A cold, blustery day in early December. I'm standing next to my car alongside nine other 'impact-bumper' 911s gathered together here at the soon-to-be-closed QinetiQ test track facility at Chobham in Surrey. Around the track below us I can hear, but not see, Porsche Cayennes, Toyotas and other cars being put through their paces. Meanwhile, it's freezing - absolutely freezing. But the warm glow from the ten 911s parked high above the test track helps keep the cold away.
An email from John Glynn, only ten days earlier, asking if we'd like to take part, and here we all are. John walks along the line of 911s, chatting to their owners as everybody looks at, and talks excitedly about, the cars. I've been on the road since 5.15am, through the frenzied Monday morning rush down the M40 into London, to get to the south of the capital in time for the 9.00am start. It's a pig of a time to be travelling around the M25, too, but who could miss an opportunity like this? The chance to show off your car in the UK's top Porsche magazine, to see some truly gorgeous IB 911s and to have your wundermaschine photographed by two of the UK's best motoring 'snappers'.
It's going to be a long day, longer than I anticipated. First up, each of the 911s is photographed individually against the brooding December skies, their drivers waiting icily for their turn as Antony Fraser meticulously positions each car beneath his high power lighting equipment. Meanwhile, colleague and brother, Brett, works his way around the remaining 911s to take 'detail' shots. It's getting even colder, but the sight of the lovely Orange 2.7 911S and the Yellow 2.7 Carrera is enough to keep everybody's spirits warm (although the occasional retreat to what would normally be my chilly Targa helps provide some additional relief from the weather for this particular wimp).
At last, all the cars are done and it's time to descend - and I mean DESCEND - down the mega-steep incline from our elevated position to the track below. I'm the first car down, a hundred yards' worth of near vertical drop in 1st gear to the assembly area where phase 2 begins - the mighty task of gathering all the Porsches together for a series of group cover and centre-spread photos. Antony and Brett begin the delicate job of positioning each of the cars for the photos - delicate because the cars have to be positioned just right to get them all in shot. It's unspoken of course, but everyone would dearly love their car to be at, or near to, the front for the shots. There are no upset feelings, though, and I for one am pleased to have my car nicely visible at the back when the pictures are finally taken.
By now it's way past midday and I'm glad I brought that flask of warm coffee, although it's less exposed to the bitter wind down here. Just when thoughts are turning to saying goodbyes and the long trek home, Antony announces that it's time for some action shots. Cool - although we're going to be around a bit longer it'll be worth the frozen wait. First off, the 2.7, Carrera and Speedster make a series of runs past Antony and Brett, their cameras manically firing off salvos of shots as the cars go by, one by one. As well as their owners, JG also drives each of the cars in turn to get a feel for the different models before he puts pen to paper for the article.
Next it's my turn - I've explained to Antony that I need to get back to Birmingham for family reasons so he re-schedules the 'soft tops' for some dual track work. I join John and his SC Cab on the track where we are instructed to drive closely side-by-side behind Anthony and Brett in their Audi estate. It's a marvellous experience for anyone who's not done it before - zooming around a private test track in a 911 next to a motoring journalist being photographed by a guy hanging out the back of a car! We do a couple of circuits and it's over all too quickly. I wonder if the shots will come out okay and whether they'll feature in the article.
It's time for me to go now, but before I leave I ask JG if he'd like to give my C3 a spin 'for research purposes'. John owns a C3 himself so I'm not sure if he needs to, but he jumps at the chance. I quickly remember my camcorder in the boot and ask him if I can film a couple of his sprints. 'No problem buddy'. John whizzes off in the Targa. By the time I catch up with him he's on his second or third run but there's still time to film three more. The car looks wonderful, its silver paintwork glistening in the winter sunshine as the clouds scuttle by overhead. John lets it rip, the engine noise, poetic and raucous at the same time, screaming out as the car tears down the strip. John flashes the headlights as he returns for the last time (the kids are going to love watching that bit on the video) and he pulls in next to me. 'What d'you think?' I ask tentatively. John's face lights up. 'Fantastic' he says.
It's been a good day.
Photography: Antony and Brett Fraser, John Glynn, Jack Wilson