I acquired a textual content message from somebody in Mercedes-Benz’s public relations division final week who had a tempting supply — If I’d be keen to drive to Braselton, Georgia, for Petit Le Mans, they might 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 return anyway. On Friday afternoon, a driver confirmed up with the keys to a Starling Blue Magno Mercedes-AMG GT63 Coupe.
You’d suppose I might 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 trade, although, the other has been the case. The precise driving expertise has at all times been gratifying, however dwelling with costly press vehicles day-to-day has given me nervousness for years.
One in every of nowadays, possibly my therapist and I’ll make our method by 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, partially as a result of both the GT63 fastened me, or one thing else modified my mind. Your complete time I’ve had it, I’ve simply loved driving with out even excited about different individuals. Once I drove it to the physician’s workplace, I even parked like a standard particular person within the first open area 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 you understand it’s irrational, so it felt so good to only drive round and benefit from the automobile with out my mind operating one million miles a minute. Nonetheless, 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 unbelievable, the paint makes it look even higher and there’s nothing a V8 with greater than 500 horsepower can’t repair. I suppose you could possibly 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 most likely 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 fastened me. As an alternative, I’m satisfied one thing actually modified my mind, and whereas I do know we’re bordering on conspiracy concept territory right here, a minimum of hear me out. A few month in the past, I practically suffered a grand mal seizure. I acquired to the hospital in time, and so they have been in a position to 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 medication, 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 appropriate opinions, however loads of issues nonetheless really feel totally different. And if there actually is a long-lasting character change, I’m actually not going to complain about having much less nervousness and customarily feeling happier or extra optimistic. When issues get wonky in individuals’s brains, it appears like there’s an enormous threat they’ll find yourself turning into large assholes, so optimistic modifications are greater than welcome.
After all, I’m a person of science, which suggests I’ve to check this concept for myself. I’m going to should 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 bear in mind doing something to upset Maserati too badly. What are the chances they’d be keen to mail an MC20 to Georgia so I can drive it for every week? Not for private enjoyment, in fact. Purely for science.
