What began as indifference quickly morphed into an obsession.<\/p>\n
It also turned owner Alexander Bermudez from a water-cooled Porsche driver into one who describes his 964-based \u201chot rod,\u201d The Growler, as \u201cunapologetically raw\u201d\u2014and just the thing for slaying tight mountain passes.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s just about the emotional experience,\u201d Bermudez says. \u201cThe Growler is a pretty interesting blend. It\u2019s not too raw, but when you want the feedback from a raw car, it gives it to you\u2014and gives it to you in spades.\u201d<\/p>\n
From Trinidad and Tobago, cars weren\u2019t exactly a focus. After all, Bermudez saw his first Porsche only after he\u2019d moved to London! Two enthusiast owners before him spent a considerable amount of time and money making this 1990 964 go quickly, but Bermudez was intent on finishing the car.<\/p>\n
Completing everything from grafting on a new sunroof-less roof to adding Recaro seats and roll cage, nothing has escaped attention. Its massaged motor, lighter weight, Carrera RS suspension, and other performance modifications have turned the car into a seriously impressive canyon carver.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it\u2019s so light, it has the speed and acceleration you\u2019d typically find in the water-cooled cars, and yet, because it\u2019s slightly older and has automatic steering taken out of it, it has really good steering feel,\u201d he says. \u201cThe closer you get to the edge, it becomes more comfortable, because it\u2019s telling you exactly what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spending some weekends racing with the Porsche Owners Club has helped to teach Bermudez how to go fast, and most importantly, what he wants from a performance car.<\/p>\n