I obtained a textual content message from somebody in Mercedes-Benz’s public relations division final week who had a tempting provide — 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 spending a dime. We already had a freelancer attending, which I made certain to say up entrance, however they nonetheless needed 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 suppose I might have been thrilled. Who wouldn’t wish to drive a free sports activities automotive for per 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 mainly a dream come true! For about so long as I’ve been within the business, although, the alternative has been the case. The precise driving expertise has at all times been pleasant, however residing with costly press vehicles day-to-day has given me anxiousness for years.
One among nowadays, possibly my therapist and I’ll make our approach 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 anxiousness, however that’s going to have to remain onto the again burner for now, partly as a result of both the GT63 mounted me, or one thing else modified my mind. Your entire time I’ve had it, I’ve simply loved driving with out even desirous about different folks. Once I drove it to the physician’s workplace, I even parked like a standard particular person within the first open house I noticed.
I additionally must make clear that I’m not mad. I needed one thing to alter. There’s nothing enjoyable about coping with anxiousness even when you already know it’s irrational, so it felt so good to only drive round and benefit from the automotive with out my mind working 1,000,000 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 answerable for my miraculous turnaround embrace the truth that it seems to be 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 could possibly 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 perfect argument, however it’s definitely not the worst one I’ve ever heard, both.
The extra I give it some thought, although, I don’t suppose 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 concept territory right here, at the least hear me out. A few month in the past, I practically suffered a grand mal seizure. I obtained to the hospital in time, and so they 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 completely different, I’d simply chalk it as much as a bizarre fluke or one thing and overlook 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 an enduring persona change, I’m definitely not going to complain about having much less anxiousness and usually feeling happier or extra constructive. When issues get wonky in folks’s brains, it looks like there’s an enormous threat they’ll find yourself turning into big assholes, so constructive modifications are greater than welcome.
After all, I’m a person of science, which implies I’ve to check this concept for myself. I’m going to should 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 per week? Not for private enjoyment, after all. Purely for science.
