never again will I debunk the heated steering wheel.
In the local Press & Journal newspaper this week, a front page headline featured the unlawful journey undertaken by a guy in a Seat Leon from East Lothian, near Edinburgh, who boasted online about completing the NC500 during the current lockdown. He maintained he never met anyone, bought all his fuel at pay at the pump, and with hotels and B&B's closed, camped out overnight in a tent. Despite encountering several police cars he was not stopped and challenged. This particular trip from the central belt of Scotland, involved crossing multiple regional boundaries. This is unlawful according to the temporary Scotland Government lockdown legislation.
The upshot of this behaviour has not only outraged the locals, but also spooked the local police, who feel their authority has been slighted. The police are now taking a robust approach to law enforcement regarding travellers who are breaking the lockdown rule of Stay at Home. Only essential journeys are permitted. Driving for fun is now being policed in the same manner as house parties and raves. This ill-advised, and lets face it, crass behaviour, has spoiled it for us locals living here who may have considered a trip to the "local" mountains worth the mental health benefits of photographing and enjoying the crystal clear air in stunning winter wonderland scenery.
As a local living in the Highlands, I would not currently contemplate a day trip to Wester Ross or Caithness, even though both areas are within my local regional boundary and easily accessible on a day trip.
I'll leave you with a photo of my solitary walk in the woodland winter wonderland.
Brian
Good news regarding your Covid results.
Thankfully, I did get a walk in the snow yesterday. Only a few miles south from my home on the A939, I parked and had a walk in the winter wonderland. Few people here as you can see from the sparse footprints in the snow. I didn't meet a soul. No one there but myself. The stillness was only interrupted by my boots crunching on the fresh snow. Sheer bliss.
Following the visit to the cemetery to place a flower on my wife's grave, my fingers were absolutely frozen. Never before have I appreciated the benefits of a heated steering wheel. I've always scoffed at such a thing. Totally unnecessary has been my opinion........until now. Within 10 minutes of driving the Macan with the heated steering wheel switched on, my hands and fingers thawed out. The plush Alcantara steering wheel rim made the warming sensation even more enticing. Never again will I debunk the heated steering wheel.
In the local Press & Journal newspaper this week, a front page headline featured the unlawful journey undertaken by a guy in a Seat Leon from East Lothian, near Edinburgh, who boasted online about completing the NC500 during the current lockdown. He maintained he never met anyone, bought all his fuel at pay at the pump, and with hotels and B&B's closed, camped out overnight in a tent. Despite encountering several police cars he was not stopped and challenged. This particular trip from the central belt of Scotland, involved crossing multiple regional boundaries. This is unlawful according to the temporary Scotland Government lockdown legislation.
The upshot of this behaviour has not only outraged the locals, but also spooked the local police, who feel their authority has been slighted. The police are now taking a robust approach to law enforcement regarding travellers who are breaking the lockdown rule of Stay at Home. Only essential journeys are permitted. Driving for fun is now being policed in the same manner as house parties and raves. This ill-advised, and lets face it, crass behaviour, has spoiled it for us locals living here who may have considered a trip to the "local" mountains worth the mental health benefits of photographing and enjoying the crystal clear air in stunning winter wonderland scenery.
As a local living in the Highlands, I would not currently contemplate a day trip to Wester Ross or Caithness, even though both areas are within my local regional boundary and easily accessible on a day trip.
I'll leave you with a photo of my solitary walk in the woodland winter wonderland.
Brian
Wollemi said:
"The on-line guidance on local is
If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local - unless it is necessary to go further, for example to go to work. Stay local means stay in the village, town, or part of the city where you live.”
Brian_Innes
Member
Today I washed the Macan for the first time for weeks due to the unrelenting sub-zero temperatures lately. It is at times such as these that the ceramic paint treatments come into focus. The car was FILTHY. Road grime and salt was encrusted on the paintwork, particularly evident on the rear hatch and bumper valance. The Karcher pressure jet washer dissolved the grime in an instant, even before I started with the washing mitt and car wash conditioner. On completion, the car's paintwork was restored to showroom standards. A good test for the ceramic coating.
