Eastern Brown

Over the past decade, via our publication Boss Hunting, I’ve enjoyed more than a handful of incredible automotive experiences as motoring media, but none as unique as the one Porsche presented in the middle of last year. “Make it Australian” is all they said, after offering our team the chance to spec an incoming Type 992.2 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet press vehicle – a wide-open brief with endless possibilities. The inspiration for the finished product was the only positive to come from a weeks-long sleep regression, lying next to my toddler – who was determined to start his day at 4 a.m. – as I distracted him with wildlife videos on Instagram. 

I have tried to keep my Porsche aspirations achievable, managing expectations with the severely underrated 997.2 Targa 4S, in Dark Blue Metallic over Sand Beige. While it’s a dream that continues to motivate me, there’s a good chance life will get in the way, and that I might never own my dream 911, let alone spec a new one. For anyone who dreams of owning a 911, with similarly grounded expectations as myself, the chance to be unleashed on the configurator, with no budget (as we’re all guilty of), with an actual car to show for it, was incomprehensible. 

As a management team, we decided that the three of us would present a concept internally and then vote on the winner. As with all things worth doing, I leaned heavily into the task referencing Nutmeg and Cockney browns of the past, comparing Pantone colours, and researching vintage Recaro fabrics and Berger seat belt hues. The target: Australia’s Eastern Brown snake, known for its speed, agility and strike – perfect for a 911 with a potent new turbo-hybrid system.

Internally, Eastern Brown triumphed, and Porsche embraced the concept soon after. Before I knew it, I was in the configurator, ticking boxes like I was hungover at yum cha. On our first video call, the design team seemed surprised by my initial restraint, but quickly made it clear this would be a serious showpiece, one showcasing their individualisation capabilities, and encouraged me to go the whole hog. With over 40,000 Australian dollars in carbon and colour options alone – including a colour-matched key, bespoke floor mats, and bespoke door sill guards – I think we covered customisation sufficiently.

Wrapped in a uniform Sepia Brown, with black speed stripes to mimic scales, the colour transitions from the exterior via the two-tone Basalt Black to the Classic Cognac leather pack in the interior. Racing Yellow accents in the Sport Chrono stopwatch and seat belts blend with the orange-forward Cognac, conveying the creature’s creamy underbelly. Leather-wrapped visors, steering column cover, and decorative inlays, alongside the 911 logo painted in Sepia Brown and rear slat detail, give Eastern Brown an undeniable presence.

During the build, I was treated like a regular customer, as the team shared snaps of the car on the production line and during post-painting. However, when it came time for delivery nine months later, my treatment was far from regular. Unbeknown to me, Porsche Australia and the Boss Hunting team had concocted a cunning surprise as I arrived fresh off a plane from Singapore for the Australian Grand Prix. Mere seconds after the covers were pulled from the car, Mark Webber stepped into the room brandishing a beautiful Sepia Brown key. Who better to charm Eastern Brown for the very first time? 

Fortunately, the reveal of Eastern Brown not only coincided with the Grand Prix, but also with the official launch of the 911 T-Hybrid. So after unleashing her in the outskirts of Melbourne, I travelled to Phillip Island to understand the immense capability of the new hybrid powertrain, pitched against its predecessor.

It’s demonstrably quicker than the outgoing twin-turbo 911 Carrera GTS. The new single eTurbo spools instantly, and the hybrid torque-fill eliminates lag altogether. Throttle response is razor-sharp, and acceleration is relentless. At the Phillip Island Circuit, it feels as quick as a GT3 through the corners, particularly the tighter ones, though less frantic. It punches well above its weight; in fact it’s a total flirt, flattering you just enough for you to believe your ability is actually part of the magic.

I returned to Melbourne to find Eastern Brown hibernating, preparing for a 900-kilometre drive to Sydney. As I pulled out onto Russell Street on a sublime evening in Melbourne’s CBD, the autumn breeze tickling my receding hairline, I had to remind myself this was not my reality. I’m just a bloke who designed a press car. A 911 no less. Probably the coolest one in Australia. And maybe, just maybe, that’ll do.