Porsche Carrera GT

An escape from the track

Presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2000, the Carrera GT was intended to be the successor of the 911 GT1 and the new ultimate weapon for Porsche's return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Immediately after the 911 GT1-98 of the official Porsche AG team won the 1998 Le Mans 24 Hours, the engineers in Weissach started planning for its successor. Unveiled two years later, the Carrera GT concept car, which was derived from the LMP2000 prototype that was originally designed for racing, was finally developed for street use. Like the 959 of two decades earlier, the Carrera GT is a demonstration of Porsche's extraordinary technological know-how.

The Porsche Carrera GT is one of the very last models of an old-style generation of supercars, still equipped with a naturally-aspirated engine, a manual gearbox and a limited electronic support system. With only 1,270 units produced, this exceptional car was the answer to its main competitors of the time: the Ferrari Enzo and the Mercedes SLR McLaren in particular. For many fans of the German brand, the Carrera GT is probably the best model Porsche has ever made. With this car, the Zuffenhausen-based manufacturer once again continues its tradition of transferring the experience of a racing car to a GT car that is well suited for everyday use.

At the rear, an aerodynamic spoiler lifts automatically from 120 km/h, creating downforce at high speeds, which is reinforced by a flooring that extends into a diffuser. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Porsche / D.R.

The 2000 LMP prototype

In October 1998, a few months after Porsche had won the 24 Hours for the 16th time, the brand's CEO Wendelin Wiedeking gave the go-ahead for the design of a new prototype to compete at the following event. The victorious 911 GT1 launched in 1996 was somewhat outdated as a result of the changes made to the regulations of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. The project, internally codenamed "9R3", was supervised by Herbert Ampferer, the competition director, and Horst Marchart, the head of the Weissach-based research and development centre. They were assisted by engineer Norbert Singer responsible for the aerodynamic development, who in turn was assisted by Dutch designer Wiet Huidekoper. The latter had previously collaborated on the design of the Dauer-Porsche 962 LM and the Porsche 911 GT1, winner of Le Mans in 1994 as well as 1998. The prototype, named LMP 2000, was designed with a carbon chassis in partnership with Lola, in which the flat 6 3.2 litre twin-turbo engine of the Porsche 911 GT1-98 was installed. However, this engine proved difficult to adapt to this new chassis and it was unfortunately now too late to find a new solution for the 1999 Le Mans 24 Hours. In March 1999 Herbert Ampferer suggested the Weissach engineers to use a V10 engine based on the Porsche V12 type 3512 that he had developed in-house and was used in Formula 1 in 1991 by the Footwork Arrows team. The target was now to enter the car in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2000...

Forged magnesium wheels, housing the large ceramic brake discs, are sized differently (19 inches at the front and 20 at the rear) to improve road performance. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Porsche / D.R.

An unexpected conversion

The V10 was increased from 3.5 litres to 5.5 litres and the engine's V-angle was reduced from 80° to 68°. Some adjustments were made to the suspension and transmission and a two day test session was organised at the Weissach track on November 2, 1999, with drivers Allan McNish and Bob Wollek. Against expectations, the Porsche management decided at the same time to stop the project abruptly. The official explanation was the necessity of financing the future Porsche Cayenne, but unofficially it was rather to avoid overshadowing Audi, another brand of the Volkswagen Group, which participated in the Le Mans event. To ensure that the experience made with the LMP 2000 prototype was not lost, it was decided to develop a less expensive road version under the direction of engineer Michael Hölscher. The development was completed in record time and on 28 September 2000, the car, named Carrera GT (Type 980), was presented to the press on the square in front of the Louvre in Paris, before being taken to the Mondial de l'Automobile by the champion Walter Röhrl himself. The engine of the prototype still showed 5.5 litres for 558 hp, but by the time the car went into production in 2003 at the new factory in Leipzig, the engine volume had been increased to 5.7 litres. Thanks to the extensive use of light alloys, the V10 only weighs 214 kg. A significant weight saving is also achieved in the carbon fibre reinforced polymer composite (CFRP) body, weighing just 100 kg. The bodywork is also made of carbon, with the exception of the aluminium engine bonnet. Weight is also saved with the adoption of a special ceramic (called Porsche Ceramic Composite) for the clutch and brake discs. Finally, the Carrera GT inherited many elements from the GT1 racing car, including the suspension.

Technical data

Porsche Carrera GT, Type 980 (2003)

• Engine: 10-cylinder, 68° open V-engine, longitudinal centre rear

• Displacement: 5733 cm3

• Bore x stroke: 98 mm x 76 mm

• Power: 612 hp at 8,000 rpm

• Fuel: Bosch Motronic injection

• Ignition: Bosch Motronic integral management

• Timing: Dual overhead camshafts per bank, 4 valves per cylinder

• Transmission: rear wheel drive, 6-speed manual + M.A.

• Tyres: Michelin 265/35 ZR19 (front) and 350/30 ZR 20 (rear)

• Brakes: ventilated ceramic discs (380 mm diameter front and rear)

• Length: 461 cm

• Width: 192 cm

• Height: 117 cm

• Wheelbase: 273 cm

• Front track: 162 cm

• Rear track: 173 cm

• Weight (empty): 1,380 kg

• Maximum speed: 330 km/h

A Porsche for purists

In contrast to the previous GT1, which was intended for use on the racetrack, the Porsche Carrera GT is a true Sport Prototype adapted for the road. The car offers a power-to-weight ratio of 2.26 kg/hp and a Cx of 0.39. In addition, its V10 delivers 612 hp and a maximum torque of 60.1 mkg at 5,750 rpm, allowing for an unusual performance. Its top speed is 330 km/h, while 0 to 100 km/h is achieved in 3.9 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h in 9.9 seconds and covering a kilometre from standstill in 20 seconds! Despite its unique character and exceptional capabilities, the Carrera GT paradoxically struggled to find buyers at the time of its release. Priced at 468,845 euros in 2003, only 1,270 units of the planned 1,500 were produced in three years. Two decades later, this model is now a rarity and is traded at twice the original price.