Part 2 of a 2-part series on Porsches
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Jon Fleming
Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarships are awarded via a highly competitive national selection process. Relatively few of the applicants win one straight out of high school.
“My parents and I agreed that if I got a full 4-year scholarship to a university, they would buy me the car of my choice up to a certain dollar limit,” relates Blacksburg resident Michael Kneuer. “I received a full 4-year NROTC scholarship to attend the University of Rochester, and I began my search for the ultimate sports car. As soon as I saw the Porsche, I fell in love with it. That was the car not only for my college days, but also throughout my duty stations while in the Navy.”
That model was a 1977 Porsche 924, spawning a love affair with the Porsche which has never ended. “It was virtually identical to the Porsche 944 without the wheel well flares,” he explains. “And it was Guards Red like my 2016 Boxter photographed here. Introduced in 1974, the color is the most iconic, non-metallic paint on Porsches, red with a hint of orange.” The color is named for the bright red tunics worn by ceremonial guards at British royal places like Buckingham Palace.
The Boxter
Kneuer purchased this 2-seater, luxury roadster Porsche two years ago from a car brokerage in Chicago which specializes in European sports cars. “You could say ‘it had me at hello,’” he states. It has a mid-mount engine design which places the engine right behind the seats, giving it near-perfect weight distribution, sharp steering precision, and dual front and rear trunks totaling nearly 10 cubic feet of cargo space. The 2.7 liter flat six engine delivers 265 hp at 6700 RPM and an impressive 0 to 60 mph of 5.5 seconds.
The trunk space won’t accommodate Kneuer’s golf clubs, however. His daily drive is a 2025 Ford Explorer, “more appropriate for business and genuine practicality,” he declares. “And it serves as my golf bags vehicle.”
The Porsche Boxster was created as an accessible, mid-engine roadster that saved the brand from financial collapse in the 1990s by offering pure handling balance and the Porsche driving experience at a lower price point than the 911. Its concept resulted from a change in strategy, and 25 years later, it remains one of the company’s biggest success stories.
According to the Porsche Club of America, it has “a wonderful reputation for durability and reliability with a simpler, port-injection system.”
His take on comfort in the Porsche? “The seats are built to hold you in place as you fly effortlessly through turns, as well as accelerating and braking. It should never be expected to be the most comfortable and luxurious car you ever own. The design of a Porsche is to perform.” His fastest drive topped out at 110 mph with the first Porsche in upstate New York.
My Baby
He calls the Porsche My Baby, and his personalized license plate speaks to who he is, a fiercely competitive person. “There are two types of people in the world,” he states, referring to those who Love to Win and those that Hate to Lose. “They are virtually identical in meaning, but which one represents you best? Your significant other the best? Children the best? Your boss the best? It provides for some great conversation as there is no right answer, yet very different perspectives.”
My Baby provides the escape to simply relax and appreciate the many blessings in his life. “There is nothing like the feeling of driving effortlessly with the wind in your hair, sun on your face and the nature’s beauty all around.” Formally retired, Kneuer now supports his wife, Lilly, in her businesses: Lilly Valley Inn in Pearisburg and Rustic Roots – olive oils and spice blends – in Blacksburg.
And Kneuer’s final observation: “Distilling it all down, I defer to a line from the 1983 movie “Risky Business” in which Tom Cruise proclaimed: ‘Porsche… there is no substitute.’ I couldn’t agree more!”
The Ultimate Driving Machine
Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary knows a thing or two about luxury cars. With this quote, he pinpoints the exceptionally unique driving experience of a Porsche.
“There are a lot of impractical things about owning a Porsche. But they’re all offset by the driving experience. It really is unique. Lamborghinis and Ferraris come close. And they are more powerful, but they don’t handle like a Porsche.”
Another quote from Ferdinand Porsche that captures the foundation of his intentions when first designing Porsche: “If you can create something time cannot erode, something which ignores the eccentricities of particular eras or moments, something truly timeless…This is the ultimate victory.”
This story appears in the November–December issue of New River Valley Magazine.
