Porsche Carrera GT
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Unofficially, the Porsche Carrera GT is a racecar, a racecar built for the street. What makes it a racecar is not necessarily the huge power produced by its V10 engine or the carbon fiber construction that keeps everything very lightweight – although these features surely make it a fast car. It’s more the sum of its parts that make this car worth every bit of its $440,000 price tag.
The Porsche Carrera GT was introduced as a 2004 model and until 2005 there were already a few changes in order to make the Carrera GT the new Porsche super car. These were minor updates in order to make it a little more street friendly. Between the supplemental bar hoops is now mounted a glass screen. The seats height is adjusted along with the additional bolstering in the thigh area. The Carrera GT is easy recognizable, as it’s a low, sleek, lightweight roadster, very beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. Two removable panels that can be stored in the front trunk make foul weather protection available.
The car has unique features, among which are: 5.7 liter, 605 horsepower V10 engine, monocoque chassis with Porsche-patented engine and transmission mounts made of carbon-reinforced plastic and the first use of a ceramic composite clutch in a production car. A very important aspect is that The Carrera is safe and stable at speeds up to 205 mph, thanks to its aerodynamic and race-bred suspension package.
The design of the suspension is so sophisticated that the shape of its components improves the Carrera GT’s aerodynamics. The designers used lightweight materials such as magnesium for the car’s substantial wheels and the frames of its special sport seats, the result being a faster and safer car. To prove so, The Carrera GT accelerates from a standing start to 62 mph (100km/h) in only 3.9 seconds reaches 100 mph (160 km/h) in less than seven seconds, 125 mph (200 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and can achieve a top test-track speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). What makes this car have these impressive results is it’s 5.5 liter, normally aspirated V10 engine for racing created in the development center in Weissach, Germany. That engine’s bores have been enlarged to displace 5.7 liters in the Carrera GT. It has a very low center of gravity, a 68-degree V angle and four valves-per-cylinder heads. Since the block, crankshaft and camshafts are all made of light alloys, the engine weights only 472 pounds (214 kg).
To stop this “monster” Porsche’s team used a high-tech braking system. Developed for demanding motorsports applications, ceramic brakes are the first to work for on-road use. The massive 15 inch ventilated discs and six-piston calipers have the amazing capacity of bringing the car to a sure and safe stop, matched only by the stunning acceleration of Carrera GT.
Porsche Carrera GT is definitely a exotic appearance, a car that can do it all: fascinate you with its good looks and astound you with its performance and abilities on the race track.
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Porsche Turbo: 1975 to Now
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In 1975 Porsche introduced the first Turbo. The engineers designed this new engine and Chairman Ernst Fuhrman decided that they could use a turbo on a production car. The first prototype was displayed at several European shows in 1973. In 1974, “911 Turbo” went on sale and at the time it had a 3.0 liter 260 bhp engine.
The new Porsche was very luxurious. The standard Turbo had air-conditioning, electric windows, tinted glass, headlamp washers, a leather interior and Bilstein shocks. Originally, it was supposed to be a limited edition, with only 500 models to be sold. However, the demand was so high that more than 1000 cars were sold. It was now clear that Turbo would have a secure future.
What attracted so many customers was its huge rear wing, widened wheel and big tires. This great look combined with the powerful engine made the Turbo look faster than any other 911.
In 1978, the model was improved by the increase of the engine capacity to 3.3 liter and some other modifications. Now the engine produced 40 bhp more. The rear wing was also revised: the two separate grilles were replaced by one larger smooth surface, placed a little higher in order to make room for an intercooler.
In 1979 though, the Turbo was withdrawn from US and Japan, as a response to the second energy crunch.
In 1986, Turbo became again available in the US. This was the first year Porsche used flares that were created in the stamping process of the fenders. In 1992 Porsche showed the Turbo S at Geneva’s Motorshow. Its engine delivered 381 bhp. The car weighted 120 kg less then the standard Turbo and this helped making Turbo S really fast. Only 80 Turbo S cars were built at that stage.
In 1993, the engine capacity was increased again, now reaching 3.6 liter. It was easily recognized by the Turbo 3.6 badge. Also, there was a 93 Turbo 3.6 based on the 911 Turbo S design.
In 1996 Porsche launched yet another Turbo, based on the 993 series. Its engine produced 408 bhp, featuring a six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive. It looked more elegant thanks to the less evocative rear-wing. The wheels are 18 inch in diameter. It saves 20% of the weight because the five spokes are hollow. The front wing has air-ducts that lead extra cooling air to the brakes, making them more powerful than before. They can stop the Turbo from 100 hm/h in 2.6 seconds and from 200km/h in just 5 seconds, increasing car’s safety.
Porsche has recently introduced the 996 Turbo. The styling is different from the previous Turbo models. Its aerodynamics are improved, making it much faster than the 993 Turbo. It gets to 100 km/h in only 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 305 km/h. The new Turbo has a few details that make it easy to recognize: bi-xenon headlights, air intakes behind the doors and a movable rear-spoiler.