The Way She Goes To School

Doing the school run in an ever-changing lineup of cars can be exciting for her daughter, but a reality check is in order.

FOR most parents and their children, the daily school run is a routine aff air that runs like clockwork – same time, same place, same car. My child’s school run is no diff erent, except the car bit. She gets picked up in a diff erent car every so often that I notice quizzical looks from some parents. They do not know that these are cars I’m test-driving.

My daughter was one of two lucky young participants who won a crossword puzzle contest at the recent Porsche Circuit event held to mark SG50 and the 30th anniversary of Stuttgart Auto. The prize was a special opportunity to be ferried to and from school in a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, with a Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racer behind the wheel – Ro Charlz Skyangel.

While it wasn’t the swankiest car that she has ever been picked up in (that would be the Rolls- Royce Wraith last October), it was definitely the coolest – car and driver combined. When Charlz dropped her back home after school that afternoon, I thanked him profusely for being such a good sport in entertaining the little one. He said that they had a wonderful time in the coupe, singing along to Frozen and Taylor Swift tracks. Then my daughter whispered to me, with that cute smugness all five-yearolds possess: “Uncle Charlz only knows how to sing the ‘let it go’ part, but I taught him the rest of the words.”

Porsche’s special school run had a racing driver in a racy 911.

This experience was a first, not just for my daughter but for Charlz, too, I’m sure. Sometimes, after switching back to my regular ride after consecutive test-drive cars, my daughter expressed disappointment as to why it wasn’t a diff erent car that day. Despite the innocence of her reaction, my husband and I have discussed how growing up in a car-crazy environment will aff ect her.

She assumes that cars, like toys, are a part of everyday life. And just as she gets to choose an extra-special toy for her birthday and at Christmas, the day may come when she picks out her dream car and tells us, matter-of-factly, “I already chose what car I want”, and expects it to pull up in front of her.

Lynn reckons that the eventual chat with her daughter about the birds and the bees has to include additional info about test cars and bhp.