Porsches on tour along the port area of Saint-Cyprien, France. Front: Cayman (987).
Porsche Club Roussillon organized its Rallye Tramontagne (named after a mountain wind). The rally is a joint excursion along mountain roads in the Pyrenees and the beautiful coastal landscape of the Côte Vermeille.
What would you do if you had a Porsche?
Drive, of course! Feel the forces, hear the sounds as the landscape rushes by. Now, before the joint holiday has started, you can get there quite quickly along the southern European motorways. I was present when 150 Porsches from all over France, Monaco, Belgium, Spain and Germany gathered in Roussillon in the south-west of France towards Spain.
Rally Tra'montagne
Porsche Club Roussillon organized its Rally Tramontagne (named after a mountain wind). The rally is a joint excursion along beautiful mountain roads in the Pyrenees, as well as the coastal landscape of the Côte Vermeille. These are country roads that are shaped according to the landscape - so-called B-roads where there is not too much traffic. The arrangement included attendance on Friday evening, an excursion on Saturday, and finally a line-up in the tourist town of Saint-Cyprien with a parade around the harbor area. Sunday was the day when the public could view the cars. The pictures are from Sunday's event of the Rallye Tramontagne.
Cayman and Boxster
I observed the 911 in different generations and variants, as well as various Boxster/Cayman. The small Porsches seem to be more popular in Southern Europe than in Norway. The Boxster and Cayman don't have air-cooled engines and don't have the "proper" Porsche sound when you shift, but the engine placement is technically mid-mounted - moved in front of the rear axle - which provides a better starting point for building a harmonious sports car than the 911's rear engine. The models in the latest Cayman/Boxster series – the 718 – are very nice.
If you own a Porsche and are near the Mediterranean, just keep an eye on French Porsche clubs, because I think for sure the Rallye Tramontagne will be organized next year as well.
PHOTOS
Porsche 911 Carrera (997).Porsche Cayman 981New Porsche 718 Boxster S pursued by a 911.The interior of a newer Porsche 911 (991) Carrera Cabriolet.A true worst, – Porsche GT3 RS in a rather tough color combination.Porsche Cayman S (987) and a 911 Turbo Targa in the background.Porsche 911 Carrera (991).Closest, Porsche 911 (991) Carrera Cabriolet next to a Boxster (981).On the way in. From the rear, Porsche Cayman S (981), Boxster S (987) and two 911 Carreras.
Alvis is a car that you like to find in Kensington - or, as here, in Frogner.
Kensington in London and Frogner in Oslo have several similarities.
Quiet residential areas close to the city center that attract people with good incomes. Both areas were developed in the era before mass motoring, so that almost everyone has to park along the street. You don't have to walk far to spot a Porsche, BMW M series or classic vintage car. This year's cold Easter did not tempt anyone to take out the vintage car yet. At Skillebekk I found a stately Alvis TD21 Drophead Coupé. Large British car with a 3 liter inline six. There are cars that can safely be characterized as a gentleman's car and are mentioned in the same breath as Jaguar and Bentley. Only Anglophile car enthusiasts here at home know about the brand. As far as I know, no importation of Alvis into Norway was ever established.
Drammensveien 66, was built around 1890 - a small, exclusive block of flats on 4 floors with only one apartment on each floor. The architect was Henry Bucher and the builder was a consortium of 3 gentlemen.
991, please
I find several Porsche 911s in the streets. I feel slightly blasé. It is difficult to decide which 911 I should photograph. At the housing estate on lower Gimle, I found a 911 from the last generation (991) that came in 2012. Well, a 991.1 – not the very latest, 991.2, – although there is little difference in appearance between the two. Porsche, with the internal designation 991, is built on a completely new platform compared to previous models (997). With a longer wheelbase, it looks significantly better with larger wheels than its older brothers. You don't think about it until you've seen several Porsches. At Frogner you can.
To the left we see Sophus Lies gate 4-6, semi-detached house, designed by municipal architect Messel and built in 1915. To the right Gimle terrace 2-8, also semi-detached houses. The building was designed by the architectural firm Hals, Harald & Øue, who were also the builders in 1914.
I choose something in orange
I am photographing an orange Audi TT S. Orange, yellow and red cars stand out among today's gray tones. In the TT S version, more power is extracted from the 2,0 TFSI engine. 272 HP and 350 Nm from 2500 rpm means that the Golf-based car can live up to its fresh image. Frogner appeals not only to rich people, but also to artists, actors and artists - people who stand out as individualists. I wonder if you find a higher proportion of orange, yellow and red cars in Frogner than elsewhere in the country?
Frederik Stangs gate 33, almost right up by Bygdøy allé and Gimle Kino was formerly one of Oslo's many boarding houses. Today, probably converted to dormitories.
A rare find
That people at Frogner are more concerned with aesthetics and artistic values is evident when I pass a Citroën CX. A CX with plates is almost impossible to get hold of today, even in Citroën's homeland, France. I know because I have been on the lookout several times. This is one of the last, - a CX 25 GTI. It has conventional round instrument bells, but hydropneumatic suspension. A real Citroën. It's amazing to think that this great design dates back to the early 70s.
The Red Cross Clinic in Fredrik Stangs gate 11-13 was designed by Morgenstierne & Eide and has been in use since 1918.The architects Morgenstierne & Eide also designed the Hotel Gabelshus just below.
The Porsche 911 has a distinctive, somewhat strict design
I notice how well the simple and stylish design fits the strict architecture of Frogner. The buildings from the 20s and 30s are free of the decorations and extravagance that were around the turn of the century. The silhouette of the 911 is also free of frills, if you ignore the painted brake calipers. Although, they signal function and not decoration, right? German-inspired architecture from the interwar period fits well as a background for this beautiful 911 (also a 991.1). Incidentally, the background would have suited a black original Volkswagen with a split rear window, too.
The housing complex on the corner of Gabels gate and Thomas Heftyes gate was designed by Adolf Jensen and completed in 1923-25. The architecture is kept in a fairly strict Central European style.
So if you don't have time to go to Kensington to look at great cars and architecture, you can just go to Frogner 🙂
