Porsche Carrera GT (targa) : 2004

The numbers speak for themselves: 10 cylinders, 612 horsepower at 8,000 rpm, 0-to-60 in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph.

Update.
The manufacture of the most successful supercar in history has come to an end. (only 38 black ones have been built). Production of the Carrera GT at Porsche's facility in Leipzig, Germany, concluded on Saturday, May 6, 2006, bringing to a close the latest series in a line of ultra-exclusive and ultra-performing automobiles from Porsche.

In its brief production run, and befitting its ethereal performance, the award-winning Carrera GT was named "Best Dream Car 2004" by Road & Track magazine, and "Best Dream Machine" by the popular MotorWeek television program in 2005. "Even a short ride in this carbon-fiber wonder-car will spoil you for the rest of your life," said MotorWeek host John Davis. "The Carrera GT is the best motivation to get rich that we've ever driven."

Even in an economic climate that did not favor products in this segment of the market, Porsche's V-10 powered supercar has sold in unprecedented numbers. More than 1,270 Carrera GTs have been sold since its introduction in late 2003. To date, 604 have found homes in North America. This figure represents a greater number than the total production of the McLaren F1, Ferrari Enzo, and Pagani Zonda models combined.

The Carrera GT is a storied member in a line of limited edition supercars, a lineage born from Porsche's experience at the highest levels of world-class endurance racing. The Carrera GT owes its product modeling as an exclusive, racing-derived, ultra-high-performance roadcar to Porsche's first supercar, the 959. Storming the world automotive stage at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1985, the 959 was intended for "Group B" racing competition, and served as Porsche's technology flagship, a rolling paradigm of automotive performance from which future models could draw even loftier benchmarks.

The Carrera GT supercar also had its genesis in the racing program, but instead became a street-only machine. The Carrera GT evolved from a 5.5-liter V-10 engine program originally developed for endurance competition. Enlarged to 5.7-liters for the production car, the naturally aspirated Carrera GT's V-10 produces 605 (SAE) horsepower at 8,000 rpm, and this power is routed through a production car first, Porsche's Ceramic Composite Clutch (PCCC). Only 6.65 inches (169mm) in diameter, the race-caliber clutch easily handles the Carrera GT's prodigious output while allowing the entire powertrain to sit lower in the chassis, dropping the center of gravity for even sharper handling.

The Carrera GT's wide use of cutting edge materials prompted Popular Science magazine in 2003 to name the exotic machine the "Best of What's New" for its advanced technology and chassis development. The Carrera GT's monocoque chassis is constructed from bonded layers of carbon fiber tissue, resin, and aluminum and plastic honeycomb materials that are incredibly light, but strong. The entire chassis weighs just over 220 pounds (100 kg), and is mated to equally esoteric materials including forged magnesium wheels, and the staggering 380mm Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB).

Thanks to near fanatical attention to weight savings, the performance results are stunning. The Carrera GT will accelerate from a standing start to 62 mph (100 km/h) in only 3.9 seconds, at which point, things really get going. The 99 mph (160 km/h) mark arrives in less than seven seconds, 124 mph (200 km/h) in under 10 seconds, and the Carrera GT can achieve a top test-track speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). Despite the otherworldly performance, the Carrera GT is still one of few supercars that can be driven every day. Traction control, air conditioning, GPS navigation, a Bose audio system, and a fitted, 5-piece, matched-leather luggage set are standard equipment.

The Porsche Carrera GT first went on sale in North America on January 31, 2004, and pricing for this ultimate Porsche supercar is $440,000 (USD).

(text courtesy PCNA, 5-10-06).

Update. No More Carrera GTs.
Thanks to new 2006 smart airbag requirements, the 200-plus Porsche Carrera GTs slated for our showrooms in 2006 will no longer be coming.

Porsche said the cost of engineering two-stage airbags and having to crash cars again for certification didn't make business sense. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration denied Porsche's request for a waiver.

Since production began in January 2004, 396 Carrera GTs have been sold in the States.

Although these numbers sound like the specs of a Le Mans racecar, the Carrera GT is a production street car that wraps all of Porsche's most advanced engine and chassis technology into one vehicle. The body is a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque that offers the best strength-to-weight of any material currently available, according to Porsche. This translated into a car that's stiff enough to withstand the rigors of high-speed driving while weighing in at just 3,042 pounds. Because of its high-speed capability, aerodynamics was a key aspect of its roofless design. 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 wrapped in tires developed specifically for the GT. As you 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 get delivery in late 2003.

Not since the legendary 959 has a Porsche so exemplified the idea of a supercar for the street. Porsche's foray into the realm of the SUV may have caused many a Porschephile to call into question the company's current leadership, but the introduction of the Carrera GT should be more than enough to bring them all back into the fray.

(source: Autoweek, Published Date: 8/22/05)

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