Having spent most of the past year rolling out the Cayenne SUV, Porsche reaffirmed its dedication to building supercars with the GT3 and Carrera GT at the Geneva Show.
Having spent most of the past year rolling out the Cayenne SUV, Porsche reaffirmed its dedication to building supercars with the GT3 and Carrera GT at the Geneva Show.
Carrera GT
CARtoday.com reported that the Carrera GT wraps all of Porsche’s most advanced engine and chassis technology into one vehicle.
The body is a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque, which Porsche claims has the best strength-to-weight of any material currently available, and the car weighs a lean 1 380 kg.
The Carrera GT’s 456 kW V10 engine is claimed to propel the supercar from zero to 100 km/h in 3,9 seconds and on to a top speed of 330 km/h.
Like most racecars, this Carrera uses specific underbody geometry along with a rear diffuser to create a suction effect for high levels of downforce at speed. More racing technology comes in the form of its ceramic brake rotors and ceramic composite clutch plate.
The Carrera GT will come standard with a set of 20-inch lightweight magnesium wheels with tyres developed specifically for the GT. As one might expect, only a limited number will go on sale to the public and they’re already all spoken for. Those lucky customers who already have their orders in are expected to take delivery in late 2003.
911 GT3
The eagerly-awaited GT3 takes the standard 911 and ups the ante with even more power, better brakes and a more streamlined shape.
Recalibration of the engine’s VarioCam valve timing system allows for even higher sustained engine speeds resulting in an increase in output of 283 kW and 385 N.m of torque.
Six piston calipers bite down on supersized front discs (465 mm) while even more added performance can be achieved with the optional Porsche ceramic composite brakes (PCCB) which feature discs that are 50 per cent lighter than the standard metal ones.
Aerodynamic changes include a reshaped front spoiler, redesigned side gills and a hard-to-miss adjustable rear spoiler.
Special 18-inch wheels are specific to the GT3 with 235/40 tyres up front and 295/30 rear.
The dedication to maximum speed continues in the cockpit where synthetic seat material reduces weight by 20 kg and the removal of the rear seats altogether further drops the total by eight kg.