When cleaning under the bonnet, I like a clean engine compartment and hood, I thought I'd mention the chassis brace fitted to my Gen 2 Turbo. These strengthening braces add extra stiffening to the body shell at crucial points were chassis flexing may come into play during spirited cornering. If proof were ever needed that these chassis braces work, you only need to refer back through this forum thread to the photo of my Macan three-wheeling at Knockhill race circuit. A flexing chassis would not have the required rigidity to pick up a wheel when cornering. As a matter of interest, is it only the Macan GTS and Turbo models that have this brace? I also wonder if performance Audi SUV's also have chassis braces.
Snow is still evident here in the Inverness area, although it comes and goes by the day. The Michelin Alpin winter tyres are absolutely superb on untreated snow surfaces, with amazing grip and stability particularly on downhill sections, always scary in a heavy vehicle such as the Macan.
Brian
When cleaning under the bonnet, I like a clean engine compartment and hood, I thought I'd mention the chassis brace fitted to my Gen 2 Turbo. These strengthening braces add extra stiffening to the body shell at crucial points were chassis flexing may come into play during spirited cornering. If proof were ever needed that these chassis braces work, you only need to refer back through this forum thread to the photo of my Macan three-wheeling at Knockhill race circuit. A flexing chassis would not have the required rigidity to pick up a wheel when cornering. As a matter of interest, is it only the Macan GTS and Turbo models that have this brace? I also wonder if performance Audi SUV's also have chassis braces.
Snow is still evident here in the Inverness area, although it comes and goes by the day. The Michelin Alpin winter tyres are absolutely superb on untreated snow surfaces, with amazing grip and stability particularly on downhill sections, always scary in a heavy vehicle such as the Macan.
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
It is in road conditions such as shown on this photo, that the Michelin Alpin 5 SUV winter tyres excel. They are truly amazing.
Brian
Brian
As a matter of interest, is it only the Macan GTS and Turbo models that have this brace?
My 2020 Macan S has the same brace.
My 2020 Macan S has the same brace.
Brian_Innes
Member
ScottishSpyder said:
Good to know.
Compared to the Audi SUV range, which platform the Macan shares, Porsche have more than a few of their own technical components under the bonnet.
Brian
It needs a brace for Edinburgh city centre roads
]
]
Brian_Innes
Member
My Edinburgh friends confirm your comments on the potholes. Always a problem with winter frosts.
We have the same problems in the Highlands. Roads maintenance seems to come to a halt in the winter.......apart from spraying more salt on the main routes that is.
In my days as a young driver in north Scotland, the roads were generally left untreated with salt and grit in the winter. Snow actually provides reasonable levels of grip for the skilled driver. No snow gates on the skiing routes back then. We are now all classed with the lowest common denominator of driver.
I'll leave you with a couple of photos from my youth taken in the winter of days gone by in Aberdeenshire. No salt, no grit, just capable driver skills and roads you could work with.
Happy days....
Brian
We have the same problems in the Highlands. Roads maintenance seems to come to a halt in the winter.......apart from spraying more salt on the main routes that is.
In my days as a young driver in north Scotland, the roads were generally left untreated with salt and grit in the winter. Snow actually provides reasonable levels of grip for the skilled driver. No snow gates on the skiing routes back then. We are now all classed with the lowest common denominator of driver.
I'll leave you with a couple of photos from my youth taken in the winter of days gone by in Aberdeenshire. No salt, no grit, just capable driver skills and roads you could work with.
Happy days....
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
And another photo from 1983 in Aberdeenshire.
Note the untreated road. If only that would be the case today......
Brian
Note the untreated road. If only that would be the case today......
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
Not quite correct Clive, the 1962 photo is of my dad's 1959 Vauxhall Victor DeLuxe. I used to get to drive it on private farm roads in Aberdeenshire. The 1983 photo is indeed my Mk3 Ford Escort XR3. An absolute dog of car, but that's not a story for this forum.
The point I was making by posting these old photos, is that winter driving before gritters and salt spreading became commonplace, gave those inclined to venture out to remote rural locations the opportunity to practice winter driving techniques on untreated road surfaces. It is no coincidence that northern European and Nordic countries produced so many world champion motorsport drivers. Sadly today the only opportunity for many keen drivers to practice driving on snow and ice is by going on one of the very expensive ice driving experiences in Scandinavia.
In the era and locations depicted in my photos, practicing driving on snow and ice became an annual event here in north Scotland, being afar from the urban centres. Skills which have lasted a lifetime for those fortunate enough to have had the benefit of winter driving experiences.
