Unleashing the Beast: The Porsche Carrera GT Experience

Porsche’s answer to the supercar market in 2004, based off the Lé mans prototype and including features from the formula One cars was the legendary Carrera GT, successor of the 911 GT1 Straßenversion, includes LMP1-98 racing cars inspired elements.

Porsche designer Jason Hill decided to go with a mid-engine layout for the car for flawless handling and even weight distribution. They initially decided to throw in a turbocharged flat six engine. Later engineering decided to redesign this and went on to use a naturally aspirated 5.7 Liter V10 from a formula One car, for more power now pushing 603hp, in the early 2000’s which is crazy in itself. To add to the madness, Porsche eliminated any steering or braking override or any computer assistance whatsoever, giving it the raw power we know it to have. The car weighs only 1,380kg (3,040lbs) so the power to weight ratio was mind numbing at that time.

Porsche started a production run of the Carrera GT in 2004. The first Carrera GT was sold to the US Market on 31st January of 2004. Originally a production run of 1,500 cars was planned. However, Porsche announced in August 2005 that it would not continue production of the Carrera GT through to 2006, citing changing airbag regulations in the United States. By the end of production on 6 May 2006, more than 1,270 cars had been sold, with a total of 644 units sold in the United States and 31 units sold in Canada. In the United Kingdom, 49 units were sold.

Porsche priced this masterpiece from the factory for $450,000 when new. Due to discontinuation of the car in 2006, the car market for the Carrera GT inflated to a whopping $800,000. Current price for the car floats at $1,500,000.

Written by Bansi Lukka

published on June 28, 2024