Porsche CARRERA GT
Porsches Carrera GT Was Designed To Conquer Le Mans, But Rule Changes Left It High And Dry. Respect Is Due To
Porsche, Therefore, For Persevering With Their Most Advanced Road Car Ever. By Andy Enright
Dr. Ing. h.c.
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Porsche AG, Stuttgart to use the official title are no slouches when it comes to winning at Le Mans. When the sixteenth outright victory was chalked up in 1998, Porsche top brass decided to unleash a roadgoing chassis that would allow them to dominate the event for the foreseeable future. But as work progressed, the sports ruling body unveiled a package of rule changes that effectively rendered the Carrera GT racing car ineligible before it ever turned a wheel.
Rather than can the project, Porsche instead concentrated on developing a roadgoing Porsche the like of which had never been witnessed.
Those of you who keep tabs on the Weissach company may remember the 544bhp 911 GT1, a race car for the road that was sold in limited numbers in 1997, but the Carrera GT is a far more sophisticated beast. Evidence of that can be found as soon as you hear the engine fire into life. Unlike the 911 GT1, this one replaces the breathy 3.2-litre flat-six sound with the fractious chatter of a 5.
7-litre V10, tuned to generate a devastating 612bhp at 8,000rpm. This opens up a whole new dimension of road car performance for Porsche, and catapults the Carrera GT into the realm of hypercars such as the McLaren F1, the
Ferrari Enzo and the Pagani Zonda C12S. That means crushing performance, with a sprint to 60mph taking a mere 3.8 seconds and a top speed of over 205mph.
A truer demonstration of its capability is the fact that it will reach 124mph (200km/h) in less than 10 seconds. With a price of £320,000, the Carrera GT ought to be quick. Its also one of the most advanced cars currently available, the lightweight construction techniques resulting in a monster of a sports car that still contrives to weigh less than a
Subaru Impreza. Its not a small car either.
Its wider than a Mercedes S-class and as long as a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) for the sub frame and chassis monocoque has helped to maintain the power to weight ratio. Porsche has applied for a patent for the CFRP process.
"Its wider than a Mercedes S-class and as long as a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but weighs less than a Subaru Impreza. And it has 612bhp"
The V10 engine is mounted centrally in the car and well snugged down for a low centre of gravity and ideal weight distribution. The fuel tank sits alongside the engine in order to keep reduce weight in the nose and tail. Drive is directed to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Porsche rejected the idea of a two-pedal paddle shift system early on in the Carrera GT design cycle, insisting that the target market would prefer instead the more tactile pleasures of a conventional gearbox.
Theyre probably right too. Of course, deploying all that power becomes a quandary in itself. A combination of the 590NM torque figure and the huge 335-series 20-inch tyres at the back put a massive strain on the clutch, so Porsche has developed the Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch (PCCC). Essentially a two-plate dry clutch, PCCC offers outstanding durability and a rotating mass approximately 10 times lighter than on a conventional clutch.
The result is a more immediate throttle response and a reduction in load on the otherwise vulnerable synchromesh. Pedal weight and travel are specially configured for a more intuitive and comfortable drive. As well as PCCC, the Carrera GT also uses Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB). These lightweight ceramic composite brake discs halve the weight and last longer than steel discs and also minimise braking distances in even the most extreme road and track scenarios.
Whats more, theyre also completely immune to winter road salt and offer improved wet weather performance. Make no mistake, the Carrera GT stops even better than it goes. The Carrera GTs magnesium wheels are typical of the attention to detail that Porsche has lavished on this flagship sports model. A revolutionary forging process was developed in order to manufacture them, reducing unsprung weight.
By keeping wheel momentum to a minimum as the suspension compresses and rebounds, it is possible to maintain greater contact between road and tyre and thus maximise traction under acceleration, cornering and braking. Another important benefit is the added structural density - and therefore durability - that is imparted by the forging process. Other features that betray Porsches attention to detail include a two-piece carbon fibre hood that weighs in at just 4.8kg and lightweight seats available in two width fittings made of carbon fibre and Kevlar wrapped in leather.
Two 100-watt BOSE amplifiers power the stereo system, all of which has been designed with the Carrera GT ethos in mind, namely maximum performance from minimum weight. The styling isnt as surgically clean as most Porsches weve seen of late, but its certainly purposeful, the 46-inch height only serving to accentuate the huge width. At the front, the headlights are reminiscent of the legendary Porsche 917 the companys first outright winner at Le Mans. The gargantuan air intakes on the flanks ensure optimum cooling whilst the integrated wing at the back is combined with an underbody diffuser featuring vertical fins.
This sucks the car ever harder to the tarmac the faster it travels. Built at Porsches state of the art facility at Leipzig, Carrera GT ownership allows buyers to collect their car from the factory in person, being given a guided tour and access to the test track. Its wise to remember the Carrera GTs bloodline. This is a car thats built for the track, evidence of which comes when you fire the car up.
The ignition keys always mounted on the inboard side of the steering column for easier access when executing that perfect Le Mans start. Its just a pity well never see one in action at La Sarthe.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Porsche Carrera GT
PRICE: £320,000 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 3.8s / Max Speed 205mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: yes
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, traction control with ABD and ASR
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm, 4610/1920/1160mm
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