Going the distance: Porsche owners and their four-wheeled loves

Love at first sight: Graham Lister

In 1977, Graham Lister flew halfway around the world to collect his first Porsche, a 911, from the factory. For his second, he stayed closer to home. “I noticed a little 356 A Coupe on a side street in Napier, New Zealand, in 1980,” he says. “I knew its owner was a fellow Porsche Club member, so I asked him, ‘if you ever decide to sell it, please would you consider selling it to me’?”

Five years later, in 1985, the phone rang unexpectedly and Graham, now 83, has owned the car ever since. “It was built in 1958 and it’s had a few interesting owners along the way, including the three-time NZ Motor Racing Champion and motorsport legend of his time, Paul Fahey, who had the car in the early 1960s,” he says.

In 1986, Graham began a ground-up restoration, before entering the 356 into various concours events – winning several prestigious titles. He then turned to touring throughout New Zealand and Australia, accumulating many miles and friends.

“It’s still going strong and now showing more than 160,000 miles [257,495 km] on the clock,” he says. “And it still turns heads! But at my age, the time is fast approaching that I’ll have to part with it. And as I have four grandchildren, I cannot favour just one, so it will be sold to another enthusiastic custodian here in New Zealand.”

Legacy on wheels: Werner Kieninger

Werner Kieninger’s 911 G-Series has driven the equivalent of more than 15 times around the equator, and it’s still going strong with 630,000 km on the clock.

A large part of the mileage can be attributed to the previous owner, the president of Werner’s local Porsche club, who bought the car in 1982 and used it every day on his travels as a sales rep. When he passed away, his wife wanted the car to go to someone who would love it just as much. That person was Werner.

“I had known the 911 for a long time before I bought it,” says the German enthusiast. “I often saw it driving around my hometown Zenting, and I could never have imagined that I would one day be driving it.” Now, the G-Series is Werner’s daily driver.

“To honour the memory of my former club president and his car, I haven’t changed anything,” he says. “It still has the same license plate, and all the emblems and badges. Who knows, maybe we will reach a million kilometres. It’s incredible how reliable this car is. I probably won't make it, but my son might – he’s 11 years old and says he would love to drive it one day.”

Teenage kicks: Susan Brandon

Susan Brandon’s sky-blue Porsche 356 has been a family fixture for more than half a century. “My father Joseph bought it in 1973, it came to me in 2007 and my daughter Catherine will inherit it next,” she explains. “We take it to the mountains together once a month – it’s our mother-daughter bonding time.”

The car – her father’s daily driver for more than 20 years – is also a way for Susan to remember him. “When I see it and drive it, I think of him,” she says. “I just cherish the memories, and the crazy times when I was driving it but wasn’t supposed to be …”

Like the times when her parents went on vacation, leaving the 16-year-old with the Porsche keys in case of an emergency. “One day when they were away, my brother saw me getting into the car and said ‘you know, dad keeps track of the mileage’. But that was easy to fix … so I took off to the mountains around San Diego.”

“I forgot to push the seat back a few times,” she smiles. “Dad must have known, but never said anything.” And the plan for the rest of the car’s days? “To never let it go!” says Susan. “It’s covered 338,000 miles now, though a few thousand miles disappeared somewhere between my childhood home and those mountains…”

The one and only: James Lindsay

The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 was a car of firsts. The first 911 to wear the Carrera name. And the first Porsche to be christened ‘RS’. For the Lindsay family, the firsts went even further. “Our RS 2.7 was actually the very first one in the UK,” says James.

Brought to the UK in 1973 as a demonstrator, it was soon scrambled into racing duty in that year’s STP Production Sportscar Championship – after the actual racing car didn’t arrive in time. “Nick Faure drove the car up to Croft, won the race, then drove it home.” 

Back in road spec, the car was bought by James’s father in the early 1970s. “I remember him driving it to race on the frozen lake in St Moritz,” says James, who inherited the car in 1986.

He then fitted a louder exhaust, and drove it to the south of France and back. Quickly reverting to the standard exhaust – “It was too noisy!” – he continued to rack up the miles for more than 30 years before passing it on to his son, Luke.

“Hopefully Luke will drive the car as much as I have,” says James. “It’s never let me down. I’ve always maintained it but never over-restored it. Gaffer tape covers the seat vinyl where it’s split in a couple of places.”

The romance of the road: Richard Raimist

When Richard Raimist bought his new Porsche at the age of 20, it was a dream come true. Now, 52 years later, he’s still living it. “I was living in Los Angeles at the time and seeing 356s and 911s driving around the streets really fired up my passion for Porsche,” he says. “I needed to have one, so in 1973 I bought my first Porsche – a 911 T Targa in Sepia Brown. More than half a century later, and here we are!”

Those 52 years have been packed with memorable moments. “My long drives through the winding canyon roads with other 911 owners were always special,” says Richard. Then there was the early morning drive, on a date, which almost ended in disaster. “We hit a deer on Mulholland Drive – it dented the hood but thankfully ran away and we made it home safely.”

In 1991 the car had a makeover, including a set of OEM steel ’73 RS flares, an updated engine and a fresh coat of Sepia Brown paint. In this lightly modified spec it won several awards, including a class victory at the 2024 Amelia Island Porsche Werks Reunion.

Over the years Richard’s passion for Porsche cars continued, and he even raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona in his factory 964 911 RSR. Now living in Florida, his garage also includes a 2023 911 Targa 4 GTS to match his 1973 original, and a 2024 718 Spyder RS. Both in Sepia Brown, of course.

Best friends forever: the Guzman brothers

Porsche has always been a passion for the Guzman brothers, Juan Pablo and Francisco, since their father, a Volkswagen dealer, imported a 1965 356 SC Coupe – one of just a few in Mexico at the time. Over the years, the brothers have assembled impressive Porsche collections of their own.

But which ones stand out? “For me it’s my 356 B Carrera 2 Coupe,” says 65-year-old Francisco. “I wanted this car since I was a youngster. I eventually found one in Japan, but it took me four years to convince the owner to sell it to me! I’ve now had it for 42 years.”

Francisco is also a racer and has entered the famously treacherous Carrera Panamericana road race many times – including once with his wife. “She’ll never do it again!” he smiles. His older brother, 70-year-old Juan Pablo, prefers a more comfortable pace, but still loves a road trip – using his new 911 Turbo to drive to Acapulco on weekends. The car marks his 26th Porsche, in a love affair with the brand that has lasted 55 years – so far.

They might drive differently, but their love of Porsche is unanimous. In 1989, Francisco founded the Porsche Club Mexico, while Juan Pablo is the club’s current president. “It’s my baby!” says Francisco. Juan-Pablo is equally enthusiastic. “It changed my life,” he explains. “Every two weeks we go for a drive, surrounded by friends and Porsche cars. It’s beautiful.”