Brian
The point I was making by posting these old photos, is that winter driving before gritters and salt spreading became commonplace, gave those inclined to venture out to remote rural locations the opportunity to practice winter driving techniques on untreated road surfaces. It is no coincidence that northern European and Nordic countries produced so many world champion motorsport drivers. Sadly today the only opportunity for many keen drivers to practice driving on snow and ice is by going on one of the very expensive ice driving experiences in Scandinavia.
In the era and locations depicted in my photos, practicing driving on snow and ice became an annual event here in north Scotland, being afar from the urban centres. Skills which have lasted a lifetime for those fortunate enough to have had the benefit of winter driving experiences.
Brian
Those pics take me back Brian … very much my era! In the South we never experienced the quantities of snow you had in your part of the country but I always enjoyed getting out early in the morning after overnight snow before it became churned-up by traffic. Is it actually possible to do a handbrake turn in this era of electronic ‘parking brakes’?
Maybe it was just as well your roads weren’t salted back in the day. I seem to recall the F-series Victors almost turning to rust in front of their owners’ eyes!
Friends with XR3s were always envious of my Mk1 Golf GTi. []
Jeff
Maybe it was just as well your roads weren’t salted back in the day. I seem to recall the F-series Victors almost turning to rust in front of their owners’ eyes!
Friends with XR3s were always envious of my Mk1 Golf GTi. [
]Jeff
We very rarely see much snow in the Southwest nowadays, but I recall, in the blizzards of 1978, nearly coming a cropper in a snow drift. A weather front carrying snow had stalled over the Southwest, depositing some 34cm in places. Snow drifts of 24ft were reported at Exeter Airport. I was travelling back on A39 from Bideford towards Barnstaple in North Devon. It is round trip of around 22 miles and during the whole journey, I did not see another vehicle nor any other person. I was the only one daft enough to be out and about.
Notwithstanding snow ploughs attempting to clear a path on the main road, further falls had now re-covered it and large ice ridges had formed down the middle, dividing the tracks on either side. I was driving an Alfa Romeo 2.0lt GTV at the time and its front splinter very soon gave up the ghost and was shredded by the barrage of frozen road debris.
Just outside Bideford, I reached a stretch of road called the Westleigh Straight. The River Torridge estuary was to my left and a steep hillside to my right. Snow was being blown off the hill and it was here I finally lost traction in this 2 wheel drive car on summer tyres and very quickly in the high winds, became engulfed in a snow drift that formed alarmingly quickly as soon as the car had stopped its forward movement.
Very soon it was up to the level of my driver's window and was threatening to cover the roof. (The Alfa is a fairly low car). It was at this point, I was considering abandoning ship altogether, but this was not an altogether pleasant prospect in the prevailing conditions and with shelter some distance away. Also, I had noted the state of cars abandoned in the snow after the ploughs had "discovered" them and didn't fancy the same fate for my beloved Alfa. Then, just at that moment, the car started to inch forward again. Very slowly at first, but gradually we managed to reach the end of the straight and, to my great relief, into a more sheltered location.
Although I've had a few scary moments in cars since then, that day has stuck with me vividly, so I now have more respect for prevailing weather conditions and have leant not to be quite so cavalier with my driving. []
Regards,
Clive
Notwithstanding snow ploughs attempting to clear a path on the main road, further falls had now re-covered it and large ice ridges had formed down the middle, dividing the tracks on either side. I was driving an Alfa Romeo 2.0lt GTV at the time and its front splinter very soon gave up the ghost and was shredded by the barrage of frozen road debris.
Just outside Bideford, I reached a stretch of road called the Westleigh Straight. The River Torridge estuary was to my left and a steep hillside to my right. Snow was being blown off the hill and it was here I finally lost traction in this 2 wheel drive car on summer tyres and very quickly in the high winds, became engulfed in a snow drift that formed alarmingly quickly as soon as the car had stopped its forward movement.
Very soon it was up to the level of my driver's window and was threatening to cover the roof. (The Alfa is a fairly low car). It was at this point, I was considering abandoning ship altogether, but this was not an altogether pleasant prospect in the prevailing conditions and with shelter some distance away. Also, I had noted the state of cars abandoned in the snow after the ploughs had "discovered" them and didn't fancy the same fate for my beloved Alfa. Then, just at that moment, the car started to inch forward again. Very slowly at first, but gradually we managed to reach the end of the straight and, to my great relief, into a more sheltered location.
