Jimi Hendrix once asked Are You Experienced in a song, but I’m not sure if that applied to the experience of driving a high-end Porsche sports car on a course that features elements of some of the world’s most famous racetracks.
I had a chance to find out what that’s like at the Porsche Experience Centre Toronto (it’s actually Pickering) media event day last week.
I was among several people who signed up for it. And by signing up I mean that literally because of a waiver form required to participate.
But first let me provide some context. I consider myself at best an average driver. My kids like to joke how I am constantly pumping the brakes, making what should be a seamless passenger experience into a stop-and-go ride.
I also am deeply anxious partaking in anything in which high speeds are involved. When it comes to rides at amusement parks, the Ferris wheel goes just fast enough to provide me with comfort.
So put all that together, I had more than a little trepidation about my experience, even though it would be with an instructor. My wife, who has no concerns about fast rides, persuaded me to live a little.
So after our group was given some rules of engagement posted on a giant video board, we were assigned to instructors. When I met mine, whose name is Jonathan Woolridge, I told him he must have drawn the short stick. I also tried to further lighten the mood, mainly for my sake, by telling him he looks like Elvis because of his eyes. He laughed and told me other people have said that to him.
He told me something that indicated to me he had done some research on me. That impressed me.
He said he is 25 and races on the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) circuit, which is for sports car racing, endurance races and GT racing. He told he has been racing since the age of eight beginning in Go Karting. Being an instructor gives him a steady-paying job while also allowing him to pursue his racing career.
He escorted me to the car I would be driving – a shiny grey 992 GTS T-Hybrid, which has a base price of $166,895. I drive a blue Mazda 3. I leased it brand new in 2018 for four years, paying about $300 a month, and then bought it out for about $11,000.
I have never owned any car that costs more than $30,000 brand new.
Suffice to say, the car I was about to drive far exceeded my budget.
Jonathan began by having me adjust my seat so I would be properly situated closer to the wheel than I would driving my car. He impressed upon me the importance of placing my hands on the nine and three o’clock positions – just like they teach you in driver’s ed, though most people abandon that – and it is based on modern airbag technology and safety standards. It minimizes the risk of injury if the air bags are deployed.
He also instructed me about using the brake and throttle. In particular, he wanted me to press firmly on the brake all the way. Then he taught me how to ease up and press the throttle. It was a gradual process to get acquainted with both before actually driving it. At this point, I was relatively calm.
We began on a small circuit course to practice navigating around pylons and coming to a complete stop in a specific area. He had me do a few laps at my own pace to help me to feel more confident. He also encouraged me to press hard on the throttle (I’m old school and still refer to it as the gas pedal). Porsche has automatic transmission that is trademarked PDK or dual clutch transmission, allowing for seamless gear transition. It can be driven in three modes – Normal, Sport and Sports Plus. Normal is for every-day driving, Sport is for more spirited driving and Sports Plus is for track or high-performance driving. There is also a Sports Response button on the steering wheel for a short surge of power. Jonathan had me employ it for a quick blast from a standing start. Think of the car in Back To The Future and its quick burst of speed. It also helped to finally understand 0 to 60 miles per hour in a few seconds. I’ve often wondered why it mattered because in normal street driving you’re not going to go that fast off of a standing start, though some people feel the need to do so at a traffic light when the light changes from red to green.
But I digress.
After that, Jonathan told me to drive over to an oval to practice steering on a wet road. A sprinkler system provided a fresh layer of water, and then I began learning what it’s like to manoeuvre the car when it starts to go sideways. I’ve had that happen on icy roads and know it’s important to strongly grip the wheel to try to steer the car back to its normal position and avoid slamming hard on the brakes. So I did it for a few times in the Sports Response mode and watched this beautiful piece of machinery slide sideways. I was particularly nervous doing it and after a few spins – literally – I politely asked if we could move on to the performance circuit. It’s not called a racetrack because there will be no races on it.
The circuit is two kilometres and has some turns and an embankment that resemble elements of Laguna Seca’s Corkscrew, Nürburgring’s Carousel and the Porsche Curves from Le Mans. I particularly enjoyed doing this, notably on the embankment, as I imagined myself on a NASCAR course. Jonathan instructed me where to drive to properly and safely go around turns, following markers to go left and right. He also had me use my turn signal because there were other cars on the track, some moving quicker. There were also others maintaining a slower speed than me.
I enjoyed the experience overall, and though I pressed harder on the throttle on straightaways I wouldn’t say it made me overall queasy. That is something they caution you can happen. So better to practice caution than throwing up.
I did a video asking why Jonathan would encourage people to try it and he basically said it’s a great way to experience the Porsche brand in a dynamic setting. Then I asked him how I did and instructed him not to b.s. me. (Yes, I instructed the instructor). He said I did really well, though I was tentative at the start. I replied, “Jonathan, you’re a great liar.”
Beyond just the driving, the Porsche Centre Experience is also about the main building that overlooks the courses. It has a room with simulators replicating driving a Porsche on famous courses, a gift shop with various Porsche merchandise, a Carrera café that has artisanal coffee and various culinary creations; and two display cars, one with PEC TO license plate.
The Centre opens June 18 and booking began June 1. A 90-minute experience begins at $850 and increases in cost depending on the model, and in each case an instructor is in the car. A demo lap with an instructor costs $140. Group experiences can be customized to the number of participants.
Anyone who bought a Porsche in Canada as of January 1, 2025 will get an invitation for a complimentary 90-minute experience with a model equivalent.
Customers of Porsches sold in Canada have the option of taking delivery of their cars at the Centre. This added-cost benefit and its specifics will be made available later this year.
The Centre will be open year-round from Wednesday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, visit the website.
Perry Lefko is the Content Manager of The Car Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to forward any story suggestions or comments.
