With the Mletzko Porsches in the mountains of South Tyrol

“You have to have drive a Mletzko to form an opinion about it!” That’s how the conversation between me and Mletzko founder and automotive enthusiast Dirk Lührmann began on the phone a few weeks ago. Dirk called me and asked me if I would like to test drive a Mletzko Porsche 911 as part of a group tour at the end of September. I understood this more as a rhetorical question and therefore only asked when I had to be where. And so I was then punctually placed, on September 24 at 9 o’clock in the morning in Völs am Schlern in the fantastically beautiful South Tyrol. For me as an Austrian, the Italian South Tyrol was not yet on top of my favourite travel destinations list. After all, we have enough mountains and mountain passes ourselves, so I don’t have to cross the Brenner Pass to experience it. Admittedly, it was a mistake not to have made this trip before. South Tyrol is breathtakingly beautiful and made for lovers of winding mountain roads.

Constant amazement

The panorama makes it hard to stop marveling and it is often difficult to concentrate on the road. But attentiveness and concentration were more than in demand when I was finally allowed behind the wheel of a Mletzko Porsche 911. Dirk had warmed the six-cylinder boxer up to operating temperature himself, while giving me the essential information about the car as a co-driver. Slightly nervous I took the wheel and got used to the steering, clutch, brake and gas pedal. But it went very quickly.

That alone is a huge compliment. I stepped out of our 991 but didn’t experience any bad surprises at all. The corners of my mouth pulled up and the wide grin remained constant. I immediately felt in my element. It wasn’t just the terrific sound of the air-cooled 4-liter boxer engine that produced massive feelings of happiness. Thanks to the immense grip, the Mletzko generates, it’s no scary widowmaker by any means, but a confindence inspiring source of driving pleasure.

Restomods aim to quote the classic shape, reinterpret it and raise the performance to a more modern level. The Mletzko is on a par with a brand-new 911. It does not deny the character of the original, but rather emphasizes it.

The superb power delivery of the Mletzko, combined with the excellent chassis and brakes, ensures a constant supply of adrenaline. Just under 370 horses at a curb weight of only 1145 kg, that’s all you need to say. You incessantly want to feel your way a bit closer to the limit. But this approach did little to relax Dirk in his role as co-driver. I have a lot of understanding for that, because I hate being a co-pilot myself. But the acoustics when revving out the beautiful-looking boxer unit, coupled with nearly telepathic shifting, immediately drew me in.

Desire for corner speed and more revs

The busy tourist traffic this weekend in South Tyrol meant that common sense was in constant battle with the desire for cornering speed. Third gear, lots of revs, hard braking for the next bend, down a gear and the staccato starts all over again at the exit. A crazy experience! In the end, strength of mind won out and we all returned to our garage in one piece and without any scrapes. What remained was the broad grin and the memory of a dream day. I felt incredibly privileged and grateful to have had this experience.

When Dirk asked me afterwards what I could say about the Mletzko Porsche 911, there was only one answer for me: “You have to have drive a Mletzko to form an opinion about it!” Many thanks to Dirk and his Mletzko team for this great experience. I got to experience how great Mletzko driving is. I soaked up the material feel in the interior, the many details in the interior, such as the circuit diagram on the gear-knob, which is wonderful to touch, just like a sponge. My hat is off to your craftsmanship, attention to detail, and enthusiasm.

You have to have driven a Mletzko to form an opinion about it!

If you want to learn more about Mletzko right now, you should definitely read our interview with Dirk Lührmann. His personality and story really made a lasting impression on me.

Fortunately, we also had a highly talented photographer with us on the tour. Maximilián Balázs captured many of these great moments with his camera. At this point a big thank you for these wonderful photographs.