Porsche Carrera GT

Introduction
Since the introduction of the first real Porsche in 1948, with the Ferdinand Porsche name having been used on Volkswagen and Mercedes prior to 1948, the moniker has stood for top of the line performance technology, with a full dose of European class, style, and luxury. Like its Italian competition such as Ferrari and Lamborghini, Porsche has only ever focused on making a name for itself and staying atop the high end performance class, where as fellow German and American companies were more likely to stray to a performance car with family car qualities. While the early Porches were tested and tuned on Germany's Autobahn, along with European racing series, in recent years, events such as the twenty four hours of Lemans and Daytona, have brought the Porsche racers full scale into the world public view. It has been these race cars that the public sees, and Porsche has always modeled its public lines after those race cars. So when a possible buyer sees a new Porsche ripping through the corners of the twenty four hours of Lemans, a trip to the Porsche dealership will offer the buyer very near the same cars, minus the numbers and road rash. The most popular of the Porsche race styled lines for decades has been the 911, with its turbocharged power plant and smooth aerodynamic lines which have received subtle rounding in external styling since its introduction in 1963, which eventually evolved into the 911 Targa, then the 911 Carrera in the early seventies. This current model 911 has kept its relative style and shape throughout the run of the 911, and throughout the change in nomenclature, even though the body has received minor changes here and there with aerodynamic breakthroughs and car building technology. The rounded roofline which extends almost all the way to the ground with the exception of the rear bumper, and the almost bug-like headlights which carry a molded into the fenders look, have been the norm for the 911 line, with of course the exception of the convertibles. But with the recent "Supercar" market battle raging worldwide with companies like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Saleen, McLaren, and Mercedes Benz, going with traditional style has become obsolete. This new class of cars demands a wide stance, with excellent aerodynamics coming from a super low roofline, and in many cases, a convertible option is available. To keep speed with the competition, the Porsche engineers went back to the race track, taking a car that has been amazingly successful in the world racing series, and adapting it for public road use. The result, the all new Porsche Carrera GT. This new Porsche carries current day "supercar styling" while still preserving some of the subtle looks that the Porsche line has become known for in past years. Also similar to the other Supercars, the GT has adopted a massive ten cylinder engine, and has done away with the turbocharger. Even with the lack of forced induction this new Carrera offers the driver a superb ratio of five pounds per one horsepower.

Powertrain
The driving force in this new Carrera GT is the newly designed mid mounted ten cylinder engine. This engine, unlike previous Carrera engines has forgone the turbocharger system for a naturally aspirated, direct port fuel injected setup. The engine block and cylinder heads are both constructed from aluminum, with each of the cylinder heads housing a separate intake and exhaust camshaft to control the sixty eight degree angled four valves per cylinder. Unlike the Dodge ten cylinder engine featured in their Viper, which is a bulky 8.3 liters producing a mere five hundred horsepower, the GT V10 has taken a "bigger is not always better approach" with its power being built using only 5.7 liters; roughly thirty four percent less engine volume with which to work, yet still offering the driver an asphalt shredding six hundred and four horsepower at a steep eight thousand revolutions per minute, with the peak torque output level coming at a much lower four hundred and thirty-five revolutions per minute. The use of Porsche racing technology helps contribute to the volumetric efficiency if this new GT engine. The first, and most obvious touch of technology is the air intake system. To aide the direct port fuel injection in getting every bit of the required air, yet balancing the air intake flow, the new GT uses separate intake manifolds for each bank of cylinders. Each cylinder also uses separate throttle controls and air filters equipped with Helmholtz resonators. This air intake system helps to give the new Porsche Carrera GT a prominent intake sound at higher RPMs, which is quick to draw attention when combined with the rumble of the exhaust system. The next bit of racing technology that has been applied to the new GT is the dual Motronic ME7.1.1 Engine control units, with each one monitoring a separate bank of cylinders.

This new system controls and incorporates every action of the engine by means of mass air flow sensor, on board diagnostics, and electronic throttle control. With the range of steady inputs from the various sensors and diagnostic equipment, the GT maintains a steady power output regardless of the temperature or barometric pressure. These new engine control measures also allow the GT to be compliant with both Euro 4 emissions standards, and low emission vehicle (LEV) standards in the United States. In order to keep the engine running smoothly, the new GT V10 offers another race type feature with the new dry sump oil system. The basic oil in crankcase style engine can often cause for unnecessary labor by the crankshaft, so the engine oil is not stored and pumped from the engine, but from a separate oil cooling system. This new system features ten oil pumps, one which pumps oil into the engine, and another nine which help to remove oil from the engine as the new, cool oil is pumped into the engine. Upon returning from the turbulence of the engine, any foaminess in the oil is removed by means of an integrated air separator within the gearbox. This dry sump system helps to prevent lack of proper oiling due to extreme lateral G forces, while at the same time the external storage helps to keep the oil cool and in turn, keeps the engine cooler, with the help of the radiator controlled water cooling system. In order to help lower the center of gravity throughout the entire vehicle, the crankshaft is set as low as possible, only about three and a half inches above the floor of the new GT. The engine workings are not the only cutting edge features of this engine. As mentioned, the cylinder heads, pistons, and engine block are comprised of a lightweight aluminum alloy (with a cylinder bore of 3.86 inches, and a piston stroke of 2.99 inches), when combined with the titanium connecting rods and the forged crankshaft help to offer durable engine components while still keeping this entire engine at an amazing four hundred and seventy two pounds, which is less than twice the weight of the 1.6 liter four cylinder engine in the modern MINI Cooper S, yet still building the brutal six hundred and four horsepower.

