Although the Porsche Carrera GT supercar is very capable of maintaining speed limits it seems to be constantly pining for open roads, or indeed a race track – where it was conceived.
Although the Porsche Carrera GT supercar is very capable of maintaining speed limits it seems to be constantly pining for open roads, or indeed a race track – where it was conceived.
The Carrera GT is the first road car built by Porsche that could truly be labelled a supercar. Just three years after the first road-going concept, and with 70 patents pending, the Zuffenhausen engineers have handed their science project in for evaluation.
The car’s lightweight V10 powerplant has been rebored to 5,7 litres and delivers 450 kW at 8 000 r/min and maximum torque of 590 N.m at 5 750 r/min. The engine’s cradle is made of high-strength, heat-resistant carbonfibre – as is the entire chassis, subframe and monocoque.
Every gear brings huge amounts of power and the legal speed limits are reached with the flex of a big toe on the accelerator pedal. Accelerate past the 120 km/h mark and the massive rear spoiler raises 16 centimetres into the air to create additional downforce, while the three 911 turbo-like air ducts in the Carrera GT’s front end gulps in air to the front radiators…
* A complete driving impression of the Porsche Carrera GT appears in the December edition of CAR magazine – on sale now.