When someone says “age is just a number” they’re usually being positive about making the most of one’s retirement years, but in the case of Chloe Chambers, a talented young kart racer from New York, the feel-good story is in her lack of years.
Competitively driving karts since the tender age of 11, the now experienced 16-year old moved up from open-wheel racing to a luxury-lined production Porsche 718 Spyder in order to take on the Guinness World Record for quickest slalom time.
The number worth remembering in this instance is 47.45 seconds, or 0.66 if you’re wanting to count the difference between her time and how long it took the previous record-holder, China’s Jia Qiang, to snake through 50 cones at the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro two years ago.
“It looks easy, but it’s really not – to weave between 50 cones as fast as possible, trying to beat a record time and knowing I couldn’t touch a single one for the run to count – I definitely felt the pressure,” stated Chambers. “Everything came together on my final run; the car worked beautifully and I found the grip I needed. Thank you to my family and to Porsche for supporting and believing in me.”
Another number that stands out is the 718 Spyder’s 414 horsepower, this impressive total the result of a specially tuned, horizontally opposed 4.0-litre six-cylinder “boxer” that redlines at 7,600 rpm. Combined solely with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 718 Spyder shares its powertrain and underpinnings with the 718 Cayman GT4, both of which feature Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with adaptive dampers, helper springs on the rear axle, and 30 millimeters (1.18 inches) shaved off the regular 718 models’ ride heights. With an engine mounted just in front of the rear axle for near perfect front-to-back weight distribution, all Porsche 718s provide superb road-holding performance.
“We couldn’t be more proud that Chloe set the record,” commented Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “From the whole Porsche family, we send our heartfelt congratulations – we’re pleased to have been able to support Chloe with her ambitious record attempt and share her relief that it was successful.”
Take note that Porsche is offering factory leasing and financing rates from zero percent on the 2020 718 Spyder, 2020 718 Boxster and 2020 718 Cayman (the latter including the GT4). Be sure to visit each model’s price page to learn more, and don’t forget that a CarCostCanada membership will not only provide available financing and leasing info, but information about rebates and all-important dealer invoice pricing, which could save you thousands on your new vehicle purchase. Also, download our free CarCostCanada app from the Apple Store or Google Store, so you can have all of our money-saving info at your fingertips when you need it most.
Story credit: Trevor Hofmann
Photo credits: Porsche