Although I've had a few scary moments in cars since then, that day has stuck with me vividly, so I now have more respect for prevailing weather conditions and have leant not to be quite so cavalier with my driving. [
]Regards,
Clive
Brian,
Re-reading the above, I feel I am guilty of rather high-jacking this thread, for which I am sorry and my sincere apologies for this. []
I can only think my whimsical reflections have been precipitated by this prolonged period of lockdown leading to a bout of serious introspection with memories of bygone days, when we were all able to do and go where we pleased.
I promise not to relate any more "Tales From My Past" any time soon. []
Regards,
Clive
Re-reading the above, I feel I am guilty of rather high-jacking this thread, for which I am sorry and my sincere apologies for this. [
]I can only think my whimsical reflections have been precipitated by this prolonged period of lockdown leading to a bout of serious introspection with memories of bygone days, when we were all able to do and go where we pleased.
I promise not to relate any more "Tales From My Past" any time soon. [
]Regards,
Clive
Brian_Innes
Member
Clive,
This extended lockdown is proving challenging for us all on many fronts, not least of which is finding something to write about, so no harm in digressing occasionally.
For my own amusement I have started writing "A Life of Cars" a sort of memoir of the significant events of my life both personal and car related. The two subjects being often intertwined with one another.
Hopefully I shall soon be free again to continue recording my ownership experiences with the Macan Turbo. Any ideas I may have had concerning enjoying another continental Europe car tour are now looking very unlikely, for this year at the very least.
There is glimmer of hope that a return to touring the more scenic regions of the UK may be a realistic prospect come late autumn. Scotland's western isles are also on my prospective agenda as a car touring destination. It's all about timing.
Brian
This extended lockdown is proving challenging for us all on many fronts, not least of which is finding something to write about, so no harm in digressing occasionally.
For my own amusement I have started writing "A Life of Cars" a sort of memoir of the significant events of my life both personal and car related. The two subjects being often intertwined with one another.
Hopefully I shall soon be free again to continue recording my ownership experiences with the Macan Turbo. Any ideas I may have had concerning enjoying another continental Europe car tour are now looking very unlikely, for this year at the very least.
There is glimmer of hope that a return to touring the more scenic regions of the UK may be a realistic prospect come late autumn. Scotland's western isles are also on my prospective agenda as a car touring destination. It's all about timing.
Brian
Lancerlot said:Brian,
Re-reading the above, I feel I am guilty of rather high-jacking this thread, for which I am sorry and my sincere apologies for this. [
I can only think my whimsical reflections have been precipitated by this prolonged period of lockdown leading to a bout of serious introspection with memories of bygone days, when we were all able to do and go where we pleased.
I promise not to relate any more "Tales From My Past" any time soon. [
Regards,
Clive
Clive, If I can crave indulgence to also high jack Brian's post with "Tales from my past", I learnt a hard lesson about driving in snow and ice. It was also the winter of 1978, I was just getting into rallying as a keen member of Leeds University Union Motor Club, and snow was falling heavily when I set off to go to Bradford to see a showing of the classic rally film "From Harrogate It Started". the snow continued to fall and settle during the film and of course I was fully fired up after seeing the exploits the top rally drivers of the 1970's. I thought I WAS Roger clark as I piloted my battered but loved Mark 1 Cortina 1500 home, and I was having great fun, sliding and opposite locking everywhere with what I though was great skill and aplomb. Quarter of mile from home, on a steepish down hill where a car was parked by a slight kink, all went wrong. Control was lost, I was not going to make the turn but I thought I could still go straight and squeeze between the parked car and the tree and hedge. I failed. It was the end of the Cortina. It didn't do much good to the parked car either.
Brian_Innes
Member
Graham,
Your tale of bravado when driving in the snow will strike a chord with many a keen driver. You are not alone. Many of us have frightened ourselves by getting carried away during "practising" snow driving techniques.
I recall one occasion, aged 18 with my Mini, early on a Sunday morning on a snow covered and deserted Aberdeen beach promenade at the quiet north end. I took it upon myself to do some handbrake turns as there was no other traffic about. The road traffic promenade was a on raised road level some 20 feet above the lower pedestrian promenade which was separated from the roadway by a steep grass bank. As my youthful exuberance soared, so did the speeds at which I applied the handbrake.
