Porsche Carrera GT Fact Checking

"CAcoalminer" (CAcoalminer)
09/27/2016 at 15:26 • Filed to: None

Original test chart that I found online.

I recently received my October 2016 issue of Road & Track magazine and, being a Porsche fan for quite a while, was thrilled to see that this issue was heavily devoted to the brand. However, even better than the articles themselves was the “Road Test Summary” that was included near the back of the issue and had all of R&T’s test data for the Porsches that they’ve tested over the years starting with a 356-4 from 11/1952 and concluding with a Turbo S from 10/2016. It was great to see just how much price, power, and performance figures have changed over time! That said, I was a bit surprised when I came to the Carrera GT test from 6/2004 and saw its weight listed as “3,530” pounds. Being decently familiar with Carrera GTs, this figure just didn’t make sense to me, as Porsche put so much time and effort into reducing weight on the car. So, seeing as how I don’t currently own a CGT and therefore couldn’t go weigh it, I took to the internet to find more data. It wasn’t long before I found !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! terrific article that I had almost completely forgotten about involving a test of a Carrera GT, Ferrari Enzo, and Ford GT that Motor Trend conducted in December of 2004. Unfortunately, this is the only magazine article that I could find involving a definite U.S. spec CGT, as the other ones only seem to be from the initial press drives in Germany. In addition to the magazine article, I was also about to find a post on Ferrari Chat where a CGT owner had weighed his vehicle and posted his results. Seeing as how the numbers from the owner and Motor Trend were within one pound of each other (3,259 and 3,258 respectively), I was even more confused as to how Road & Track’s number didn’t just seem to be wrong (I could understand the weight being within 50 pounds or so) but significantly different than those two sources. So, I went back to the R&T’s chart and that’s when I saw it, a tiny number one at the top right corner of the weight figure. After consulting the legend at the bottom of the page, the answer became obvious- the tiny one denoted “estimated.” Luckily, the actual performance figures were verified test data so I’ve included those below.

In addition, while researching the CGT weight conundrum, I became curious as to how well these pinnacles of performance match up to their modern day counterparts. As you can see below, progress has most definitely been made in the form of test numbers.

Note- In case anyone is wondering, I have included the Ferrari Enzo’s numbers because the vehicle was a customer’s car, not a company one. By the same token, I have not included the LaFerrari’s numbers because all of the tests I could find were conducted at Ferrari’s test track, in a company car, under the supervision of Ferrari personal. Keeping this in mind, I can’t be certain if a customer car would perform the same.

Porsche Carrera GT

0-60- 3.6 seconds (MT), 3.6 seconds (R&T)

Quarter Mile- 11.1 seconds @ 133.4 mph (MT), 11.3 seconds @ 131.6 mph (R&T)

60-0- 101 feet (MT), 124 feet (R&T)

100-0- 277 feet (MT)

Curb Weight- 3,258 pounds (MT), 3,259 (owner)

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/288gto-f…

Ferrari Enzo

0-60- 3.4 seconds (MT)

Quarter Mile- 11 seconds @ 133.9 mph (MT)

60-0- 106 feet (MT)

100-0- 289 feet (MT)

Curb Weight- 3,254 pounds (MT), 3,265 (owner)

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Ford GT

0-60- 3.7 seconds (MT)

Quarter Mile- 11.2 seconds @ 131.2 mph (MT)

60-0- 110 feet (MT)

100-0- 301 feet (MT)

Curb Weight- 3,468 pounds (MT)

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

McLaren P1

0-60- 2.6 seconds (MT)

Quarter Mile- 9.8 seconds @ 148.9 mph (MT)

Curb Weight- 3,411 pounds (MT)

Porsche 918

0-60- 2.4 seconds (MT)

Quarter Mile- 10 seconds @ 145.2 mph (MT)

Curb Weight- 3,758 pounds (MT)

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/porsche/9…

DISCUSSION (23)

DanimalHouse > CAcoalminer
09/27/2016 at 15:56

Would still take Carrera GT all day every day over Enzo and GT.

Kinja'd!!!

CAcoalminer > DanimalHouse
09/27/2016 at 16:21

It is quite a stunning machine.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CAcoalminer
09/27/2016 at 17:34

Great thoughts as always, my friend. Hope you’re doing well - I was just down in your neighborhood for the Lone Star Le Mans. Was a great event. I introduced my brother and my son to the Czech Stop on the way home.

This is for sale by a fellow Opponaut and I thought of you. Ever owned a replica, or do you do originals only? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-Other-/112150569435

CAcoalminer > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
09/27/2016 at 18:58

Oh wow! Were you there all weekend or only one of the days? Great to hear that you stopped at the Czech Stop (I’m assuming the famous one in West). A wonderful place for delicious treats that I’ve frequented quite often on trips to and from Dallas. If you’re ever through there again, you should definitely stop at the Czech-American Restaurant. Terrific food and a very laid-back atmosphere.

