Airgas-Safeway turns heads with Porsche team cars - velonews.competitor.com
The first-year team and its exuberant owner, Chris Johnson, secured the use of two 2015 Porsche Panamera hybrids as team cars for the biggest race of its short tenure. Subaru is a race sponsor and there’s the usual assortment of manufacturers represented among team vehicles, from Kia to Volvo. But it’s a safe bet to assume the two $110,000 high-performance, four-door hybrid sports cars with 380 horsepower are a first in the sport. a lot of cyclists drive Porsches,” said Johnson prior to the stage 3 start on Antelope Island State Park. “I think cyclists can appreciate it. It’s a hybrid. Johnson drove one of the Panamera models to the event from San Francisco, with a friend piloting the other. Team cars traditionally are wagons or crossovers with substantial interior space and wide rooflines for carrying at least a half-dozen bikes and plenty supplies. Each of the Panamera vehicles carries three bikes with a unique rack system. “While the Panamera is not a traditional station wagon, it has a pass-through,” said Johnson. I’m sure it was designed more for golfers than cyclists, but as a professional cycling team, we are taking advantage of its space. “Typically, we like to carry more bikes, but you have to respect the vehicle. Were using a Porsche-branded racks made by Thule. Source: velonews.competitor.com
