One of the first blog posts I ever made showcased the brilliant Porsche Carrera GT alongside some other interesting cars from Porsche Centre Melbourne. After a re-structure of my blog, I deleted the post because it didn’t focus exclusively on the Carrera GT, and since then I’ve been waiting for a valid excuse to give it some proper air time. Now is that time, and better still, this particular Carrera GT is painted in a rather odd colour that has some historical significance. Only Adrian Portelli would do such a thing to a car that already commands attention wherever it goes, so without further ado, here’s why the Carrera GT is one of Stuttgart’s favourite sons.
Cars mean different things for different people. Some people see them as transportation, some people see them as vanity items and others see them as mechanical masterpieces designed to thrill. OK, that last bit isn’t true in all cases but with the Carrera GT, it absolutely is. The car was designed to be a raw, emotional machine with a cracking engine and 3 pedals for full involvement in the driving experience. It’s not designed for commuting in city traffic and would definitely give your glutes a work out. No driving aids also means you have to be vigilant with every input, but when you understand how the car behaves, you’ll be dancing with it in no time. It does exactly what you ask of it without any pushback or electronic nannies.
This car isn’t completely analogue as it has an automatic wing that comes up to provide extra downforce. It may not be the most glamorous solution but active aero is a must for a car like this. Now, let’s move on to the engine as that does have a story a tell. It’s a V10 as we all know, displacing 5.2 litres, but the origin comes from a still-born Le Mans prototype that never made it to the track. In the back of the carbon chassis, the V10 engine was smaller but screamed even louder without those pesky mufflers and catalytic converters. Due to the inherent rawness of the engine, the size was increased for better drivability on the road. A race-bred V10 being put into a road car for “normal” people to buy? That’s some madness right there.
Pink may seem like a strange colour option but one of the most famous Porsches to ever race was a 917 called the “Pink Pig” after an engineer remarked on it’s rather porky appearance compared to the other versions. Porsche played into this and painted a butcher’s chart marking out each cut of pork on the car. Unfortunately, the car did not bring home the bacon for Porsche, but it became a fan favourite long before Rexy was concieved. Adrian’s choice was by no means random, showing his genuine love and knowledge of the brand’s story.
The Carrera GT is a car for drivers. If you are not prepared to do everything manually, don’t bother stepping into it. If you are prepared to do everything manually, you will be rewarded with a car that is sure to leave you coming back for seconds. The noise is provocative. The gear lever moves with precision. The chassis is tight and nothing is filtered out. You are connected. Your senses are stimulated and for a few minutes, you feel like a hero. That is why people lust over this car.