Such was the terminal velocity of my gyrating Mini, it was only luck that prevented me spinning out of control down the steep grass bank, and most probably rolling the car onto the pedestrian section of the lower promenade with potentially disastrous results. It would have been only a 50/50 chance of landing the right way up. Thankfully no harm was done other than to my pride. I drove sheepishly home afterwards not mentioning any of this to my dad. Lesson learnt.
The news that the lockdown in Scotland is to continue at least until the beginning of March is not the news I wanted to hear. The snow covered mountains in the Highlands look absolutely magnificent, if only from a distance. It is very frustrating being prohibited from driving further afield than my immediate locality. Having winter tyres of such capabilities already fitted on my Macan only adds to my frustrations, not forgetting the considerable financial outlay in procuring them.
Yesterday I received an appointment for my Covid-19 jab. It is scheduled for Wednesday next week at my local medical centre. Hopefully this will kick-start a step in the right direction towards a return to more normal levels of the social freedoms we all miss so much.
Brian
Your tale of bravado when driving in the snow will strike a chord with many a keen driver. You are not alone. Many of us have frightened ourselves by getting carried away during "practising" snow driving techniques.
I recall one occasion, aged 18 with my Mini, early on a Sunday morning on a snow covered and deserted Aberdeen beach promenade at the quiet north end. I took it upon myself to do some handbrake turns as there was no other traffic about. The road traffic promenade was a on raised road level some 20 feet above the lower pedestrian promenade which was separated from the roadway by a steep grass bank. As my youthful exuberance soared, so did the speeds at which I applied the handbrake.
Such was the terminal velocity of my gyrating Mini, it was only luck that prevented me spinning out of control down the steep grass bank, and most probably rolling the car onto the pedestrian section of the lower promenade with potentially disastrous results. It would have been only a 50/50 chance of landing the right way up. Thankfully no harm was done other than to my pride. I drove sheepishly home afterwards not mentioning any of this to my dad. Lesson learnt.
The news that the lockdown in Scotland is to continue at least until the beginning of March is not the news I wanted to hear. The snow covered mountains in the Highlands look absolutely magnificent, if only from a distance. It is very frustrating being prohibited from driving further afield than my immediate locality. Having winter tyres of such capabilities already fitted on my Macan only adds to my frustrations, not forgetting the considerable financial outlay in procuring them.
Yesterday I received an appointment for my Covid-19 jab. It is scheduled for Wednesday next week at my local medical centre. Hopefully this will kick-start a step in the right direction towards a return to more normal levels of the social freedoms we all miss so much.
Brian
vitesse
Active member
Given your generous offer Brian,and feeling rejoiceful after our 1st Pfizer jab last Thursday,I'll add a few pennies worth.
Great to see the pic of your father's Vauxhall Victor-reminded me of a very happy & interesting 5 days I spent at Vauxhall Motors in Luton in 1959 my A level year at Bolton School when they were hosting potential Student job seekers.
We spent virtually all the time on the shop floors in all depts at a time when they were producing the Victors & early Crestas,even walking through the paint spray booths wearing my then only best suit,as they manually sprayed Victors & Crestas.
They produced their own chrome bumpers ,engines inc even pistons themselves,etc.
As to snow driving fun,I remember one trip from Stourbridge to St Asaph,on a Friday afternoon to my wife's mothers home which included mainly the A5 via Bridgenorth,Shrewsbury,Llangollen then up the Horseshoe pass & on to Denbigh,St Asaph.
It was 1970 IIRC in my new Hillman Avenger 1500 ( our son aged 4 in the rear ) and as we started up the pass,it started to snow,as a blizzard & within minutes it was 2,then 3,then 4" deep as we approached the dreaded hairpin near the top.
In those conditions the main problem seemed to be avoiding getting stopped,losing momentum by drivers in front panicking & my wife was rather frightened by me overtaking 2 such drivers .
We got round the hairpin ok,then the road gets steeper & I resorted to swinging the rear end side to side to maintain forward progress with rear wheels spinning everywhere,simultaneously stopping Irene threatening to open her door to get out.
Fortunately the snow was fresh with no other vehicles by now & we got to the top & got to our destination safely although in a more subdued manner-its mainly downhill but twisty.
I was very impressed by the Avenger coping with it -I've always thought it was a rather underated car ,unfairly.
