.jpg)
MISANO - CLUB PORSCHE - CARRERA GT
PORSCHE Press Kit - 2003
Porsche Carrera GT World Debut
Content:
- Highlights: Thoroughbred Racing Technology for Supreme Driving Pleasure
- 911 Carrera GT: Super-Athlete for the Road
- Engine and Drivetrain: A Purebred Racing Engine
- Chassis and Suspension: Supreme Dynamics, Supreme Handling
- Bodyshell and Safety: A Strong Character
- Equipment: Sophisticated and Light
- Technical Features Specifications
Highlights of the New Porsche Carrera GT
Thoroughbred Racing Technology for Supreme Driving PleasureThe Porsche Carrera GT offers the undiluted qualities of a genuine racing car to provide an unprecedented driving experience on the road. Right from the start, the car's performance figures reveal its character: As just one example, the Carrera GT accelerates from 0-200 km/h in just 9.9 seconds. And this high-performance athlete sets new standards in many other areas, too.
Lightweight engineering of the highest calibre
Consistent use of lightweight technology clearly demonstrates the Carrera GT's commitment to the essential: Measuring 4.61 metres or 181.5" in length, 1.92 metres or 75.6" in width, 1.16 metres or 45.7" in height, and with a wheelbase of 2.73 metres or 107.5", the Carrera GT weighs in at an ideal 1380 kg or 3043 lb unladen.
Power and performance
The ten-cylinder power unit right behind the cockpit of the Carrera GT is based on a 5.5-litre normal-aspiration engine which might well have appeared in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as an all-out racing unit. Capacity has been increased slightly to 5.7 litres for maximum output of 450 kW (612 PS) at 8000 rpm and maximum torque of 590 Newton-metres or 435 lb-ft at 5750 rpm. Top speed is 330 km/h or 205 mph. Despite this kind of power, performance and racing character, the ten-cylinder is perfectly suited for everyday motoring thanks to its refined, superior driving qualities also at low engine speeds.
Close interaction of the chassis and engine mounts
The Porsche Carrera GT is the first production car to feature a monocoque chassis and engine/transmission mounts made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFP), a design principle now registered by Porsche for a patent. Only carbon, a material carried over from aerospace applications, is able through an elaborate process of refinement to combine supreme performance and driving dynamics on the road with minimum weight and maximum strength. So here again, Porsche's engineers and designers have carried over the great demands made on the race track to a road-going sports car, in the process giving the Carrera GT not only optimum performance but also a high standard of safety all round.
Same underfloor as a racing car
Aerodynamics is obviously a decisive factor in a car capable of reaching 330 km/h or 205 mph. To achieve maximum downforce, the Carrera GT comes with the underfloor geometry of a racing car, the fully clad carbon underfloor providing an additional ground effect together with the rear diffuser and air flow ducts.
Forged magnesium wheels
The 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels in five-spoke design clearly reveal the motorsport character of the Carrera GT at very first sight. And at the same time they bear testimony to the exclusivity of this high-performance sports car: The wheels are made in a magnesium forging process used for the first time in a production car. Forged magnesium wheels are more than 25 per cent lighter than cast aluminium wheels and have a very long service life.
Refined chassis and suspension set-up
Reaching very high speeds on the road, the Carrera GT obviously requires a special spring and damper set-up in order to maintain its driving stability and good grip especially at the rear in all speed ranges. So again, the solution applied for this purpose comes from motorsport: Smooth response and refined behaviour is ensured by spring/damper elements fastened to the inside of the chassis structure and operated by stainless-steel pushrods and pivot levers. Firm connection of the springs and dampers to the chassis helps to provide an exact, smooth response, again in the interest of added safety on the road.
A world-first achievement: the ceramic clutch
Apart from Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) already well known, Porsche uses ceramics, a particularly light and resistant material, also in the power transmission and driveline of this super-sports car: The Carrera GT is the first car in the world to feature the PCCC Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch, a double-plate dry clutch in compact design to meet all the requirements of motorsport. Clutch disc diameter is a mere 169 millimetres or 6.7", again helping to give the engine and gearbox a very low centre of gravity. A further advantage of the new ceramic clutch plates is their much longer service life compared with other, alternative materials.
Seats weighing only half the usual figure
Within the refined interior of the Carrera GT characterised above all by smooth and supple leather, magnesium and carbon-fibre structures, the newly designed seats in elegant, sporting style are a particular eye-catcher. These are the first-ever seats in a production car made of composite carbon and aramide fibres. And compared with conventional seats, the seat buckets in the Carrera GT weigh only 10.7 kg or 23.6 lb, that is roughly half the usual figure.
