#BehindTheWheel 03- Wagner Higgins

Today we're moving away from the world of restoration in #BehindTheWheel and instead going into the car scene as a whole. Wagner Higgins is a Porsche fan who currently is lucky enough not just to own a 1976 Porsche 911, but also to be the president of Porsche Club Queensland.

What was your first car?

A 1976 Celica LT Coupe, 5 speed manual (it was badass) What was your first classic car?

See above? Although it wasn’t classic at the time. More recently I’ve bought a classic Porsche. What was your best car?

My best car was a 1980’s Daihatsu Handi (a.k.a Handivan but it’s not a van). It was a 3 door, automatic which I think it had about a 500cc engine and weighed just over 500kg. It was so tiny that I could park it almost anywhere and if I had a girlfriend with me, we could actually lift it into even tighter parking spots. That little car proves that money doesn’t buy happiness – it cost me $600 and I had more fun in it than any other car since. What is your current car/s?

Currently I own a 2006 Porsche Cayman S and a 1976 Carrera 3.0. What is your dream car?

My dream car changes every day and there are no common themes. Some days it’s a Kombi, some days it’s a classic Fiat 500, some days it’s an RWB (wide body/outlaw Porsche).

How did you get into cars?

I was never really ‘into’ cars until I bought my first Porsche. One evening when I was walking home through the CBD I saw a black Cayman S parked on the street and thought it was absolutely gorgeous. Within about a week I bought one – before I knew one end of a Porsche from the other (eg. I didn’t even know that Porsches are actually back-to-front!). Why Porsches?

I like beautiful things and Porsches are some of the most beautiful cars ever designed. I’m not a conservative person – and I don’t have conservative tastes – and I think Porsches are really quirky and unique. Especially the older ones. They suit me. Haha How long have you been the president of PCQ for?

A year and a few months. I was just re-elected in August.

I’ve heard that you’ve been to Rennsport Reunion. Tell me about that.

Yeah, last year I took myself to California for a solo road trip adventure. I flew into LA, hired a car and drove up Highway 101… destination Rennsport Reunion 2018. It was a really good trip and Rennsport was so much more than I expected. I’m not really into Motorsport but watching so many Porsche classics racing around the track – doing exactly what they’d been designed for, was very exhilarating. The sound was incredible.

What was your favourite car from Rennsport Reunion?

That’s impossible to say. But I got to see an original 550 and some amazing ‘Singer’ ‘re-imaginations’. What’s the story behind 911 CULT?

The Oxford definition of a cult is “a system of veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object”. I think that definition perfectly describes Porsche enthusiasts around the world. We’re a group of almost religious fanatics who venerate a rear engined, air-cooled, flat-six deity called the Porsche 911. I thought “911 CULT” was a cool plate for my ’76 Carrera 3.0.