I bought 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’d ship a automotive for me to drive and get me in without cost. 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 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 alternative has been the case. The precise driving expertise has all the time been satisfying, however dwelling with costly press vehicles day-to-day has given me nervousness for years.
One among as of late, possibly my therapist and I’ll make our method 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 automotive 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 mounted me, or one thing else modified my mind. Your complete time I’ve had it, I’ve simply loved driving with out even enthusiastic about different folks. 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 wished one thing to alter. There’s nothing enjoyable about coping with nervousness even when you realize it’s irrational, so it felt so good to simply drive round and benefit from the automotive with out my mind operating 1,000,000 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 chargeable for my miraculous turnaround embody the truth that it appears to be like 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 possibly can additionally argue that it’s only a Mercedes, and the model doesn’t carry fairly the identical degree of status that Porsche and extra unique coupes command. It’s in all probability not the very best argument, nevertheless it’s definitely not the worst one I’ve ever heard, both.
The extra I give it some thought, although, I don’t assume 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 idea territory right here, at the very least hear me out. A couple of month in the past, I almost suffered a grand mal seizure. I bought to the hospital in time, they usually 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 medicine, and I didn’t die), wouldn’t purchase once more.
If that have been the one factor that felt totally different, I would 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 right opinions, however loads of issues nonetheless really feel totally different. And if there actually is a long-lasting persona change, I’m definitely not going to complain about having much less nervousness and customarily 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 changing into big assholes, so optimistic adjustments are greater than welcome.
In fact, I’m a person of science, which suggests 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 keen to mail an MC20 to Georgia so I can drive it for every week? Not for private enjoyment, after all. Purely for science.