The New Porsche Carrera GT
A Super-Athlete for the RoadThrough its looks alone, the Carrera GT clearly reveals its truly outstanding performance as an uncompromising super-sports car. But contrary to prototypes used only in motor racing, the Porsche Carrera GT, in its design and character, shows a clear link to production cars and is reminiscent in some details and features of Porsche's legendary racing cars for the track. The front view of the Carrera GT bears that typical Porsche “face" with the extreme, sweptback “arrow" design of the front lid and the front wings rising up at the sides like on the 718 RSK Spyder back in the '60s. The two large projection headlights beneath flat glass covers bear testimony to the unforgotten Porsche 917 racing car but house the most advanced and sophisticated headlight technology in the form of two V-shaped xenon headlight units. And like on the 911 Turbo, three extra-wide air intakes in the lower front section underline the Carrera GT's clear commitment to outstanding perforamnce on the road. The air coming in through these openings serves to cool both the three radiators as well as the front brakes.
Exciting looks also from the side
Viewed from the side, the Carrera GT looks even more dynamic with its taut, stretched and sleek shoulder line. The mid-engine concept is accentuated by the cockpit oriented clearly to the front and the long gap between the door and the rear axle. The all-new exterior mirrors with their V-shaped double base take up the angle of the A-pillar, emphasizing the dynamic appearance of the entire car. Large air intakes and side outlets in front of and behind the doors add to the exciting looks of the car, serving primarily, however, to ensure a good flow of air to and from the engine, transmission, brakes and air conditioning in line with the supreme power and performance of the Carrera GT. Literally “cut into" the basic design of the car, the air intakes, like on an aircraft, feature a highly functional aerodynamic air flow surface as yet another example of the perfect combination of aesthetic looks and high-performance technology so characteristic of the car's concept.
To provide a clear view of the power unit and for thermal reasons, the powerdomes stretching back over the engine from the rear panel of the cockpit are made of cross-drilled stainless steel. The two rollbars not only look safe and secure, but really fulfill their purpose in full thanks to their strong, muscular design and configuration. And at the same time they serve to accommodate the removable roof, holding it firmly in position whenever required.
Clear design also at the rear
The rear-end structure of the Carrera GT is clearly laid out like on a racing car, primarily following all driving and aerodynamic requirements. A rear wing provides the downforce at the rear essential for superior driving dynamics on the road, moving up 160 millimetres or 6.30" in less than five seconds as soon as the car reaches a speed of 120 km/h or 75 mph and increasing downforces by approximately 30 per cent. Then, as soon as road speed drops below 80 km/h or 50 mph, the wing automatically returns to its original position. A diffuser beneath the rear end enhances the aerodynamic effect of the wing and at the same time forms a visual counter-balance to the contour of the wing extending upwards. Two powerful-looking tailpipes integrated in between in the rear carbon-fibre panel on the same level as the round tail lights are reminiscent in their shape of a jet engine, once again bearing clear testimony to the above-average performance of the Carrera GT. The ribbed cover around the tailpipes also serves a clear function by enhancing the cooling effect at the rear, the Carrera GT thus visibly reflecting Porsche's clear principle of form follows function.
Superior aerodynamics also beneath the car
The design of a car capable of racing successfully on the track is clearly influenced throughout by aerodynamic considerations. The benchmark for all design features is the option to race the car on a circuit with high downforces keeping the car firmly on the ground. At its top speed of 330 km/h or 205 mph, the Carrera GT builds up downforces totalling 2846 Newton. For reasons of stability downforces are higher at the rear, with the Carrera GT featuring a front-to-rear force balance of 30:70. To build up these high downforces on the Carrera GT without in any way impairing the car's drag coefficient, Porsche's aerodynamicists have developed a new underfloor geometry for the Carrera GT never seen before in this consistent design on a production car built for the road. Together with its diffuser at the rear and the air flow ducts, the fully covered underfloor provides an additional ground effect. Firmly bolted to the chassis, engine mounts and crash structure, the underfloor cover is made completely of composite carbon-fibre and has been designed down to the last detail in the wind tunnel. This guides the flow of air in the right direction with the help of flow ducts upstream of the front axle and air guidance fins extending back to the diffuser at the rear. The result is not only powerful downforce as such, but also an optimum balance of these downward forces on the two axles.
Engine and Drivetrain
A Purebred Racing EngineThe ten-cylinder power unit with dry sump lubrication fitted behind the cockpit of the Carrera GT is based on a 5.5-litre V10 normal-aspiration engine which, as an all-out racing machine, might well have been featured in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now engine capacity has been increased to 5.7 litres in the road car by enlarging cylinder bore to 98 millimetres or 3.86". With its supreme power, the engine of the Carrera GT meets all the requirements for the race track, but is equally smooth and docile for everyday motoring. Through its performance alone, the Carrera GT clearly stands out as a super-sports car for the road: Maximum output is 450 kW or 612 bhp at 8000 rpm, maximum torque 590 Newton-metres or 435 lb-ft at 5750 rpm. Top speed, in turn, is 330 km/h or 205 mph. And in its acceleration, the Carrera GT really enters a new dimension, rocketing from 0-100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds and reaching 200 km/h in a mere 9.9 seconds.
