Porsche's Carrera GT is a thinly-disguised racer that, if you have the equivalent of $440,000 (U.S.), you can drive on the street in the company of celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Jay Leno -- and me.
Well, technically, to have shared the road with me, you'd have had to be in the vicinity of Bowmanville, Ont.'s Mosport International Raceway last week, when Porsche brought a pair of these exotics (only 1,500 will be built) to Canada.
Like a Dickensian workhouse miser, they doled out only a handful of laps and maybe 40 minutes of on-road seat time that left me pleading "Please sir, can I have some more?"
But I'm not complaining. Most enthusiasts would probably sacrifice a body part for the opportunity to drive one.
The Carrera GT, which went into production late in 2003, is the epitome of what Porsche is all about. It's a real sports car in the company's enduring tradition: small, light, very technically advanced and very, very fast. It's a true "supercar" that keeps fast company with Ferrari's Enzo, Lamborghini's Murcielago and the Mercedes-McLaren SLR.
"It's a very high-tech world these days and manufacturers want to show off the pinnacle of their technological achievement," says Porsche's Bob Carlson. "These cars are the showcase. They make a statement."
They'll also make Porsche a profit, Carlson says. "We can't afford to make something that isn't profitable. It's got its own legs."
And its exclusivity will likely mean those who invest in one won't lose either.
The Carrera GT was developed from a cancelled Le Mans 24-hour endurance racer project. Its racing-style
monocoque -- French for "single shell" -- frame is made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic, which is also used for the engine/transmission cradle, doors, hood and deck lid, fenders, removable roof panels, under-floor tray and a number of rather sexy interior trim bits. The "chassis" weighs just 100 kg.There's as much aerodynamic function as styling form evident in the bodywork. The front end is clearly Porsche and the mid-engine location pushes the cabin dramatically forward. The rear spoiler deploys at 120 km/h (which is sort of like flipping the bird at the coppers if you ask me).
The suspension too is race-inspired (by the 1998 Le Mans winning GT1) and is of the push-rod type with upper and lower A-arms. The cross-drilled ceramic composite brake discs are 380 mm in diameter and equipped with six-piston calipers. The five-spoke forged magnesium wheels wear specially developed 265/35 ZR19 front and 335/30 ZR20 in Michelin tires. Curb weight is 1,380 kg.
The engine that drives the rear wheels was developed from a 5.5 litre, V-10 racing design taken out to 5.7 litres. It produces 605 hp at 8,000 rpm and 435 lb-ft of torque at 5,750 rpm. It's a dry sump unit that uses the rear-mounted six-speed gearbox as an oil reservoir. No less than 10 oil pumps circulate the slippery stuff. The gearbox is a conventionally shifted type.
Some years ago, I raced a vintage Ducati motorcycle at Mosport and on every lap my right wrist -- like a drive-by-wire device directly linked to my central cerebral processing unit -- rolled off the throttle a tiny bit at the crest of Turn 2.
It's that kind of breathtaking turn. Blind until you're over the top of the hill, fast, falling away, latent with consequences and requiring commitment I never could completely muster. In the Carrera GT, I took this notorious turn faster than I've ever done before.
Sure I lifted, even braked, the speed we'd gathered out of Turn 1, making this an imperative not an option. But the experience was accompanied not by apprehension, but that wonderfully amplified sense of awareness you get from driving fast in an exceptional car.
A little while later, I experienced Turn 2 again, this time with two-time World Rally Champion Walter Rohrl, who was responsible for most of the development driving, at the wheel.
Rohrl came out of Turn 1 much faster, braked later and harder, carried way more speed over the crest, then balanced the car beautifully as we arced through the twin apexes before accelerating hard up towards Turn 3.
The rest of the lap was a demonstration of both Rohrl's and the Carrera GT's abilities. He has supernatural car control, but the car with its fine balance, neutral handling, direct and ultra-responsive steering, linear power delivery, awesome brakes and huge amounts of grip is designed to makes driving quickly easy for even the less talented.
Driving quickly? How about acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds (that's about how long it takes to repeat that phrase), 0 to 200 km/h in 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 330 km/h.
Looking and sounding cool quotient? Off the clock. But make sure you practice with that tiny (169-mm) light-switch-like, twin-plate ceramic clutch or you'll just look inept. The V-10 makes an almost Formula One-style snarl that's an absolute aural delight. You will turn heads.
Comfort ? Like it matters, but its not bad actually.
Getting in and out isn't too awkward, seats are a bit snug between the shoulders, the instruments are small, clustered and hard to read quickly, the gearshift with its super-narrow gate is up by your right hand on a slim console that puts the audio system's small controls a longish reach away.
Sound levels are acceptable, ride is very firm, but surprisingly supple. There's very little luggage or storage space. If you're touring, plan on couriering a change of underwear to your next stop.
This is one of those times I wish I had more space. Even a short time with the Carrera GT leaves you with such a world of wonderful impressions.
Specifications
Porsche Carrera GT
Type: Supercar
Price: $440,000 (U.S.)
Engine: 5.7-litre V-10 (DOHC)
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Output: 605 hp/435 lb-ft of torque
Fuel economy: Not very good, but if you can afford the car, you don't care
Alternatives: Mercedes-McLaren SLR, Ferrari Enzo, Ford GT
Like: Engine, gearbox, suspension, brakes
Don't like: Clutch action, small instruments, poor ergonomics
