Porsche Carrera GT Prototype
(from Porsche Press Release) ATLANTA, FEBRUARY 4, 2003 --- Stuttgart, Germany-based Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG will unveil its V10-powered Carrera GT high-performance roadster in March at the Geneva International Motor Show. With more than 600 horsepower and racing-inspired technology, Porsche’s top-of-the-line sports car delivers pure performance.
The Carrera GT has a pure racing engine. Its 10-cylinder powerplant with dry-sump lubrication is based on Porsche’s 5.5-liter V10 naturally aspirated engine developed especially for racing. For production, technicians at the Development Center in Weissach, Germany, have increased the displacement to 5.7 liters. Maximum output is 605 horsepower (SAE) at 8,000 rpm, with peak torque rated at 437 pound-feet. The Carrera GT has a top test-track speed of 205 miles per hour (330 k/h) and accelerates from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds. Its specially developed six-speed manual gearbox allows it to go from zero to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 9.9 seconds.
The specifications demanded a consistent lightweight construction and sports car dimensions. With a length of 15.12 feet (4.61 meters), a width of 6.3 feet (1.92 meters), a height of 3.81 feet (1.16 meters) and a wheelbase of 8.96 feet (2.73 meters), the roadster weighs 3,042 pounds (1,380 kilograms).
Porsche developed a new construction concept for road and racing vehicles. The Carrera GT’s monocoque and entire sub-frame are made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), and Porsche has applied to patent this technology. Carbon is the only material that, after complex processing, can meet the requirements needed to combine top-class driving performance and driving dynamics with minimum weight at maximum rigidity.
With attainable speeds of more than 186 mph (300 km/h), aerodynamics plays a crucial role. To achieve as high output co-efficients as possible (so-called “downforce”), the Carrera GT has an underbody geometry that can only be found in similar form in pure racing sports cars. The underbody is completely cased in carbon fiber and provides an additional suction effect thanks to its rear diffusor and flow channels.
The Carrera GT also features the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system. Porsche has supplied this component since 2001 and is the first manufacturer to include it in a mass-produced vehicle (the 911 Carrera GT2). A global innovation – the PCCC (Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch) – transmits power to the drivetrain.
The Carrera GT's extremely light magnesium wheels are produced with a special forging process and are offered for the first time on a mass-produced vehicle. The tires were specially developed for the Carrera GT (265/35 ZR 19 in the front, and 335/30 ZR 20 in the rear).
The new Porsche roadster possesses a simple-operation roof system. It consists of two individual carbon fiber lightweight shells, each weighing only 5.3 pounds (2.4 kilograms). These shells can be stored in the front luggage compartment.