Removing the Tail Lights 1). Remove the Tail Light Cover by rotating the locking pin 1/4 turn and pulling the Cover off. 2). Remove the electrical plug from the tail light by squeezing the release tabs and pulling the plug out of the tail light.
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Maybe you want to install a fixed Cayman R spoiler, a Cayman Interseries spoiler, or maybe you need to remove your rear bumper cover. Either way, you'll need to remove the electric spoiler first. Here's how.... 1). Raise the rear spoiler by turning on the ignition key and pressing the 'Spoiler' button. 2). Remove all seven T-20 Torx Screws from under the front edge of the spoiler. (I highly recommend a Skew-Driver for this task.)
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Preliminary Procedures Remove the Headlight Switch Remove the Driver Side Center Console Cover 1. With driver door open, slip a panel tool under the left side dash cover and pry outward to release the cover.

Removing the Sport Chrono Stopwatch Housing 1. Slip a plastic protector between the rear of the stopwatch housing and the dash top. I made one out of a plastic water bottle ($0.05). This will protect the leather / plastic surface from scratches. 2. Slip a plastic wedge pry tool in between the layers of the protector and pry the back of the stop watch housing up. The housing is held down by 4 metal friction clips. Once the back two clips release, just rotate the housing and the...
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Removing the Driver Side Center Console Side Cover: 1. Remove the carpeted center console cover panel using a T-30 Torx driver on the screw that is hidden beneath the carpeting. 2. This will reveal two hidden screws that hold the Driver Side Center Console Side Cover in place. Remove these two screws using a T-20 Torx driver.
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Removing the Door Sill Trim Panel 1. Find and remove the two screw hole covers from the inside of the Door Sill Trim 2. There are two hidden mounting screws that hold the trim panel tight to the body. Using a 5mm Allen Wrench, loosen each of the mounting screws two turns.
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Removing the Headlight Switch 1. With the headlight switch in the full off position, press the control knob in 2. While holding pressure inward, rotate the control knob clockwise 5 degrees until it stops.
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Removing the Cargo Bar and Trim 1. Slide the Cargo Bar caps up the Cargo Bar 2. Remove the two 8mm 12 point bolts and Cargo Bar

The rear trunk interior panels are all soft panels pressed into place like a 3D jigsaw puzzle. Removal is easy and requires few tools. There is a particular order in which the panels must be removed and installed. Removing the Rear Trunk Interior Panels: 1. Remove both Tail Light housing covers by rotating their fastening clips 90 degrees and pulling the covers out. 2. Insert your hand over the back of the trunk side panels. Grip them firmly and pull up and out. The whole...
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https://caymanregister.org/picture.php?albumid=402&pictureid=5112As a long time sports car guy, I've always missed having an oil pressure gauge in my Cayman. I think I just got used to seeing how temperature, oil life and engine condition can effect oil pressure. To this day, it's something I still look for. So I've finally broken down and delved into another Cayman project. I've decided to install an Oil Pressure Gauge in my Cayman S. After a lot of research, I chose the AutoMeter 4953 2 /16...
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What??? A torque converter in a Porsche you say?! Well I have one of those and all the Porsche dealer service techs I've talked to claim that the ATF fluid in the tiptronic transmission is a "lifetime" fluid and the flush interval/filter change is 108K miles or 12 years whichever comes first. Now I track my cayman and I'm a bit skeptical of the lifetime quality of this fluid since oil/lubricants break down eventually owing to heat right? Also, during my online research I found that the same...
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Installing Headlight Protective Film If you take your car to the track then you may be interested in protecting your headlights from the grit, rubber marbles, and misc bits which can be thrown up by the cars in front of you. No doubt you have seen cars with blue painter's tape on the headlights. I personally went this route for a while before deciding to put clear protective film on the headlights. This saves time at the track and makes for better pictures of your car! (I also think if you...
