17-Year-Old Catches The Porsche Bug Thanks To Old 911

Dream Realized

Many of us fell in love with cars at a young age, watching various motorsports events on TV, playing with toy cars, and dreaming of one day owning something cool like a Porsche 911. But in reality, it takes most of us time to save up the cash to purchase a vehicle like that, and even then, life often gets in the way. But that isn't the case with 17-year-old Merlin Assfalg, who was able to realize his own dream of owning a vintage Porsche sports car at a young age.

Photos: Porsche

Laying the Foundation

Assfalg will graduate from St. Konrad Educational Centre in Ravensburg in 2023 after 12 years of schooling, but he has spent a lot of time learning about the stock market as well. In fact, he started trading at the age of 14. His fascination with that subject has stayed with him ever since. With his Apple shares in particular, Assfalg was able to lay the foundation for achieving his big 911 dream in 2020 and 2021.

Photos: Porsche

Business Acumen

Assfalg's father David is the CEO of Propain, which makes premium mountain bikes from the Allgäu region and sells them exclusively online. Thus, he had the business acumen already built into his family, and he quickly realized that bicycle parts were in high demand during COVID. Thus, he created his own startup selling used bits and pieces online, and it quickly took off.

Photos: Porsche

Big Score

While balancing work and school, Assfalg also battled serious life-threatening health problems for some time but managed to persevere. He purchased this 1980 911 SC Weissach Edition back in September of last year, a car that was imported from the U.S. It was also built in scant numbers, with just 407 units receiving the Weissach designation. 

Photos: Porsche

Changes In Store

The unrestored 911 is in good condition but does have 177k miles on the clock. Regardless, Assfalg only has some minor improvements in mind, including a rebuild for the five-speed manual gearbox and a possible Fuchs wheels swap, as well as replacing the American speedometer. "The German goes up to 300 km/h,” Assfalg said. 

Photos: Porsche

Learning Better

While many young folks these days may prefer more modern vehicles, it's clear that Assfalg is an old soul. "The thing is ancient, but it drives way cooler than most new cars," he said. "The best way to drive a real car is with a classic model. You get better feedback from the steering wheel, you have to do everything yourself and there are no assistance systems, and so you learn to drive better."

Photos: Porsche

Ultimate Luxury

Overall, it's quite refreshing to see such a young man take a big interest in classic cars, but considering the fact that his father also owns a 964 911 Carrera 2, it isn't terribly surprising. Now, Assfalg has his whole life ahead of him to enjoy this old 911, which isn't a luxury many are afforded.

Photos: Porsche

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