First Impression: Porsche Carrera GT

Porsche Carrera GT is a Porsche like no other. It is a two-seater supercar with a removable roof. It is the only Porsche with a ten cylinder engine, not the flat-6 engine found in the 911. Also the engine is in the middle of the Carrera GT, where the 911 has the engine in the rear. It was produced from 2004 to 2006, with only 1,270 Carrera GTs produced.

I first saw the Porsche Carrera GT at the September 2010 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. There were two Carrera GTs next to each other. I like the design of the car with its sleek design. It is one of the few Porsches that is not an eye sore. At the January 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee, there was a huge crowd around it.

The Porsche Carrera GT is powered by a 5.7L DOHC V10, paired with a two plate ceramid dry clutch six-speed manual transmission, that produces 612 hp and 435 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 205 mph, tied with the 911 GT2 RS as the fastest Porsche. When it was new, the Carrera GT cost $440,000, making it the most expensive Porsche.

The 5.7L V10 Engine with the spoiler that rises when the Carrera GT reaches 70 mph

Top Gear reviewed the Porsche Carrera GT during Series 4, Episode 4, where it set the power lap time, and was featured again during Series 5, Episode 2, where Jeremy Clarkson was comparing modern supercars to classic supercars. Jay Leno featured his Carrera GT on his website, www.jaylenosgarage.com. It is a staple in the Need For Speed, Forza Motorsport, and Burnout games. It is also playable in Split/Second (Corbretti Slipstream), Drag Racer 1 and 3, Drift City, RayCity, Colin's Crazy Carrera, Project Gotham Racing 2.

Final Thoughts: It is a Porsche like no others. I like its design and I think it is one of the best pure roadsters people can buy. It is a fast car. I just think it is a little expensive for what it is. I just cannot wait for Porsche to release the 918 hybrid Spyder.

CarJunkie
Photos taken from a camera phone.