Korbinian Engstler and his Porsche – “I want to enjoy the moment!”

Korbinian Engstler does things on his mountain bike that very few people would dare to do: He boards down ski slopes on his rear wheel, makes daring jumps of more than ten meters or rides at an insane speed from a picturesque summit down to the valley. The 26-year-old skillfully stages all of this and shares his adventures with the cycling world via Instagram. Over the last five years, the mountain biker has turned his hobby into his profession. Now more and more often accompanied by his red 911 Carrera 3.2.

From industrial clerk to content creator on two wheels

“I’m not a professional, I don’t race, I just want to have a good time”. That’s the way, Korbinian Engstler sums up his life today. Five years ago, he took the step of becoming self-employed with his hobby. Today, he is one of the best-known content creators in the mountainbike sector. But how did this come about?

“I had promised my parents that I would do my A-levels and an apprenticeship. So after school, I did an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at Edelrid, a manufacturer of climbing equipment”, recalls the former office worker. “I was still racing bikes as a teenager. My father drove me to the races and it went well. But despite the successes, I realized that it wasn’t my passion.”

I would never have thought that this would become my job!

Korbinian Engstler

Instead of participating in MTB races, Korbinian Engstler saved every penny during his training. He used it to finance a six-week trip to Canada after graduating. “I could have continued working at the company after my apprenticeship, but I turned it down. Instead, I flew to Canada with my best friend and cycled there for six weeks. The highlight was a 14-metre jump over a railroad line.” The videos they produced together went viral shortly afterwards and the fun turned into a career. “I would never have thought that this would become my job!”

As a child Korbinian Engstler already fell in love with a Porsche 944

Korbinian’s passion for cars began early on. “There was always a certain interest in cars in my family. My father liked Porsches, but that was a bit too far away financially. Nevertheless, he and my grandpa always had cool cars, for example one of the first Chevy Blazer pick-ups in Germany, or a Citroën 2CV”, recalls the mountain biker. “But there was a car in a neighbor’s yard that really got me as a child – a Porsche 944. The folding headlights were the coolest thing ever. Back then, I thought to myself: I’ll drive a car like that one day!”

Korbinian Engstler realized this dream in 2021: “I found a silver Porsche 944 in Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich. I quickly came to an agreement with the seller – a professor of economics. We still message back and forth about the car from time to time”, says Korbi happily. For him, however, the transaxle Porsche was not a garage queen, but a real everyday companion. “I regularly took the mountain bike on the roof rack to the surrounding bike parks or into the mountains”, Korbinian tells me with a smile.

I would like to know how the cycling community reacted to Korbinian showing up in a Porsche. “To be honest, I was a bit worried about that at first. Especially in the bike scene, most people are on the road in a van. But everyone loved the 944 – it’s an achievable dream car, so to speak!”

Why a classic car is more than just a means of transportation

Korbinian is not looking for the perfect line – neither on the bike nor on the road. It’s about experiencing, not optimizing. “I don’t really like driving a manual, I want to enjoy the moment. The sound, the feeling, the landscape – that’s what counts”, says the Allgäu native. That’s why the 3-speed automatic transmission in his 944, which is often spurned, came in handy. Especially as he is fascinated by something completely different from the 944’s performance. “The design and the pop-up headlights make it totally cool. And if you don’t know anything about cars, you won’t immediately identify it as a Porsche.”

I also like new cars, but when I sit down in an old Porsche, I think to myself “That’s even more awesome”! I immediately feel that special charm.

Korbinian Engstler

The 26-year-old experienced numerous adventures in his 944 – without any fear of patina or damage. “Sometimes I just drove out of the village in the 944 and practiced a bit of drifting on dirt tracks.” This also explains Korbinian’s penchant for a certain type of conversion: “I think a 944 Safari would be totally awesome. Driving off-road in a car like that is just cool!”

First 944, then 911 – Korbinian Engstler’s new classic is a Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2

Almost four years later, Korbinian passed the 944 on to his best friend. An opportunity arose that he didn’t want to miss. “A friend wanted to switch to a camper and had a red G-Model for sale, a 911 Carrera 3.2. Guards Red wasn’t actually my first choice, but I sat in it and immediately realized that it’s a match”, Korbinian recalls the special day.

“With the 915 gearbox in particular, everything is so old-school and raw – I really like that about the car”. Korbinian most enjoys to drive along with his girlfriend Charlotte. “Charlotte even learned to drive in the car. She now starts better in it than I do! The best time is when we drive to Lake Constance towards the sunset, for example. The radio is broken anyway, so you can only hear and enjoy the sound of the engine. Those are the best vibes for me.”

To most of my generation, a “cool car” seems not to be as big of a deal as it was for our parents.

Korbinian Engstler

Nevertheless, he sometimes misses the 944. “I was driving a 944 Turbo S the other day and wondered if I wasn’t more of a 944 guy in general. It just flies a little bit under the radar. With a 911, everyone knows what it is straight away”, the young Porsche driver doubted at first. But after his first visit to his family with the Carrera, this worry was wiped away. “My family almost went crazy! My parents were so happy for me, that I was able to fulfill this dream. They saved their money to give us a home back in the day, but not for something like this. My dad was so happy and proud, he even had tears in his eyes!”

My dad was so happy and proud, he even had tears in his eyes!

Korbinian Engstler

Porsche & Bikes – A perfect fit?

After Tibor Simai, Andi Wittmann and Anthony Richelot, Korbinian Engstler is the fourth cyclist to share his Porsche story on Elferspot. I can’t help but ask Korbinian why so many cyclists also ride Porsches. “If it’s not working on social media for you, buy a cool car and put a bike on the roof”, he jokes at first. But then he gets to the heart of the matter: “I think it’s the aesthetics. Many of us are now more creative than performance-oriented. Classic Porsches in particular simply fit in very well.”

Many of us are now more creative than performance-oriented. Classic Porsches in particular simply fit in very well.

Korbinian Engstler about the trend of classic Porsches in the bike scene

Korbinian Engstler has enough dream destinations

To create his impressive content on two wheels, Korbinian Engstler has traveled to many places around the world. Whether in Iceland, Namibia or Candada, he has often thought to himself: “I’d love to be here with my Porsche right now.” He was particularly impressed by the backroads of South Africa. For the future, he dreams of a tour through Tuscany, perhaps with a safari conversion – bikes on top. His goal: Mount Etna in Sicily.

For him, it’s primarily about spending quality time with his loved ones. “I’m not really the type for big gatherings. I prefer to ride with my close friends, with whom I can share and enjoy the moments. At the same time, I’m totally open when it comes to sharing my passion. I often let my neighbor drive my cars and infected him with the 911 virus. He recently bought himself a 997 Carrera 4S.”

The dream car is also already on the list

Every guest has to answer this question: If money were no object, what would be your dream Porsche? Korbinian Engstler has an immediate answer: “A Porsche 996 GT2. No ESP, just ABS – simply pure. When I see it, I get goosebumps.” He would also be tempted by a 996 Turbo. “In general, I find the 996 exciting. It’s out of the ordinary – and that’s always been my thing. You don’t need high-end. If you really get into it, you realize that you can experience incredible moments even with something simpler.”

You don’t need high-end. If you really get into it, you realize that you can experience incredible moments even with something simpler.

Korbinian Engstler

© images: Janik Steiner