Great to see the pic of your father's Vauxhall Victor-reminded me of a very happy & interesting 5 days I spent at Vauxhall Motors in Luton in 1959 my A level year at Bolton School when they were hosting potential Student job seekers.
We spent virtually all the time on the shop floors in all depts at a time when they were producing the Victors & early Crestas,even walking through the paint spray booths wearing my then only best suit,as they manually sprayed Victors & Crestas.
They produced their own chrome bumpers ,engines inc even pistons themselves,etc.
As to snow driving fun,I remember one trip from Stourbridge to St Asaph,on a Friday afternoon to my wife's mothers home which included mainly the A5 via Bridgenorth,Shrewsbury,Llangollen then up the Horseshoe pass & on to Denbigh,St Asaph.
It was 1970 IIRC in my new Hillman Avenger 1500 ( our son aged 4 in the rear ) and as we started up the pass,it started to snow,as a blizzard & within minutes it was 2,then 3,then 4" deep as we approached the dreaded hairpin near the top.
In those conditions the main problem seemed to be avoiding getting stopped,losing momentum by drivers in front panicking & my wife was rather frightened by me overtaking 2 such drivers .
We got round the hairpin ok,then the road gets steeper & I resorted to swinging the rear end side to side to maintain forward progress with rear wheels spinning everywhere,simultaneously stopping Irene threatening to open her door to get out.
Fortunately the snow was fresh with no other vehicles by now & we got to the top & got to our destination safely although in a more subdued manner-its mainly downhill but twisty.
I was very impressed by the Avenger coping with it -I've always thought it was a rather underated car ,unfairly.
Brian_Innes
Member
Colin,
Your tale of successfully negotiating the Horseshoe Pass in your Avenger highlights the necessity of maintaining forward momentum on fresh snow. In those days tyre sections were narrower; ideal for fresh snow. I also suspect the rubber technology back then was not so temperature sensitive as it is today. As I recall, my dad's Vauxhall Victor had Michelin X radial tyres fitted, a novel thing back in 1961. On the day shown in my photograph we never got stuck in the snow, even on hills. Like the Avenger, the Victor was rear wheel drive with a live rear axle, primitive by today's standards, but amazingly effective in snow with a good driver at the helm. Seeing newsreel images of rear wheel drive BMW's and Mercedes floundering in the snow makes me wonder if any progress has been made in the winter driving capabilities of some cars today. Porsches of all types are very accomplished machines in winter driving conditions with the appropriate rubber fitted.
As a much needed boost, I am hoping to get out and about for a photoshoot in my Macan next week, weather permitting of course. The mountain scenery and icy lochs are very photogenic in my locality. Especially in a winter landscape with blue sky and long shadows cast by the winter sun. I'll not be over-extending the "local" travel restrictions, and only going to places I know where there are few, if any people about. The highly competent capabilities of the Macan Turbo when shod with one of the best premium winter tyre sets currently available, adds another layer of security when combined with a driver well practiced in winter driving conditions.
More news soon on my experiences with the Macan Turbo in the winter snow.
Brian
Your tale of successfully negotiating the Horseshoe Pass in your Avenger highlights the necessity of maintaining forward momentum on fresh snow. In those days tyre sections were narrower; ideal for fresh snow. I also suspect the rubber technology back then was not so temperature sensitive as it is today. As I recall, my dad's Vauxhall Victor had Michelin X radial tyres fitted, a novel thing back in 1961. On the day shown in my photograph we never got stuck in the snow, even on hills. Like the Avenger, the Victor was rear wheel drive with a live rear axle, primitive by today's standards, but amazingly effective in snow with a good driver at the helm. Seeing newsreel images of rear wheel drive BMW's and Mercedes floundering in the snow makes me wonder if any progress has been made in the winter driving capabilities of some cars today. Porsches of all types are very accomplished machines in winter driving conditions with the appropriate rubber fitted.
As a much needed boost, I am hoping to get out and about for a photoshoot in my Macan next week, weather permitting of course. The mountain scenery and icy lochs are very photogenic in my locality. Especially in a winter landscape with blue sky and long shadows cast by the winter sun. I'll not be over-extending the "local" travel restrictions, and only going to places I know where there are few, if any people about. The highly competent capabilities of the Macan Turbo when shod with one of the best premium winter tyre sets currently available, adds another layer of security when combined with a driver well practiced in winter driving conditions.
More news soon on my experiences with the Macan Turbo in the winter snow.
Brian
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