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Removing a 987 door panel is a pretty straight forward operation that can be done with basic tools and mechanical skills. 4 The door panel is held to the door by 5 T-30 Torx screws and 9 friction clips. The screws are hidden in the following locations: To access the screws, you first need to removes a few trim panels from the door. Let's start with the mirror trim. The mirror trim is held in my two friction clips on it's bottom, and a slide connection on the tip. 4
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How to Adjust the Closed Window Height (this was on my 2003 Boxster S, I would think the 987 Cayman shared the same but not sure) Overview: The door windows drop down when you lift the door handle and automatically go backup once the door closes. This is done to relieve the cabin pressure and to make it easier to open and close the door. I recently had problems with MY closed window height being too high and catching on the roof. I learned that there is a height adjustment screw...
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I've been having an intermittent Check Engine light, and during my last visit to the dealer, Jim Ellis in Atlanta (no affiliation), reading the fault codes seemed to indicate one bad Oxygen Sensor, Bank 1 (right side), pre-cat. The Oxygen Sensor, also known as the O2 Sensor, or Lambda Sensor does just what you might guess, measure oxygen in the exhaust gases. Voltage created by the sensor is proportional to how much oxygen is present, and the computer (DME) uses this signal along with other...
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Topeak Mega Morph Folding Floor Pump I use a floor pump in the garage to inflate car tires. Call me a Luddite, but I prefer the speed, mechanical directness, exercise and lack of noise a floor pump offers. For adjusting pressures at the track and as part of my emergency kit (see also my article on carrying a spare tire in this section) I always take a smaller version with me on the road. Recently I found this pump (PICTURE 1) which folds flatter and takes up less space than the...
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Replacing the Cabin Air Filter (also referred to as the Pollen Filter) is possibly the easiest maintenance task to perform on a Cayman. I'll demonstrate this task on my 2007 Cayman S. There are aftermarket filters available, but I like to use OE parts for my Porsche. The part number of the factory Porsche filter is 997.571.229.01. It's available at any Porsche parts department. I usually keep one on hand. Once you've obtained an OE filter or suitable replacement, you're ready to...
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Here’s my take on carrying a spare and transporting a flat in a Cayman (I'd previously posted a version of this article at www.planet-9.com). I started with the complete spare kit sold by Sunset in Oregon, Suncoast in Florida and other Porsche dealers: 996 362 020 04 Vredestein Inflatable Spare Tire & Wheel 996 722 101 00 Foam Wheel Insert to hold Jack 996 721 211 00 Scissors Jack with Handle 987 722 061 00 Cover for Spare with plastic Backing Disc & Straps MOUNTING A SPARE
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I installed my RSS harness bar this past weekend. I like the structural design of this bar because its base plates mount directly to the body under the reverse lever using the factory hardware. There is also provision for the long leg of the reverse lever to go through the base plate into the body, adding more shear strength. If you look at the first attached photo, the reverse lever 10 x 25 bolt goes through the slotted hole. The leg of the lever goes through the large round hole. The two...
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If you track your car a lot, you may find yourself considering the use of some more aggressive brake pads. There are many good choices available. Some folks use them part time only when on the track, others use them full time for both track and street. Regardless of how you want to use them, you will run into one snag. Many of the available race pads are not compatible with Porsche's brake wear sensors, and for those that are, changing the sensors from pad to pad is a hassle that slows down an...
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Not long after starting my DE addiction, I started hearing stories of Cayman owners who had problems with the power steering system overheating at track events. In an effort to avoid this fate, I took a look at what could be done to improve cooling with a minimum of effort and expense. The stock power steering cooler is a length of metal tubing under the car. This is very similar in size to the cooler on my Audi S4. The difference is that the Audi has the cooler loop behind the grille of...
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Changing the oil and filter on a Cayman is actually very easy, but slightly different than other oil changes you may have performed. There are a few specialty tools I would recommend you obtain before tackling this maintenance task. With a couple of tips and traps in mind even the most novice mechanic can handle this job. 1Torque Values Fastener LocationDescriptionTool SizeTorque ValueDrain Plug18mm Aluminum Drain Plug8mm Hex Driver37 ft.lb.Oil FilterPlastic Filter Housing74mm Oil...
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You may have heard how much fun, and possibly addictive, our Drivers Education program can be and have decided to give it a try. I’ve recently returned to the track after an extended absence and in conversations with other students have found that a better understanding of tire pressure could be helpful. Our Drivers Ed manual addresses various brake fluids and pads but I have added some detail about specific fluids and boiling points as well as some pad choice considerations. 4 Tire...

