One of the great things about the Porsche 911 is its range of personalities across models and vintages. Virtually the same car can be a peppy, lightweight runabout, a fire-breathing turbocharged track monster, a sporty 4-wheel drive grand tourer, and any number of things in between. For Lou Pomerico of New Castle, Pennsylvania, his 911 Carrera Cabriolet is a passport to top-down B-road adventure.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your Carrera?
A: My friend bought this car in 1986 in Germany along with 2 Mercedes 450 SLs for two clients. The car was fully legalized in Florida at a $5000 cost. He drove it until the year 2000.
Q: How did you come to buy the Carrera?
A: On fiftieth birthday in 2000, my wife bought this car from my friend with 40,000 miles on it.
Q: Do you get many chances to take it out with the top down?
A: I put 3000 to 5000 miles on it per year and 90% of the time is with the top down. It’s a summer car, and when the weather is good I always drive it.
Q: Do you own any other Porsches?
A: Not at the moment, but I used to have a 1974 911 Targa 2.7T and traded it for some stock in a business I created with a friend. I loved that car, and had it restored from the ground up, down to the body shell. That car’s in California now.
Q: These things have a certain reputation for being tail-happy. Has that ever presented itself to you?
A: The car drives great! I love it. It’s a lot faster than my old Targa, and early on I was afraid to drive the car hard into the bends. However, with experience, I accelerate into bends and it’s never broken loose. The wider rear tires give it tremendous traction.
Q: What’s your perfect drive for this car?
A: Pennsylvania roads in the spring, summer, and fall. I love fall driving because the weather is cool and the car just purrs.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: Owning a Porsche convertible has been incredibly fun and enjoyable. If you like speed, freedom, and handling, buy a Porsche.
Photography by Kyle Eagleton