In order to utilize this beast of an engine, the new Porsche Carrera GT comes equipped with a newly designed, innovative new transmission. This new transmission is a six speed gearbox, which is transversely mounted at the rear of the vehicle, it is designed, like the rest of the drivetrain and car to assist in lowering the center of gravity as much as possible. This new manual transmission does not include a typical dual mass flywheel, but instead is fitted with a series of input shafts; one which is hollow, with a second shaft running inside the length of the first. This system helps to cut down on weight and size of the transmission, while also absorbing the shock of the engine output, all while dampening transmission noise. This single mass flywheel also helps to reduce internal rotational mass, which increases throttle response and acceleration. The clutch system is also redesigned, using the Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch, or PCCC. This is basically a two plate dry clutch system, and when combined with even more ceramic clutch components internally, it offers roughly ten times less rotational mass then a conventional clutch of this size. The new components and design also allow for a much more compact and weight saving clutch housing. This entirely new transmission setup allows for optimum power delivery to the ground, with minimum weight and drag on the engine.

Handling
The suspension, like the rest of the new Porsche Carrera GT, comes directly from the corners of Lemans. Having been taking from the winner of the 1998 twenty four hours of Lemans, this setup has proven its use and durability in the toughest of conditions. The carbon fiber chassis is one of the biggest weight savers, and when combined with the double-wishbone pushrod axles in the front and rear which have separate guide springs and sleeves, allow for proper weight distribution handling and excellent spring balance at any range of speed. The power steering system is hydraulically assisted, and is coupled with a high capacity pump, gives the driver split second steering response and allows for excellent feedback to the driver from the road surface. In order to slow the new Porsche Carrera GT down from its amazing two hundred and four mile per hour top speed, the GT comes with a fresh braking system. it comes equipped with Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, or PCCB, which have been slightly enhanced and enlarged, the rotors now measuring a massive 14.96 inches, with 1.34 inches wide including the huge and efficient cooling ducts, and this enlarged braking setup is mounted behind both the front and rear wheels. While the size of the disc gives pinpoint stopping accuracy, the ceramic construction causes these new rotors to weight about half as much as a standard cast iron rotor. The new brake pad lining works with the rotors to produce a very high coefficient of friction which yields full braking pressure in less than a second. Even with the high friction of the brake pads, the braking system has been proven to stand up to even the toughest of tests, such as the heavy repeated braking of a twenty four hour race. The new GT features antilock braking systems and a traction control system, both of which function at the entire range of capable speeds. These help to smooth the ride of the GT over any road surface by controlling braking and throttle to make the car safer at high speeds, without altering the high speed ability of the GT. Also, four channel anti spin control (ASC) is functional throughout the entire range of speeds, which prevents unwanted wheel spin. However, in the occasion that the driver of the GT wants to lay down a few hundred feet of rubber by means of a nice smoky burnout, the ASC can be shut off with the push of a button. To assist in getting as much of this power to the roads as possible are the new Carrera GT unique wheels which measure nineteen inches in the front and twenty inches tall in the rear. The new five spoke wheels are forged magnesium, marking the first time that a regular production car has been offered with a standard magnesium wheel. The use of magnesium for the new wheels has a much lighter weight, roughly twenty five percent lower than an aluminum wheel, yet holding the durability and sturdiness needed on a car such as this one. These new wheels, while cutting the overall mass of the car, also lessen rotational mass, thus helping to decrease the work needed to move this new GT from a stand still. Adding yet another race like feature are the lug system. Unlike most cars, the new GT has only one lug nut per wheel, centrally mounted, which allows for proper balance and quick tire changing. The standard high performance tire, which have been specifically designed for this new GT, is a large 265/35ZR19 in the front and a massive 335/30/ZR20 in the rear, which offers about ten and a half inches of rubber to turn the car in the front, and in the rear, thirteen and a quarter inches to help get the new GT moving.

