Random Car Wednesday: Porsche Carrera GT

Cars and Coffee is always good for a surprise or two, but every so often somebody shows up in something particularly incredible. This occurred at last weekend's event, and so I thought it would make a great RCW. An incredible piece of supercar history, it's the Porsche Carrera GT.

Porsche Carrera GT

Originally a mere concept, the Carrera GT was given the green light in part due to the hugely positive response the prototype received. Porsche wasn't unfamiliar with supercars, having already created the world-beating 959 and the homologation-special monster that was the 911 GT1, so there was little doubt in the manufacturer's ability to make another halo car.

The Carrera GT began production in 2004 and was built through 2005, with a final production total of 1,270 cars. This actually made it the first achievable Porsche supercar in the States, since only 25 911 GT1's were ever built, and none of the 300 or so 959's were street-legal in the U.S. As a result, nearly half of the Carrera GT production run was sold in America.

In terms of performance, the Carrera GT was a serious machine, The mid-mounted 5.7-liter V10 was originally created for a Porsche LMP car that never saw the light of day. In the Carrera GT, it put out 612 horsepower, allowing brave drivers to hit 60 mph in a mere 3.5 seconds. Top speed was a claimed 205 mph. A six-speed manual transmission was the only option, and power was sent directly to the rear wheels.

This particular car was a show-stopper, and looked great in what I presume is Guards Red (the Carrera GT only had five official color options). The design is truly something special, incorporating Porsche's iconic visual cues into a low-slung supercar shape that is guaranteed to quicken your pulse. Looking at this car, it's easy to see elements of the Carrera GT in Porsche's latest supercar, the 918 Spyder. This was one of the ultimate supercars of its decade, and in person it's very clear why that reputation still stands.