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Introducing John Bassett

I have not properly introduced myself other than my name is John Bassett and I work for Porsche of Monterey and I am the moderator for this Google+ page.

I have been a car junkie since I can remember. My first real sports car was a 1972 Datsun 510 2 door heavily modified for the time in 1983. I re purchased this car 3 years ago for nostalgic purposes. I have built and owned many and I do mean many EuroTuners and JDM cars. A very abbreviated list of cars I have heavily modified-

2 WRX STI’s, 2 350Z’s as competitive drift cars, one 370Z as a competitive drift car, an M3, an M5, NOT an R32 Skyline….wink wink, an E63, a 993 Turbo, 2 1991 tubbed fox body style 5.0′s, Etc…..

I have driven the following through gracious friends. Porsche GT, Dino, 458 Italia, Veyron Pursang, A Ferrari 355,360, An MB SLS, An MB SLR, Lambo’s, Maserati’s, Etc….

I really have owned some 30 plus sports cars in the last 15 years, I haven’t kept any of the cars like a collector would. I have the bug worse than most, and anyone who knows me just shakes their head when asked about my passion/sickness.

I know a little about a lot of cars and a lot about a fair amount of cars. I have made some great friends through motor sports and have learned a whole lot from the Concours d’ Elegance crowd of friends who show regularly. I believe in being a well rounded auto enthusiast.

So that’s just a little about my passion for the auto world. Btw, I have owned 13 choppers from Harley to Yaffe.

Porsche 991 Launch event

The following ten posts are from my live blogging at the 3 day event to launch the new 911 (model 991) by Porsche Cars North America in Irvine, Ca. from Jan 9 – 11 2012. The slideshows below have pictures and videos in them. The videos are the ones with the small thumbnails (click them and they will play in youtube).

991-launch-arrival

This was the first time we had all seen the 991 in this magnitude and grandeur as we departed the buses at the El Toro Airstrip. PCNA had 69 new 991’s lined up ready for us to get acquainted with in the next 48 hours. I was happy to see the new 991 at Rennsport 4; this however was over the top. In typical Porsche fashion the build out that Porsche had on the air strip as seen in the photos was over the top decadent.

991-launch-coolpics

A sampling of photos of the new 991 in different views.

991-launch-boseaudio

Bose Audio put on a nice presentation of the new sound system in the for the 991.

991-launch-foodtrucks

Again, in typical Porsche fashion the gourmet food arrived for lunch. But in food trucks this time, a SoCal flavor .

991-launch-funny

I had to get this footage of Cass Whitehead as it was spot on. During the Public Road Drive, the CHP was looking and interested in what we were doing with 40 Porsche’s taking on the twisties up in the foothills. One CHP officer was interested enough to come down to El Toro and see for himself. Cass showed him the differences in the 997 and the 991.

991-launch-publicroaddrive

As I was driving the new 991, I asked my co-pilot to get some narrative for me. The new 991 was such a true pleasure to drive in every aspect. The 1.8” wider front track just sits down and is compliant at all speeds. No more chatter in the front at speed like in the 997. The new Electromagnetic steering set up was truly contrary to what one trade mag said, “detached feeling” was the verbiage used by them. I thought quite the opposite, as it felt more refined and at speed may even give one more confidence under load in the corners. The 3.9” longer wheelbase was a noticeable difference in a positive way. I did get a chance to feel the Porsche Torque Vectoring come into play when I went hot into a corner, PTV rocks!! Someone asked me if it felt more like a Gran Turismo now? Hmm…..Yes AND No. A long road trip? No worries at all. All the 6’ 4” guys have a spacious cabin that will make them feel at home. The rear seats are actually functional to tote the teenagers around in now.

911-launch-topsecretgooglecar

No, it is not the new Googler-911, nor does it have the same (exact) Google colors . It did however remind me of how it might look, if one did come to fruition . This color coding on the shell basically represents the different usage of materials in the 911 product, from Aluminum to Boron Steel.

991-launch-techstuff

Jeremey speaking as to new changes in the new 991.

991-launch-trackdrive

So, we had the 3 mile course mapped out on El Toro and PCNA really went out on a limb to do this for us as we had 150mph straights and 100mph sweepers. We had a BMW 650i a Maserati GTS and a MB C63AMG Coupe as comparison vehicles. None of the aforementioned cars are real competition on the track of course, but in very day public road driving these might be other choices in ones mind when considering a Porsche.

1- BMW 650i Coupe – Predictable feel in the straights, The 650 got very light in the rear as you can see in some of the footage. The 650 also felt numb and disconnected on the track, we both said in the driving segment that it felt like a 7 series. This is not negative feedback in any way, just track fell is all.

2- The Maserati was not predictable at all. I felt the Maserati should have performed as a sports car and not a Gran Turismo. The Maserati again was very light in the rear and disconnected in relationship to the 991.

3- The AMG C63 Coupe was a disappointment as I actually like the AMG product and have owned the product. On the track it was a fish out of water, but not a purpose built car either. The Driving was “heavy” and again very loose in the rear. The AMG has more than enough high end gearing for the straights and is a very capable car at high speeds on long trips, but not to be tossed around.

4- The 991 and the 997. So, we had the opportunity to drive the 991 and the 997 back to back on the course and get real time feedback from one lap to the next if that makes sense. The 991 with the new Electromagnetic steering mechanism and PTV combined with the HP increase and new PDK was an absolute joy to drive! Did the new 991 give more “courage” as a driver? Yes. Can the new found courage get you in trouble? Hmmm….I guess if one really tried hard enough but the stability management systems are amazing! The cool thing about the PTV and PDCC are that they don’t intervene unless you are truly on the razors edge and I love this about Porsche.

