Hybrid Theory

The Porsche 911 and its new powertrain inspire us to revisit an old favorite road and suitably wring out this Carrera GTS.

- David Beard

Michigan can be such a bore. Sure, the water-winter wonderland is flush with spectacular beaches, miles of shoreline, and scenic snowmobile trails. It also possesses abundant islands, waterfalls, and wildlife. But when it's time for an exciting drive? Snooze alert. In a place so rich with automotive history, the roads are about as entertaining as a Plymouth Reliant K-car-with an equal number of curves.

So, we find ourselves looking outside the Mitten for twisting ribbons of tarmac. We have our usual favorites in Southern California: Highways 33 and 243, for example. Southeastern Ohio's Hocking Hills region has long been our go-to playground that isn’t a multiday drive or a flight away, but it has recently become overrun with tourists and driving enthusiasts. Scan the map farther east within the state, however, and you find a winding scribble that stretches from the city of Zanesville, east of Columbus, south to Little Hocking, near the West Virginia border. Ohio State Route 555, also known as the Triple Nickel, is sometimes called Ohio’s Tail of the Dragon. It’s been a while since we drove it, though, so we decided to find out whether it’s worthy of that nickname.

A great road needs a great car to determine its worth. Similarly, a great car needs a great road to reveal its true potential. To test the symbiotic relationship between car and road, we enlisted Porsche's newest 911, the Carrera GTS. The GTS model bridges the gap between the sportiest base models and the racetrack-ready GT3 versions.