I appreciate you thinking of me. That looks like a terrific example and seems to be offered for a very reasonable sum. I hope that he/she finds a great buyer for it that will continue enjoying it. As for me, yes, I only have experience with originals.

The wife and I are doing great. The ranch is still quite a mess with the roads still being unpaved but at least the house and barn are completed. The Mrs. really wants to put in landscaping but I prefer the natural grasses (mostly because I dread mowing again). We’ll see who wins this round. Haha

Hope you and the family are doing well! Am I right in assuming you still have the M3?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CAcoalminer
09/27/2016 at 23:23

We got to go out to COTA on both Friday & Saturday - Friday with my dad, two of my brothers and my son, and Saturday night with one of my brothers. My twin nephews were celebrating their birthday, so we had a great time together with them and the rest of the crew, too.

Definitely the one in West! My son was bummed we didn’t get more kolaches to take home. Thanks for the tip on the restaurant - will have to try it.

Glad you two are doing well and you’re making good progress on your ranch. Like they say, “happy wife, happy life” - haha! Good luck finding the right compromise.

We’re all doing well - the kids are enjoying school, soccer and cross-country, and work is going great. I couldn’t imagine our start-up would’ve made so much progress in such a short time. It’s been fun to be a part of and the future looks bright.

I still have my M3 and am still loving it. I’m heading to the Ozarks this weekend with friends to use it the way it’s meant to be! Can’t wait.

Do you have any track days or road trips coming up?

Wheelerguy > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 00:34

It always seems heavier in lbs than kg.

Stef Schrader > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
09/28/2016 at 00:45

Czech Stop is wiiiiiiinnnnnn!!!!!

Stef Schrader > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 00:47

Oooooh. Can confirm: Czech-American is delicious.

(I’m also partial to Village Bakery, but they do have fewer choices and shorter hours than Czech Stop.)

Stef Schrader > DanimalHouse
09/28/2016 at 00:47

<3! Same.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Stef Schrader
09/28/2016 at 08:51

So good... just bummed we didn’t get more to take home!

Garrett Davis > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 11:08

Fuel capacity in gallons from the MT article linked:

Enzo: 29.1

Carrera GT: 24.3

Ford GT: 17.5

Can that be right? That seems like an insane number for the Ferrari and the Porsche!

CAcoalminer > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
09/28/2016 at 13:10

That sounds terrific! I’m glad you could make it a family affair. Did you stop by the car corral parking area? I had friends from my Ford GT days there so there were something like 40 GTs at the track during that weekend.

Haha. Your son has excellent taste!

Thanks. I’ll probably need it.

I’m glad to hear you and the family are doing so well! Also, I’m thrilled your new business is thriving.

Sounds terrific. You’ll have to upload photos!

As for me, I plan on getting up to VIR for a track day before the winter sets in and will probably explore some back roads when we go visit my brother and law in Louisiana and see his new house.

CAcoalminer > Wheelerguy
09/28/2016 at 13:14

It really does.

CAcoalminer > Stef Schrader
09/28/2016 at 13:14

Oh. I’ll have to try that when I’m through there again!

CAcoalminer > Garrett Davis
09/28/2016 at 13:22

It does seem crazy until you realize that their EPA figures are 8 city/ 12 highway (Enzo) and 10 city/ 16 highway (CGT).

The large fuel capacity is really so you can make it through a track session.

Brian Silvestro > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 13:42

good job R&T

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 13:55

It was a great weekend. I didn’t make it to the car corrals (besides walking through the Corvettes on my way around the track), but did see several GTs driving around - it’s a shock to see one in the wild, so seeing several in a row was fantastic. Did you see the photos of the P1 GTR just parked like a some normal beater in Lot A? I loved that.

I’ll try to get my photos up in the next week or so; sounds like you’ve got some fun trips upcoming. You’re doing retirement right!

CAcoalminer > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2016 at 14:48

Haha.

Quick question, Brian. Since you work for R&T, could I make a suggestion? I think it would be terrific if you guys had a chart on your website where you posted all of your testing data from over the years so old timers, like myself, who have too much time on their hands can compare performance figures of various vehicles throughout the years.

Brian Silvestro > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 15:55

I’m sure that database is somewhere at R&T’s HQ, but I’m not sure anyone here is willing to devote all that time/manpower to getting it on the site.

Seems like a good idea though.

CAcoalminer > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
09/28/2016 at 16:33

No, I didn’t. We had friends over for the weekend so we stayed around here all weekend. In fact, I had completely forgotten the event was that weekend until two friends called me talking about how they wished I was there. A few swung by Fredericksburg though on Sunday night so I was lucky to catch up with them.

It’s great to hear about owners exposing these wonderful vehicles to others!

Sounds great. I look forward to it!

Well, I try. Haha.

CAcoalminer > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2016 at 16:35

Yes, the time involved was my biggest concern as that seems to be quite the undertaking.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CAcoalminer
09/28/2016 at 17:04

Can be seen at :20 in this video -

CAcoalminer > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
09/28/2016 at 19:35

That’s incredible!