After attending your first autocross or driver’s education event, it’s likely that you’ll be thinking about improving your car’s handling. During discussions with other drivers and “interested spectators” you might be advised to get a “track” alignment or find a way to get “more negative camber”. This article will explain what the alignment parameters of toe, camber, and caster mean and how changes in their settings may affect performance. Finally, I’ll discuss the benefits of having a wheel...
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After missing the accelerator once or twice during heel-toe downshifts, I decided to install a set of pedals in my Cayman S. A friend had suggested the Rennline Aluminum Pedals and Santa Claus brought me a set in 2008. Here's what I received: https://caymanregister.org/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2851 https://caymanregister.org/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2852 https://caymanregister.org/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2853 ...
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Thanks to our wonderful Porsche engineers, gone are the days that the first inkling that you have a problem with your brake lights, is when you get pulled over by a cop to let you know that a light is out, and possibly even write you a fix-it ticket (let's face it, none of us enjoys getting pulled over, even for a minor infraction like that). So, I was pleasantly surprised when my car informed me that I had a problem with right brake light a couple of days ago. I figured that this...
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Porsche suggests the spark plugs get replaced at the 60,000 mile service...nuf said, lets get at it. I'll just go into detail for the steps to replace one plug, they are all similar. UPDATE: In 2008 Porsche lowered the recommended interval for replacing the spark plugs to 60,000 km (~37,000 miles) or 4 years, whichever comes first, for cars in the USA. My plugs looked OK at 60,000 miles, use your best judgement. Thanks to pcormier at P-9 for his spark plug article. Thanks to...
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OK guys, this isn't rocket science, but if you've never applied one of these this may help you get a really great look from your Cayman Register Window Decal. Yup, that's right. We've got our own window decal. It's the same diameter as the other PCA window decals so you can have one on each side of your car, a balanced set. A decal will be sent to every new member using the mailing address provided during registration. If you're reading this, then you've done all you need to do to get one....
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Interior Check interior for damage (esp. driver area) ___________________________________________ Check Owners literature and maintenance manual ______________________________________ Check switches for seats, seat-heating etc. for damage __________________________________ Check that clock, Radio and CD work__________________________________________________ Check seat belt operation __________________________________________________________ Exterior Carry out body and paint...
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Porsche brake rotors can last for many years of normal street use without wearing out. For other owners 'normal' use also includes track duty which can accelerate wear and/or cause other defects like cracking. When normal wear or defects reach a certain threshold it is time for new discs. I will use the terms "rotor" and "disc" interchangeably, "rotor" because it is the part of the brakes which actually turns, and "disc" because of the part's shape. I feel this is an acceptable practice...
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I recently removed the Brey-Krause model R-2035 fire extinguisher mounting bracket from the manual sport driver's seat of my 2007 Cayman. From left-to-right, the attached photographs show various stages of disassembly, with the final two photos showing top and bottom views of the assembled pieces. The trickiest part of the installation, aside from removing and installing the HEAVY factory seats, is sliding the flat plate (containing the welded nuts) underneath the seat cushion springs and...
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Upper engine cover removal will probably be the first disassembly most owners will do on their beloved Caymans, and subsequently the most frequent disassembly operation. For almost every car on the road you can just pop the hood to get access to the engine, but placing the engine in the middle of the car kind of eliminates this easy method. Why? Access for maintenance or checks like Air Cleaner Cartridge Replacement or Checking the Power Steering Fluid Level. Installing a clear...
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This is a very basic procedure, practically not worthy of an article, but it does bear mentioning that you must remove the upper engine cover to access the power steering fluid reservoir. So, even if you are not having any problems, every time your cover comes off go ahead and check your fluid level. Many people use the abbreviation PS for "power steering", which fact may aid you in future searches. It might have been a nice feature if Porsche had included a little door you could pop open...
