First debuted in 2003, the Porsche Carrera GT specs are those of a powerful piece of machinery that was designed with exhilarating speed and consistent performance at the forefront. Reaching top speeds of 208 MPH, the CGT is a force to be reckoned with. A sleek and angular exterior, paired with a traditional manual transmission, continually lands this classic supercar on the list of the world’s greatest sports cars of all time. Even in the time of its production, the Porsche Carrera GT is a car with mythical beauty, performance, and purity that shocked and amazed Porsche fans and car enthusiasts, and still does to this day. With a production number of just 1,270 from 2003 to 2007, this robust and no-nonsensical beauty is highly desirable among supercar enthusiasts and collectors.
Porsche Carrera GT Design
Dimensions of 181.6” L x 75.6” W x 45.9” are crucial to the overall design. By honing in on these specific dimensions, designers were able to utilize the latest in lightweight technology. It keeps the weight of the sports car to a minimum. The result of this design concept is a 3,043-lb vehicle that houses only the essentials to avoid any unnecessary weight. The Carrera GT weight is an incredible feat considering the size of the engine, and it was made possible through a monocoque chassis and a frame made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP). This innovative mechanical engineering allows the Porsche Carrera GT to reach maximum speeds without sacrificing strength and integrity. As for the overall exterior, Porsche offered the supercar with base color schemes: Basalt Black, Fayence Yellow, GT Silver, Guards Red, and Seal Grey. However, Porsche also offered a wide range of custom colors later on. The beautiful proportions and unmistakable Porsche personality in the design of the Carrera GT make it one of the most timeless designs a supercar has ever possessed, and as a matter of fact, the design language of the Carrera GT still informs and influences the designs of Porsche today.
Porsche Carrera GT Price
Manufactured between the years of 2003 and 2007, Carrera GT models available on the market today are used models. As is typical with purchasing used vehicles, the price point will vary drastically based on a number of factors, so for that reason, the Carrera GT MSRP is not necessarily one simple number. Vehicles that are in mint condition, with low mileage, will demand the highest figures. While the Porsche Carrera GT price was $450,000 when new. Today you can expect to pay anywhere from $800,000 and up in today’s market. The demand typically tends to be higher for Carrera GT models with production years of 2004 or 2007. Overall, you can expect the Porsche Carrera GT price to keep rising as it continues to cement itself as a modern classic in Porsche’s portfolio.
Porsche Carrera GT Engine
It arrived with a 5.7-liter V10 engine with an output of 603 hp. With 435 lb-ft of torque, the Carrera GT is far from the average sports car. This model is best known for its fast acceleration, achieving speeds of 0 to 60 MPH in 3.5 seconds flat and 0 to 130 MPH in as little as 10.8 seconds. The incredible Carrera GT engine with technology and roots derived from endurance racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is what makes the Porsche Carrera GT top speed of 208 MPH possible; the car has all of the power and speed of a Formula One race car. Intended for use on the road, however, the Carrera’s ten-cylinder design also makes it suitable for everyday driving at low and average driving speeds. With its successor, the 918 Spyder, being a hybrid hypercar, the Carrera GT would be the final naturally-aspirated supercar/hypercar to be created.
Porsche Carrera GT Transmission
For sport car connoisseurs, the 6-speed manual transmission was incorporated into the design of the Carrera GT. It is one of the most significant decisions made by the automaker. With a rising number of sports car manufacturers incorporating automatic or semi-automatic transmissions, the appreciation of the traditional transmission does not go unnoticed. This innovative manual gearbox was designed specifically for the Porsche Carrera GT specs to ensure that it remained compact and in line with the car’s focus on low-weight and even weight distribution. Paired with the world’s first ceramic clutch, drivers have full control over shifting gears, which is absolutely paramount when it comes to the Porsche Carrera GT 0-60 time of just 3.5 seconds. This ensures a smooth and consistent ride regardless of the driving environment.
Porsche Carrera GT Brakes
A sports car with the immense power and speed of the Porsche CGT requires a superior braking system to ensure safety. The designers of the Carrera GT opted for Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) to achieve this feat. Like the rest of the vehicles, designers considered both weight and performance when making this decision. Especially because the Porsche Carrera GT horsepower is 603, especially high for such a light car, the brakes needed to be able to handle a stop from 60-0 twice as quick as the car could accelerate from 0-60. These ceramic composite brakes are approximately half the weight of cast brake discs which contributes to the aerodynamic design. The performance was not sacrificed with these 350-millimeter discs. Because they are known for creating consistent friction while maintaining a smooth stopping distance from 60 to 0 MPH in a mere 101 feet.
Porsche Carrera GT Specs:
Horsepower: 603 hp
Torque: 435 lb-ft
0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds
1/4 Mile: 11.0 @130 mph
60-0 mph: 101 feet
Weight: 3,043 lbs
Porsche Carrera GT Interior
The interior of the Carrera GT includes everything that you have come to expect from the legendary automaker. High-quality leather and a sophisticated dashboard display offer the best of premium materials and advanced technology. Part of the advanced technology is the Bose audio system and a navigation system. While these features would be considered options in many vehicles, Porsche offered them as standard for the Carrera GT.
Porsche enthusiasts, however, will note a contemporary design for the seats. These sporty bucket seats certainly look edgier than the traditional Porsche seats, although the reasoning behind these inventive seats is unique, it is to keep the sports car light. These new seats, made of composite carbon and Kevlar and they weigh half as much as standard seats while adding a unique flair to the interior of this car. The Carrera GT was actually the first in the world of its kind in a production model with these kinds of seats.
One of the main focal points of the Porsche Carrera GT interior is the shift knob, which came in either carbon fiber or beechwood. The beechwood shift knob is a reference to iconic Porsche race cars of the past, and the shift knob serves as a beautiful and striking centerpiece to the interior, as well as a strong reminder of the pure and honest manual transmission the car employs.
Porsche Carrera GT Standout Features
The Carrera GT is a one-of-a-kind sports car with a number of innovative, standout features. One of the most renowned features of this model is the inclusion of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. The lightweight and aerodynamic features of the Carrera GT allow it to reach nearly unheard-of speeds for a production car while exercising horsepower that is three times that of the average vehicle. Other popular features of this model include a user-friendly roof system. For the first year, Porsche crafted the shifter out of beechwood. This material for the shift knob was picked to mirror the wooden one used in the original Porsche 917 race car. In the second year of production, Porsche introduced a carbon fiber shifter as an option. The world’s first ceramic clutch is light and revs easily. Most intriguing, however, is the focus on functionality, speed, and overall performance in a world where sports cars are typically packed full of luxurious bells and whistles.
Image Source: Porsche
