Check Out My Ride: Bringing a first-of-its-kind Porsche to D.C. meant doing things differently

Eduardo Bodmer had no long checklist of things to do before settling down. He had already signed off on six years of marriage and life was good. Still, there was one itch he wanted to scratch before starting a family that would quickly outgrow the size restrictions of sports cars. He wanted to own a Porsche.

Stats box

Performance » X51 factory option package, Techart suspension coil-overs, Mantis underdrive pulley, Techart intake system, GT3 throttle body, Softronic ECU, APR high-flow cats, APR high-flow exhaust
Power » 369 hp
Wheels » Victor Equipment Florio 3 piece wheels 20-by-8.5 (front) and 20-by-11 (rear)
Exterior » GT3 grille, Techart body kit, Xenon foglights, Techart fog light shrouds, StrutKing Clear engine cover Techart rear valance, Techart GTS carbon fiber adjustable wing, Techart badges
Interior » Porsche carbon fiber center console, leather heated seats, auto wipers with rain sensing, headlight washers, Bose, auto dimming mirrors, heated mirrors

But Bodmer didn’t just want any Porsche. The 29-year-old D.C. native was looking for a rare special-edition Techart Porsche Cayman, a version virtually unknown Stateside that comes complete with a hefty tag — the requisite price of admission into an elite automotive club.

“I called Techart Germany and [Claus Ettensberger Corp.], but the wait for the car was too long and the cost was over $170,000 for the package I wanted,” Bodmer said.

In December 2005, he found a base version of the 2006 Porsche Cayman GT through the Internet. Bodmer was impressed by the Cayman’s ferocious performance numbers. It outran the 911 and was rated an overall better track car.

With title in hand, he returned to the possibility of building his own Techart version. The German company made its parts available for integration without purchasing the entire car, but geographic and cultural boundaries made for a few challenges Bodmer was not prepared to handle alone. “I was the first in the USA to purchase the Techart GT package. The rear spoiler alone was $5,000, and there were no instructions in English. Albert Cooke from CEC had Techart translate a version in English, so I had the first set of instructions as well.”

Bodmer also wanted wheels to match the 19-by-11 prototypes that he saw with the Techart Cayman. He contacted BBS, which was able to make him wheels for the rear to match the measurements he preferred on the factory Techart Cayman. But when representatives from Victor Equipment saw Bodmer’s Cayman at Road Atlanta, they fell in love and wanted and offered him 20-inch wheels, engorging the wheel wells even further.

In a series of firsts, the Cayman was also sent to APR in Auburn, Ala., where it received the company’s first manufactured full exhaust system with software support. The car so impressed the techies at APR that they stole away with it — with Bodmer’s permission — for four months, taking it to the Petit LeMans race to show off their work.

Bodmer also did his own modifications along the way, including a GT3 grille, lightweight pulley kit and intake system. In his quest for more power, he recently added the Porsche’s ultimate performance package, designated the X51. It’s an extensive factory upgrade that is meant to completely replace many of the engine internals with high-quality parts, including manifolds, intake distributor, larger intake plumbing, a remapped electronic control unit, larger ventilation lines and oil lines, cams, cylinder head cover and valves, and more, which will give him significant top end or just help smoke the tires when need be.

With three years and $138,000 invested, it’s true money may not buy you happiness, but it can help you own a powerful high-end exotic whose look is as exclusive as the pedal-pumping experience few vehicles can match today at this level.

What do you drive? 2006 Techart Porsche Cayman GT.

Why do you drive it? It’s a Porsche.

What makes this car so special? There aren’t many in the U.S. Probably fewer than 50, and I have the first.

What is the most memorable driving experience in this car? One of my neighbor’s $2,000 puppies running under the car and dying. He wasn’t on a leash and I was only driving 10 to 15 mph. I didn’t see it because it ran from the passenger side under the car. There’s still a scuff in the paint from its collar. I wish I drove faster because then it wouldn’t have been able to catch up with the car.

What was the first vehicle you owned? A 1985 Honda Prelude Si. I bought it for $1,300 when I was 16, and it lasted seven months before the engine blew up.

What music are you currently listening to in your car? Everything. But mostly WTOP news.

And your first ticket? What was it for? Passing a yellow light. But the cop said it was red. I went to court and the cop did not show up.