PORSCHE owners paid for 'taxi rides' in a couple of special race cars at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit on Thursday - in the name of charity.

This inaugural Porsche Charity Track Day featured a 911 GT3 RSR, the German manufacturer's most powerful race car, based on the 911, and which competes in the GT2 class at international long-distance races like Le Mans, and the GT3 Cup Car, used in the likes of the Carrera Cup series and Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

With four race drivers providing their services, including Mok Weng Sun of Team Porsche Club Singapore Racing, Porsche owners were invited to give at least $250 for the privilege of three laps in the GT3 Cup Car and a minimum of $1,000 for the GT3 RSR.

Owners who wanted to drive their own cars on the track also contributed.

A total of $65,888 was collected - and everything went to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.

Some 120 Porsche owners, including 37 from Hong Kong who shipped in their cars, converged on Sepang for the charity event.

'This charity drive illustrates how at Porsche we try to engage in ways to give something back to the community while keeping in line with Porsche's legendary motor sports heritage,' said Karsono Kwee, executive chairman of the Eurokars group of companies.

This article was first published in The Business Times on May 31, 2008.