DRIVING : Porsche’s Stock Just Shot Up

Porsche Cars North America recently received a thank-you note from a North Carolina woman, quite obviously a die-hard fan.

She said she loved the pace, looks and reputation of her 911 Carrera--and its ability to stop three slugs fired at close range from a .44-magnum revolver.

The woman--who begged anonymity because assault charges are pending--said the shots were fired by her ex-husband. She and a boyfriend happened to be sitting in the Porsche at the time.

Two shots punched into the driver’s-side door, flattening against a cross beam the federal government--with less ballistic forces in mind--requires as protection against side impacts.

A third bullet skewered the roof and struck the passenger’s-side headrest, but “the steel plate in the seat saved my passenger’s life.”

“What can I say? Sturdy construction of the Porsche automobile saved my life,” she wrote. “Porsche spells safety in the most adverse situation. Enclosed are the vivid pictures.”

One photograph was a close-up of the punctured Porsche. Another showed the woman perched on the hood in tight shorts.

“Fleet sales have gone up considerably,” deadpanned Porsche spokesman Bob Carlson. “We’ve just taken a 20-car order from Brinks.”