Welcome to Found Around The District, where we highlight fascinating cars we find around a city where people are too busy fighting through traffic and hunting for parking to drive anything interesting: Washington, D.C.
Pop quiz: Let's say you unexpectedly find yourself in possession of a baby. Maybe an old girlfriend shows up at your door with a surprise bundle of joy, or you inherit a kid from some distant relative, or you find yourself in a similar crazy sitcom-type situation. What kind of car do you buy? Do you get a crossover SUV, a minivan, or a sensible sedan?
If that's what you're going to use to cart your new kid around, congratulations on being lame! The real ultimate mommy (or daddy)-mobile is a classic Porsche, and here's your proof.
Forget the 914, the 924, the 944, and the Boxster: the 912 is the original entry-level Porsche, a four-cylinder variant of the 911 made from 1965 to 1969 that actually outsold its big brother for some time.
This dark green 912 I found parked on the street near Eastern Market appeared to be in pretty decent shape overall, and it was certainly an eye-catcher compared to the boring SUVs and sedans around it. Check out that sweet Stuttgart badge on the engine cover.
But my favorite part of this 912 had to be the child seat in the back. As Jason Torchinsky might ask, will a classic Porsche baby? Apparently it will. My hat's off to whatever parent (or grandparent, or caretaker) said to hell with minivans and decided to put their young'un in the back of this German bad boy. Love the license plate, too — I wonder if the owner is a scientist, a professor, or just a fan of speed.
Would you put a kid in the back of an old-school Porsche?