I received a textual content message from somebody in Mercedes-Benz’s public relations division final week who had a tempting supply — If I’d be prepared to drive to Braselton, Georgia, for Petit Le Mans, they’d ship a automobile for me to drive and get me in at no cost. We already had a freelancer attending, which I made positive to say up entrance, however they nonetheless needed me to come back anyway. On Friday afternoon, a driver confirmed up with the keys to a Starling Blue Magno Mercedes-AMG GT63 Coupe.
You’d suppose I’d have been thrilled. Who wouldn’t wish to drive a free sports activities automobile for every week, particularly one with 577 horsepower, 590 pound-feet of torque and sufficient choices to drive the $175,900 base value as much as $209,310? That’s mainly a dream come true! For about so long as I’ve been within the business, although, the other has been the case. The precise driving expertise has at all times been fulfilling, however residing with costly press automobiles day-to-day has given me nervousness for years.
One in all as of late, perhaps my therapist and I’ll make our approach by way of all of the extra severe issues in my life and get round to determining why being seen getting out of an costly automobile gave me nervousness, however that’s going to have to remain onto the again burner for now, partly as a result of both the GT63 mounted me, or one thing else modified my mind. The complete time I’ve had it, I’ve simply loved driving with out even serious about different individuals. After I drove it to the physician’s workplace, I even parked like a standard individual within the first open house I noticed.
I additionally have to make clear that I’m not mad. I needed one thing to vary. There’s nothing enjoyable about coping with nervousness even when it’s irrational, so it felt so good to simply drive round and benefit from the automobile with out my mind operating 1,000,000 miles a minute. Nevertheless, that raises the query — Did the GT63 repair me, or did one thing else change my mind?
Arguments in favor of the AMG being answerable for my miraculous turnaround embody the truth that it seems to be incredible, the paint makes it look even higher and there’s nothing a V8 with greater than 500 horsepower can’t repair. I assume you would additionally argue that it’s only a Mercedes, and the model doesn’t carry fairly the identical stage of status that Porsche and extra unique coupes command. It’s in all probability not the perfect argument, nevertheless it’s actually not the worst one I’ve ever heard, both.
The extra I give it some thought, although, I don’t suppose the AMG mounted me. As an alternative, I’m satisfied one thing actually modified my mind, and whereas I do know we’re bordering on conspiracy principle territory right here, a minimum of hear me out. A few month in the past, I practically suffered a grand mal seizure. I received to the hospital in time, they usually have been capable of cease it, however I can formally say it was Not Enjoyable. Don’t advocate. Zero out of 10 (two out of 10 after they pumped me full of medicine, and I didn’t die), wouldn’t purchase once more.
If that have been the one factor that felt totally different, I’d simply chalk it as much as a bizarre fluke or one thing and overlook about it. That’s, uh, decidedly not the case. It’s not like I utterly modified who I’m, and don’t fear, I nonetheless maintain all the identical 100-percent right opinions, however loads of issues nonetheless really feel totally different. And if there actually is a long-lasting persona change, I’m actually not going to complain about having much less nervousness and usually feeling happier or extra optimistic. When issues get wonky in individuals’s brains, it seems like there’s an enormous threat they’ll find yourself turning into big assholes, so optimistic modifications are greater than welcome.
In fact, I’m a person of science, which implies I’ve to check this principle for myself. I’m going to need to discover a press mortgage that prices greater than the AMG and see how I really feel. Ferrari nonetheless hasn’t forgiven us, however I don’t keep in mind doing something to upset Maserati too badly. What are the chances they’d be prepared to mail an MC20 to Georgia so I can drive it for every week? Not for private enjoyment, in fact. Purely for science.
