I bought a textual content message from somebody in Mercedes-Benz’s public relations division final week who had a tempting provide — If I’d be prepared to drive to Braselton, Georgia, for Petit Le Mans, they’d ship a automotive for me to drive and get me in without spending a dime. We already had a freelancer attending, which I made certain to say up entrance, however they nonetheless wished 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 assume I’d have been thrilled. Who wouldn’t need to drive a free sports activities automotive for every week, particularly one with 577 horsepower, 590 pound-feet of torque and sufficient choices to drive the $175,900 base worth as much as $209,310? That’s principally a dream come true! For about so long as I’ve been within the trade, although, the alternative has been the case. The precise driving expertise has at all times been gratifying, however residing with costly press vehicles day-to-day has given me nervousness for years.
One among nowadays, possibly my therapist and I’ll make our method by way of all of the extra critical issues in my life and get round to determining why being seen getting out of an costly automotive 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 fastened me, or one thing else modified my mind. The whole time I’ve had it, I’ve simply loved driving with out even fascinated about different folks. After I drove it to the physician’s workplace, I even parked like a traditional individual within the first open area I noticed.
I additionally must make clear that I’m not mad. I wished one thing to vary. There’s nothing enjoyable about coping with nervousness even when you already know it’s irrational, so it felt so good to simply drive round and benefit from the automotive with out my mind operating one million 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 accountable 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 possibly can 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 assume 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 idea territory right here, no less than hear me out. A few month in the past, I almost suffered a grand mal seizure. I bought to the hospital in time, and so they have been capable of cease it, however I can formally say it was Not Enjoyable. Don’t suggest. 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 completely different, I’d simply chalk it as much as a bizarre fluke or one thing and neglect 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 completely different. And if there actually is a long-lasting character 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 folks’s brains, it appears like there’s an enormous threat they’ll find yourself turning into big assholes, so optimistic modifications are greater than welcome.
After all, I’m a person of science, which implies I’ve to check this idea 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 percentages they’d be prepared to mail an MC20 to Georgia so I can drive it for every week? Not for private enjoyment, after all. Purely for science.
