CLEAN MACHINE

Want to keep your 911 looking its very best? Then follow the expert advice from leading detailing brand Autoglym

- Chris Dearden

Like so many things in life, car-care divides opinion. In one corner are the dedicated enthusiasts delighting in every hour spent polishing and primping. In the other, those drivers who just want their car clean, with the minimum investment in time and effort. I’m probably somewhere in the middle, but I’ll happily admit to getting a real kick out of seeing Pearl, my Carrara white 991.1 Cabriolet, looking her best. So when Autoglym contacted Total 911 offering a day’s instruction in the very best way to clean and prepare a Porsche, using a 911 of our choice, Pearl’s keys were thrown into the ring faster than a GT3 could get off the line.

A few weeks later I’m sitting in reception at the company’s office and manufacturing facility in Letchworth Garden City. Autoglym is part of a global car-care products market valued at $14 billion a year. Unlike many others in the market that sees names appearing and disappearing overnight, Autoglym, founded in 1965, develops and manufactures all its own products, on-site at Letchworth. It’s even been granted a Royal Warrant, with King Charles’ household using Autoglym products on the entire royal fleet.

I’m introduced to Martin Wheeler, my tutor for the day. Part of his role is training professional car detailers on how to get the best out of Autoglym’s pro range of products. I query why there are pro and amateur ranges – does it mean that we get a slightly lower league of products? Not at all, I’m quickly reassured. Professional products are formulated for speed and efficiency, making it easier to process cars on the forecourt, whereas the retail or “amateur” products are designed for customers wanting a personal touch with their own car.