It has been two decades since Porsche introduced the Carrera GT. Originally intended as a Le Mans race car, the nameplate was born out of sheer interest from fans when its concept version was introduced at the 2000 Paris Motor Show. The rest, as they say, was history.
But what does the Porsche Carrera GT have that made it great? The Stuttgart-based company released a video to remind us of the five highlights of the supercar. Here’s a rundown.
Aerodynamics
Probably one of the most touted features of the Carrera GT is its aerodynamic design. Its downforce kits, which include ground effects that enable stabler driving line even at high speeds. The supercar’s rear wing is also a work of wonder, activating automatically at 75 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour) and can be manually deployed, as well.
Chassis Construction
Porsche has hit a milestone with the Carrera GT as the first serial production car with a monocoque chassis made completely out of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Carbon fiber, as we all know, is a high-strength yet lightweight material that most modern sports car utilize nowadays.
Design Features
The Carrera GT’s motorsports heritage is apparent in its design. The wheels have color-coded center locks: blue for right wheels, red for left wheels. The cabin also has minimalist styling, in line with the adage “less is more,” plus several others that make the Carrera GT great in terms of aesthetics as it is on the track.
Performance
As mentioned, the Carrera GT was primarily intended to become a race car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, so its chassis and engine were primarily tuned for motorsports. With careful adjustments, the 5.7-liter V10 now produces a final output of 603 horsepower (450 kilowatts) at 8,000 rpm and 435 pound-feet (590 Newton-meters) of torque. These figures enable it to sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).
Sound
Enough said? Watch the video embedded on top of this page to hear the Porsche Carrera GT’s glorious sound and see the rest of the highlights on video.