Porsche Carrera GT Was a Superb Old-School Hypercar Long Before the 918

A decade before the 918, the Porsche Carrera GT established itself as an early analog hypercar great.

We all remember the Porsche that first captured our attention. In a wider scope, we all remember the supercars that captivated us before the rest. Was it the 959? The Lamborghini Countach or the Ferrari 355? Whatever it was, there’s no shortage of super-duper cars that capture attention and harvest emotion. And a decade before the hybridized Porsche 918’s challenge to the so-called “Holy Trinity,” the Carrera GT proved itself a foundational hypercar for the Zuffenhausen brand.

Goodwood Road & Racing is quick to remind us that, like the Holy Trinity of the mid-2010s, the Carrera GT wasn’t alone. It arrived in the same timeframe as the outrageous bedroom-poster-dominating Ferrari Enzo, penned by Pinifarina head, Ken Okuyama. Despite the sheer wildness of the Enzo, the Carrera GT managed to shock and awe.

While the Enzo had a flair for the dramatic, the Carrera GT was comparably subtle. Design cues from the at-the-time production 996 911, and 986 Boxster are a bit, well, obvious. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Parked next to the decade-younger Porsche 918, the Carrera GT doesn’t look much like a senior citizen.

Three pedals and a stick take the Porsche Carrera GT to driver’s car basics

Beyond the sheer technological modernity of the hybridized Porsche 918, the Carrera GT’s place in time lends itself to a much more driver-centric age. In a 918, a mid-slung V8 and hybrid platform send 887 horsepower to all four wheels. A seven-speed PDK handles the gear changes. It’s calculated speed and delivery.

Then there’s the Porsche Carrera GT. Porsche didn’t even finish building the original 1,500 Carrera GTs it said it would produce. Instead, it sold every one of 1,275 units and still managed to solidify itself in the early history of hypercars to come. Compared to the much newer 918, the Carrera GT is down on power– 603 horsepower and 435 lb-ft of torque from a 5.7L V10.

But the Carrera GT channels that 10-cylinder fury through a six-speed manual transmission. Three pedals in place of a quick-thinking PDK. Driver, do your work. It’s also a rear-wheel drive (RWD) application. Quite the experience. Especially when you can get a few of them together. Goodwood recently hosted a handful of the crowd-drawing hypercars as they celebrated nearly a quarter of a century of high-revving horsepower.

Photos: Porsche, Goodwood Road & Racing

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