Lust for power

Over the past century, most car-owners have valued their vehicles simply for the ability to get from point A to point B. However, there has always been a breed of car-owner who revels in a feeling of raw power. For this group, driving a superpowerful car is like taming a wild horse.

And Akkaporn Vichitranon, managing director of K&A Legal, is one of them. He says he likes cars with a harsh ride because he feels like a cowboy mounting a wild horse, compelling it to take him to work.

"Cars, like horses, have high performance and are able to move forward immediately. When I accelerate my Porsche 911 Turbo S to 3,000rpm, its speed pushes me back into the seat. I can drive at 285kph on the freeway, and that's as fast as I can go," he says.

The Porsche 911 Turbo S, made in 1993, is powered by a 3.3-litre engine. Akkaporn has owned four supercars, and the 911 Turbo S is his favourite.

"Earlier, I owned a [Porsche] Carrera 944 non-turbo and a 944 turbo, as well as a Lamborghini. The Lamborghini was difficult to drive, because it was too low. The Porsche is easier; it's made for driving, and I can drive it every day. It can also change its driving mood quickly if I want to overtake another car," he says.

"The Porsche 911 Turbo S delivers a raw feeling when its turbo boost functions. It's unlike new turbo models, like the Mercedes-Benz 996 and 997 Turbo, which are water-cooled and have a comfortable-driving feeling.

"My car is air-cooled. It likes cool days or the moment after rain stops falling. In these conditions, it can be driven at full capacity. I changed to a larger-sized turbo and exhaust system, so it can pump out 360 horsepower. It drives very well on straight roads but is a little bit inferior in corners, because the turbo needs time to function. You have to drive in a 'slow in, fast out' [cornering] style and avoid braking, or you may lose control."

Akkaporn says he practises his driving skills through the curves at Bira Circuit.

"As I said earlier, turbo cars don't like hot weather. In hot conditions, they can lose 10 per cent of their power, or 40hp will disappear. I heard someone compare cars to football players: they show their best performance in cool weather and underperform in the heat, even though they sleep and eat well," he says.

Akkaporn says fuel also has a big impact on his car's performance.

Unleaded octane-95 petrol available at retail stations in Thailand does not have a high-enough octane rating, and high-performance cars always underperform when they are taken upcountry, where they must depend on ordinary retail grades of fuel, he says.

"When I go upcountry, I take an octane booster to blend into the fuel. Turbo cars deliver their best performance when they use octane-100 fuel, which is the same as what they use in racing cars, aeroplanes and speedboats. It can be bought at a petrol station on Phetchaburi Road, and PTT produces it for sale," Akkaporn says.

However, he warns that turbo cars that use 100-octane fuel must not be equipped with platinum spark plugs, oxygen sensors, or catalytic converters.

"If a car is equipped with platinum spark plugs, the plugs will not function. Oxygen sensors will break down and catalytic converters will be damaged," he says.

Thanadol Rila

The Nation

Ultimate in Luxury

The Luxury LS 460 is a wonderfully comfaortable car fitted with all mod cons, althoough not necessarily the most fun vehicle to drive.