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Replacing the Cayman air cleaner is pretty straightforward, and would be extremely easy except for the fact that the clearances are very tight. Some people refer to the air cleaner as an air filter, the engine air filter, etc., I would consider all to be correct. Why? The air cleaner is a scheduled maintenance item. Some owners in dusty or dirty environments will decide to replace this item on an accelerated schedule. Prerequisite- Remove Upper Engine Cover (link) Tools-
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I was bitten by the track bug at my very first DE experience, and have become something of a track junkie, needing my monthly fix at the track. As I have gotten faster, I have felt the need to add track seats and harnesses in order to hold me in place better. Without getting into the whole debate about the pros/cons of track seats and harnesses, with or without a rollbar, I decided that if I personally was going that route, I wanted some additional rollover protection. At the time of this...
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I had an unfortunate little run-in with a curb while driving in the snow this winter, which damaged the plastic trim piece (deflector) which sits in front of the rear wheel, as you can see from the picture below: To replace it, I ordered a replacement part from Suncoast here: Wheel Arch Trim Replacement for about $24. I figured it would be pretty straightforward replacing it, and for the most part it was. However, I have learned through my modification adventures, that reinstalling...
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Removal of the rear interior trim pieces is an unfortunate necessity with a number of modifications, including changing the rear struts, changing stereo speakers, painting the trim pieces, or as in my case, installing a rollbar. This article should help to guide those who are unfamiliar with this process. Step 1 - Remove engine cover carpet. This is fairly easily accomplished by using a trim removal tool to pry up a front corner of the carpet first. Pull back on the front edge to release...
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One of the known weaknesses of the Cayman is that when driven hard on the track, the power steering fluid can get hot, expand and can overflow out of the PS reservoir. :angry: (Note, if your car only sees street use, or mild track use, this will not be a problem for you.) There are multiple factors contributing to the PS fluid temperature: high engine RPMs which result in faster PS pump rotation which in turn heats the fluid, and the fact that the PS lines from the pump run near the left-side...
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The Good News: There's only one belt, and it is easy to change. The Bad News: The belt isn't that easy to get to. Why? The belt is a scheduled maintenance item. Temporary removal for maintenance or underdrive pulley installation Roadside Repair :(
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There is an engine cover behind my seats? Some people don't know this, now you do! I call it the front engine cover, Porsche calls it the "rear wall cover", I think we're both right. The Goal: WHY? Replace Accessory Drive Belt - Scheduled Maintenance Item Underdrive Pulley Installation
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Variously called the Emergency Brake, Handbrake, Parking Brake, sometimes the system wears, or loosens up, so that too much movement of the lever is required for braking. The parking brake cable cannot be adjusted. Adjustment is via threaded barrel adjusters inside the rear brake rotors. Access to the adjuster can be made through a wheel bolt hole. Brake rotor removal is NOT required. The brakes should be fully applied if you pull the hand lever 5 clicks. Installing wheel studs will...
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I hadn't even owned my Porsche for one year and I was learning first hand why everyone uses the term 'Slippery Slope' when they're talk about vehicle modifications. Just four months earlier I had installed a Borla catback exhaust system. Following that project I received a tidal wave of exhaust questions from forum members, but I didn't feel qualified to answer them based on my experience with just one system. I didn't have much to compare to. There was also something inside me that was craving...
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Since I DE my car a lot (6 track days last year, planning 8 track days this year) 2010 is to be the year I will bleed brakes before each event. I stand today 20 days from my first event of the season at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds AL (where PSDS is held) so today was bleed brakes day. Over Christmas I had changed out the pads since they would not have passed the 3/16" minimum by the event date. While I was at it, I bought a liter of factory brake fluid (factory pads, factory fluid I'm just...
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Converting from the oem lug bolts to wheel studs and lug nuts is a simple & inexpensive DIY as can be seen in the photos below. I already had several sets of Porsche aluminum lug nuts for street use & steel lug nuts for track use left over from my 993 saving me that cost. Porsche aluminum or steel lug nuts are regularly available on eBay, as well as new from many Porsche parts sources. You'll need to buy 20 studs. I bought a few extras as spares which I carry in my track box (along with a...
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Does anyone know how to remove the middle console storage box lid (armrest)? Any help or leads are much appreciated.