Interior
The interior, while having been modeled after a race car, has the amenities needed for a daily driver, such as a passenger seat. But all joking aside, the Porsche Carrera GT offers race day technology combined with the expected comforts of a half a million dollar Supercar. While having two seats, the interior is cockpit like, and in keeping with the overall theme of a nice low center of gravity, the seats are set low to the ground, with almost a feeling of sitting on the ground when you slide into the leather clad race style seats. The seats are so low in fact, that with the door open, the carbon fiber trimmed door sill with the brushed aluminum “Carrera GT” inlay could almost serve as an armrest. The center console is, like the rest of the car, comprised of carbon fiber, and is attached directly to the chassis at the rear of the cockpit to help increase the rigidity of the GT. From that rear connection point, the console sweeps up to the dash, becoming the center stack, which houses the shifter, most interior controls, the standard heating and air conditioning controls, as well as the standard Bose audio system complete with a hands free phone system, full internet access, and the Porsche Online Pro Navigation System. The shifter is positioned near the top of the center console as to allow the driver to make quick shifts without having to move his or her hand far from the steering wheel. To give the shifter a retro appearance amidst all of this modernization of the Carrera the shift knob is a smooth carved birchwood ball. Like the shifter, every button and switch to control just about every feature or function of the new GT is readily within reach without even the need to lean forward from the seat back. The entire dashboard has been designed to cut down on weight, being comprised of magnesium and carbon fiber, and the gauge cluster houses all of the needed gauges for high speed, high performance driving, with a massive tachometer clearly visible through the leather wrapped steering wheel. Another world marker first for the GT is the design of the seats, which have been designed with weight reduction in mind. The "first" displayed by these new seats is the construction material. The skeleton of the race inspired seats which is usually made of steel is made of carbon fiber, and the external workings of the seat, with the exception of the leather coverings, are made entirely of Kevlar. These seats, including the controls are an amazingly light twenty two pounds per seat, roughly half the weight of the previous Carrera seat. The new interior does a great job of balancing race ready styling with the modern amenities desired of people who are in the market to pay $440,000 for a Supercar. While storage certainly was not one of the keys in designed this new GT, it was kept in mind as a bit of an after thought with the addition of a custom formed luggage set that fits precisely into the frontal storage area of the new GT. While marketed as a street legal race car, when sitting in the seats, the driver or passenger can easily be led to believe that they are in a high end luxury car, which just happens to be able to hit sixty miles per hour in about three and a half seconds, and one hundred and twenty five miles per hour in roughly ten seconds.

Exterior
So a quick look of the engine shows an all new Powertrain worthy or praise from even the most touted race car drivers worldwide, and the interior would keep even the pickiest luxury car aficionado right at home with all of the offerings, but to see the Carrera GT just at rest, with the rear engine cover closed, and the roof battened down, it is obvious that this car is truly something special, thanks to both features the human eye can, and cannot see. The entire monocoque body and frame are comprised of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, or CFP, which is a material previously only used in aeronautics. Unlike other cars where there are a number of large body pieces bolted to the chassis, this new GT body is almost entirely one piece, with a few pieces that must be moveable, such as the door, front storage compartment cover, and engine cover being just a few of the non-solid body components. This one piece body starts as a series of panels which are baked in a high heat, high pressure furnace, which is a patent registered by Porsche. The central frame unit, which includes the center console, is the base for all structural functions, including all of the drivetrain and suspension movement forces. The running gear is affixed to the chassis by a precisely form fitted support, and when bolted in place, helps to assist the chassis in adding to the rigidity of the GT, which altogether allows almost no body of frame flex due to torque or high speed cornering. While adding to the structure of the GT to enhance performance, this skeleton of sorts also helps to absorb and direct the force of impact in the event of an accident, while leaving all of the interior components almost perfectly intact, even in the event of a hard impact. Along with the real world physical tuning of the GT on the race course, the body itself has undergone hundreds of hours of wind tunnel testing to ensure that every inch of the exterior not only looks great, but serves a function in the aerodynamics of this car. Everything, from the front end brake cooling ducts, to the open bottomed mirrors, to the rear deck lid spoiler which holds a molded into the quarter panel look until the car reaches speed, at which point it automatically raises out of the body to increase downforce, help to give this new GT unbelievable high speed aerodynamic control. The side fed engine intake scoops, while appearing to be an aerodynamic draw, also help to increase downforce, while giving the hungry engine every bit of air that it could possibly need to help this car reach the speeds at which extreme downforce is needed. The body is so well designed thanks to the body and the rear end undercarriage, that at speeds of and above 150 miles per hour, over eight hundred pounds of downforce is created over the rear wheels alone! So in theory, the faster you are going, the better this car handles. Aerodynamics aside, the Porsche Carrera GT also features modern touches such as the HID projection style headlights as well as polished exhaust exits which are molded into the rear lower air diffuser, but all of these are added with the steady effort of perfection in the wind tunnel kept in mind, while not straying from the safety issues required and/or expected of performance cars both in the United States, and worldwide.

Summary
So, while the Porsche name has come to stand for a breed of street legal road race cars, this new Porsche Carrera GT has truly thrust the Porsche name to the head of the Supercar class. With a factory eleven second quarter mile time, a top speed of over two hundred miles per hour, a suspension setup that will out maneuver any car in the American market if not the world, and an interior and exterior styling that allows the GT to be considered not only a Supercar, but a luxury coupe at the same time, this is truly among the best performing, best looking, and most exciting cars in the world, and we are sure that somewhere, Ferdinand Porsche himself is looking down at this newest creation from the designers at Porsche, and smiling, knowing that thanks to this new GT, the Porsche name will remain a street able, race ready car that will be desired by all for decades to come.