By Kelly Bai
Photos Kunal D’souza, Kelly Bai
The beauty of Nova Scotia in October is like an oil painting — the forest-covered mountains are painted red, orange, yellow and green. The entire scene is like an overturned paint palette.
We drove with a group of Porsche-lovers on the Cabot Trail, with forested hills on one side and the limitless Atlantic Ocean on the other. The Cabot Trail was once rated by world travel Bible “Lonely Planet” as one of the most beautiful highways in the world. It encircles Cape Breton Island for a length of 297 kilometers, with beautiful scenery along the way. Named by National Geographic as one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world, one-third of Cape Breton’s highway runs through Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
Other than astounding scenery, this highway that passes by mountains and sea is also windy, bringing a thrilling driving experience and making it one of the most sought-after routes for those from around the world who love to drive. A road like this, paired with a high-performance sports car, must be the ultimate dream of those who love cars and driving!
Over three days, we drove the 911 Carrera GTS and 911 Carrera S. The amazing joy of driving and the beautiful scenery of Nova Scotia were equally unforgettable. It must be mentioned that these two Porsches are truly “drivers’ cars”.
The best sports car, the most beautiful route, great food and like-minded friends.
This Porsche-Nova Scotia driving experience fulfilled our dreams. Sitting in the vehicle, there is not one aspect that is not perfect. The steering wheel is covered with Alcantara suede material: soft, comfortable but not slippery. A small circular dial at the bottom of the steering wheel allows the driver to easily switch between four driving modes: normal, sport, sport plus and custom. All adjustments and operations can be arranged on the steering wheel, without looking elsewhere. The 7-speed PDK double clutch transmission reacts swiftly and the power is consistent. With a deep and sonorous growl, power ripples through its body as it races forward. And its rear-placed engine makes it feel like a rear-ignited rocket. And with every step of the accelerator comes a feeling of explosiveness.
Comparing the two, of course, I love the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS more. Looking at the technical specs, it has an additional 30horsepower over the Carrera S’s 420 horsepower. The 911 Carrera GTS torque is increased from 368 pounds per foot to 405 pounds per foot. Its 0-to-100 speed is lowered from 4.1 seconds to 3.7 seconds. Its top speed is increased from 306 kilometres per hour to 310 kilometres. This all means that the Carrera GTS is more powerful, has an increased torque, and its acceleration and extreme speed performance is more spectacular, and with a sportier feel. Furthermore, its high-performance tires, stronger chassis and smooth suspension feedback allow it to be more stable while turning bends.
Beautiful scenery and a fantastic car already offered limitless satisfaction. Along the way, we were also treated to luxurious and comfortable accommodations, delicious meals and like-minded, driving-focused companions that made this journey even more perfect.
Fox Harb’r Resort is located in a vast, ocean-view golf course. It is a bit of a drive after the main gates before arriving at the hotel’s entrance. Along the way, views of the green, well-manicured and gently hilly golf course amazed us. After the hotel’s courtesy vehicle took us to our respective suites, another round of gasps followed as the doors were opened. The rooms were beautiful and big, each with a warm inviting fireplace in the living room, a large balcony with a fantastic view, a king-sized bed that was soft and comfortable, and a large, enticing Jacuzzi in the bathroom.
Keltic Lodge is located on the northeastern shore of Cape Breton Island. Located inside the beautiful Cape Breton Highlands National Park and along the Cabot Trail, the view outside the bedroom window is the limitless ocean.
All the restaurants selected were the most special in the area, highlighting the delicacies of Nova Scotian cuisine. Furthermore, dining and conversing with fellow automobile aficionados is truly a joy. The drivers were from all across Canada, plus a mother-daughter team that flew in from the United States. Most were Porsche owners, but there were also those who weren’t owners but loved sports cars and driving. Everyone shared their driving sensations, conversing and having a great time, and within two to three days we all became great friends. A fellow driver slapped my shoulder and laughed.
“Look, and we were all strangers on the first day!”
Happy times always go by so quickly, and everyone was reluctant to say goodbye, making plans to see each other again. Our love for Porsche stems from our love for driving, and that love for driving brought people together to create an unforgettable journey.
We’ll see each other again at the next Porsche journey!