The 997 felt familiar and put a smile on my face after driving the 991. Why did I just say that? well, the 997 is more point and shoot with an edge of “I can break this loose”. The 991 is the exact same car wearing a Brioni suit….much more sophisticated in its feel and not “quite as raw” although ALL Porsche DNA. Make sense? I could go on and on about the differences and its probably a good idea to do in a “hangout” in the near future here. I will announce a date.

991-launch-550spyder

Wow, This was just a magical moment as I posted in an earlier thread. On the way home from the 991 launch, my wife and I were driving home (down Hwy 46 to Carmel). I was telling her that up ahead was the James Dean Memorial spot. Now, 15 to 20 minutes later I had tested the ABS system in our vehicle to the fullest … and there it was! All the stars aligned for this shot. A race history 550 Spyder was parked under the exact spot I was just telling Michelle about. This was a trade mag photo shoot and they were only there for 10 minutes with cameras flashing. What are the odds? The timing; on the way back from a 991 launch, etc.!

Recently started practicing Ashtanga Yoga

One of the more significant, and non-car related updates I have is starting Ashtanga yoga. In order to keep up with your need for speed, and in order to drive fast (for real) you need a strong body, and calm mind. Yoga will help you achieve this. I regret that I didn’t find yoga sooner, I knew about it instinctively since I can remember, since at least 5 yrs old, but I never found it until now. I had been doing yoga poses as a child, just for fun, without knowing what it was. And I always desired to do something exactly like yoga my entire life, and once I saw Nicki Doane do a yoga the Beginner Yoga Practice, I thought to myself, “This is the thing I knew existed and was looking for all my life, finally!!”. Nicki Doane’s video opened my eyes to Ashtanga yoga.

Always there, finally awakened

I always knew about yoga but had some pre-conceived notions of “what yoga was”, and they “kind of people that practiced yoga” based on the commercialized way it was presented to me in every day life. I thought something all wrong, and for the most part I still believe most people do it all wrong and don’t understand the true meaning and purpose of yoga. I think some people are more adept at internal arts like yoga, and this is why I do not go to a yoga school. I haven’t found the right one yet, and to be honest, for me, I have thoroughly enjoyed doing it all by myself, using a mirror, and tons of instructional videos and books. Now there are a lot of crappy books and teachers out there, and I have done extensive research to find the REAL instructors who have the capacity to understand and teach Ashtanga yoga.

I have learned over time that with anything important it is always the case that there are fake people who ruin things that are pure, real, and inspired, just as with yoga. It is the same with cars, entrepreneurship, love, the environment, and so many other things. However, I realized it’s important to look beyond all the exploitation of “real” things and understand that there is mostly crap that is commercial, and not real, that surrounds some of the most amazing, real things people can experience in life. I feel this way every time I go to most of the beaches and bodies of water here in Cali, but that is a discussion for another post .

Teachers far and wide

One of my favorite yoga teachers, whom I really consider to be “my teacher” is Esther Ekhart. She has a site called yogatic.com and she has a HUGE library of free instruction yoga videos and explanations of each pose in great detail. I have printed out many of the forms and taped them to the wall beside my mirror, because without her description of how to properly enter and exit each pose, I cannot do many of them correctly. If she can describe the poses so perfectly on her site, using words, I can’t imagine how great she would be in real life. She does not in the US though, so I will have to plan a trip to one of her retreats. I can’t wait!

Another one of my teachers, who I feel is a true inspiration to the entire yoga community, is David Swenson. He is synonymous with Ashtanga yoga, so if anyone has tried yoga or knows anything about it has probably heard of him. I bought his book and DVD on Amazon. I keep his book open as I do my beginner practice and there are pictures in it that show each pose in the series, it is a step by step guide, and it is what I use every time I practice. Although, he does describe each pose and how to get in and out of it, it is not near as detailed as Esther’s descriptions, but I find his book better for certain poses and Esther’s website better for others. His video is amazing, there is a short video in the beginning just showing him do yoga. I watch it at least once a week to get inspired. It is important to be inspired and in awe of your teacher, he really inspires me!

True inspiration

I would say the most significant aid in my yoga practice comes from a book, not an instructional video, but more of a holistic explanation of yoga from B.K.S. Iyengar, called: Light on Yoga. This book has allowed me to understand yoga, and thus practice it better. It has shaped my mind and helped me learn patience in my practice and really understand my body in a holistic sense. I feel that B.K.S. Iyengar really gets me, and I get him too. I feel connected with him and he explains life and yoga in a way that makes sense to me more than anyone ever has.I cannot say much else for this book, other than it is a MUST have for any yogi, or someone thinking about starting yoga. However, if you are kinda ditzy, and do yoga because its trendy, girly, and think yoga is jut a form of exercise or stretching, and can’t understand what an internal art is, or prana/chi is – then don’t read the book, it will be a waste of time for you.

What’s next?

I haven’t been doing yoga too long. It is a life long journey and I’ve only been at it 6 months. I am still a complete beginner, but I can’t help but imagine where I will be in 2 or 3 years with yoga. I already feel like a completely different person since I started, I am looking forward to the journey more than ever, now that I yoga. I hope some of you can be inspired by this post and try yoga for yourselves, and see if you connect with it the way I have. Only good things can come from yoga. One of my favorite quotes from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois is: “Do your practice and all is coming.”