After the ring we pointed the car south to our next destination, Strasbourg France, the third country we had visited in the car.
A word about Bi-Xenons. This was the first time I spent any long time behind the wheel at night. All I can say is, WOW....! Those things are so bright that I am left questioning their legality. The low beams are not overly bright. They are OK. But the high beams, oh-my-god.... They are so damn bright it's amazing. And the light pattern is so well diffused. No hot spots. Just a wall of daylight in front of your car. I haven't experienced the halogens, but I simply can't imagine that they are anywhere near as bright. These things are incredible and worth every penny of the $1,090 that I paid for them. The only thing I can complain about is that if you use the high beams when there is a reflective sign in front of you, prepare to be blinded. If you are on the fence about this option, don't hesitate for another second. Get them. You won't regret it.
The fog lights are also surprisingly effective. But honestly, I found it easier to see with them off. They add so much light right smack in front of the car, that your eye focus is pulled there making the horizon look darker. In dry weather, leave them off. But I can definitely see that these are truly functional fog lights, not decorative fogs like you find on most cars. Nice job Porsche.
While were talking about lighting. I don't like the dash illumination. I know it's got a light sensor and it automatically adjusts, but in low light dusk like conditions I find the instruments under illuminated. OK, enough on lighting.
Ina and I drove for about 3 hours to get to Strasbourg, an hour or so of it in France. There were speed limits there, ranging from 100 - 130 km/h (60 - 80 mph) and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that even at those 'USA' like highway speeds, the car was still fun to drive and not boring like I had previously feared. Northern France was nice. Pretty and scenic. But no better than Southern Germany really.
This is what signs look like from the passenger seat of a Cayman
We arrived at the Hilton in Strasbourg and checked in. They had a nice private parking lot, which made me feel better. We had a beer at the bar and went to bed. The end to a long day.
More to come.