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This is the BEST money that I have ever spent! Hands Down… Well first things first, I encountered some little problems during the install. Scott did an awesome job on the install article he posted on his web site: http://www.softronictuning.com/installation/. The article is on the 3.4 so I had to deviate and modified it to fit the 2.7. I cut the slit in the large vacuum hose by accident. Try not to do this if you can help it. There is enough room to fight the hose, to get it off...
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It was January 2007. I had my Cayman S for four short months and I was about to break a promise I'd made to myself. A friend had asked me if I'd be willing to install a Borla exhaust system on my Cayman and write up an article on what I thought. At first I declined. I really didn't have the money to spend on something like this, and I had promised myself I wouldn't start down the slippery slope of vehicle modifications with my Cayman S, a road I'd been down before with poor results. I was sort...
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Ok Guys, The three bucket washing process Pick a place in the shade to wash your car. Before you get started make sure that the surface temp is not too high a good rule of thumb is if can touch the car comfortably you can proceed. You take three 5 gallon buckets with three grit guards. Fill two of the buckets with cool plain water and the third one, add your favorite car wash shampoo while you are filling it with cool water. Avoid using hot or warm water it softens the wax or...
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Properly breaking in your new brakes is essential to their continued performance and reliability, yet it's something that few people really understand. I've recently followed a very informative thread where several of our members were trading some pretty good information on this topic. I found the information was so valuable, that I thought it would be a good idea to archive it here as an article. Special thanks to all the members who contributed these really cool links: Bedding...
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Let's face it, there are times when you just can't prevent the installation of a front license plate, which unfortunately comes with irreversible damage to the nose of your car. For me, it was tourist delivery that made it necessary for my front bumper to be drilled. This wouldn't be so bad if they didn't just blow screws into the plastic, but that's what they do, and the tension from those screws distorts the plastic around the hole into a volcano like head. Lucky for us, there are Bumper...
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Article Addendum, August 14th, 2011. ATTENTION: After 25,000 miles with this product on my car I have experienced a serious problem with my original exhaust components. Please see this thread for more information. Based on these developements, I advise the addition of a stress relieving flex joint to the downpipes of this system. 3 You should see some of the looks I get when I tell people that I've changed the exhaust system on my two year old Porsche seven times since I bought it. I...
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Caring for Microfiber Towels Don’t Mix With Laundry Do not mix the load with your usual laundry. Instead, make a laundry load comprised only of microfiber products. Remember that cotton and microfiber are not the same. Don’t Use Bleach or Fabric Softeners If you want to wash your microfiber towels in the washing machine, use only a mild detergent that does not contain bleach. Fabric softeners and bleach will both eliminate the static charges that make your microfiber so...
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This is just a summary of what consolidated, FT and L8Apx have done. :thanks: First thing first, disconnect the battery and leave the trunk and hatch open. Leave them open until you are done with the DME. Background information, I am using Traqmate complete kit and Traqdata II. E6-RPM green/blue into RPM port D16-TPS violet into A0 port
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Removing the Exhaust System (Catback) 1 Torque Values Fastener LocationDescriptionTool SizeTorque ValueExhaust Flange NutsM8 Nut (x6) (Replace with Stainless Steel)13mm Socket17 ft.lb.Rear Exhaust to Hanger8mm Bolts and M8 Lock Nuts (x4)13mm Socket17 ft.lb.Exhaust Hanger Clamps8mm Bolts and M8 Lock Nuts (x8)13mm Socket17 ft.lb. 1 1). Place wheel chocks in front of and behind each front wheel. 2). Jack up both the right and left rear wheels of the car. Use jack stands to ensure...
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1). Remove the right side dash trim panel by gently prying outward from the front with a panel tool, then rotating it to the right. 2). Remove the right side front trim piece by prying forward with a suitable panel tool. 3). Remove right side center console cover. 4). Remove the two screws that hold the cup holder assembly in place and remove the cup holder assembly.
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I remember it like it was yesterday. I’m referring of course to my first two weeks in my Cayman S. As one of the few Americans that had checked the ‘European Delivery’ option box, I had the rare opportunity to explore the limits of my new Porsche without the fear of legal complications. That’s right…. I was on the German autobahn, the A-31 to be exact, and I had just passed one of those nifty ‘No Speed Limit’ signs. I leaned into the throttle and let the speedometer climb. ...
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