Extremely low centre of gravity
The optimised 68° V-angle of the cylinders, together with the crankshaft lowered to the lowest possible level, gives the engine a very low centre of gravity. This tight V-angle and the steep ducts within the engine block are necessary in order to provide enough space for the car's various aerodynamic features, such as the air flow ducts and the diffuser. Porsche's engineers have chosen the 10-cylinder concept with 500 cc per cylinder since this configuration offers optimum conditions for the cylinder charge cycle. Four valves per cylinder and intake channels optimised to provide perfect flow conditions ensure an optimum cylinder charge and supreme efficiency. And although the entire engine has all the qualities of a power unit built for racing, it naturally fulfills all relevant emission and noise limits.
Excellent engine block stiffness, high standard of integration
Built at Porsche's engine plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the ten-cylinder power unit featured in the Carrera GT guarantees excellent strength and stiffness all round through its construction as a load-bearing component within the car as a whole, the cylinder bores thus remaining free of any distortion to the greatest possible extent. To keep the number of individual parts and the weight of the overall engine to a minimum, in turn, both the coolant and oil pipes have been integrated into the cast housing as far as possible, this special design typical of motorsport avoiding the need for individual connections and sealing elements. And at the same time this concept of high integration serves not only to optimise the weight of the engine and its ancillaries, but also to enhance reliability and running qualities to a new level of excellence.
Materials carefully selected for supreme strength and temperature resistance
The ten-cylinder power unit makes a significant contribution in maintaining the ideal weight of the Carrera GT. Weighing just 214 kg or 472 lb, the engine is made of light alloy throughout, maintaining a high level of strength and temperature resistance wherever required. This applies both to the crankcase and the cylinder heads in a light alloy almost completely immune to high temperatures. To keep the engine as short as possible, in turn, Porsche's engineers decided not to use cylinder liners subsequently inserted in place. With the engine block in closed-deck configuration, a principle carried over from motorsport, the cylinders are cooled by water chambers extending all round. The cylinder liners come with a Nikasil (a combination of nickel and silicon) coating improving wear resistance and minimising friction. A further advantage of this special design and configuration is a considerable increase in crankcase strength and stability. Achieving engine power of 612 bhp is one thing – cooling an engine with this kind of power is another. And precisely here the closed-deck configuration offers substantial advantages, with the cylinders being surrounded directly by the coolant. Crossflow cooling ensuring optimum transfer of heat to the coolant cycle guarantees consistent cooling of all 10 cylinders even under high engine load, three radiators at the front of the car contributing to the cooling effect.
Crankdrive for high engine speeds
High engine speeds of up to 8400 rpm require suitable design of the crankdrive. The crankshaft operates with a stroke of 76 millimetres or 2.99", interacting with 68 millimetres or 2.68 cylinder bore to provide overall capacity of 5733 cc. Forged and designed for minimum mass inertia, the crankshaft offers maximum torsional stiffness. The pistons are connected to the crankshaft by titanium connecting rods not only very strong but also extra-light to ensure superior smoothness and a long service life at engine speeds of more than 8000 rpm.
Like the crankcase, the cylinder heads on the Carrera GT resemble those of a fully-fledged racing engine. Construction of the crankcase in one piece integrates the secondary air ducts as well as the separate bearing blocks for the camshaft. Camshaft drive is a combined sprocket/chain system which, in conjunction with rigid cup tappets, guarantees stiff and sturdy valve drive with low masses and compact dimensions. The intake camshafts come with infinite adjustment within a total range of 40° provided by VarioCam camshaft control patented by Porsche.
Environmentally friendly but with a strong and powerful sound
The Carrera GT comes with a two-chamber exhaust system featuring one pre-catalyst and one main catalyst on each side. Clearly, the new model fulfills or even outperforms all environmental standards and requirements applicable worldwide, such as the European EU4 standard not coming into force until 2005. The pre-catalysts are close up to the engine behind the manifold, significantly reducing the emission of pollutants even while the engine is still warming up. The main catalysts, in turn, are integrated in the rear-end silencer. Double lambda control with two oxygen sensors for each row of cylinders serves to monitor the catalytic converters and mastermind the catalytic process. Made completely of stainless-steel, the exhaust system, due to compact dimensions and space requirements, has a volume of only 40 litres. Precisely tuned interaction of the blending chambers, finally, helps to provide that powerful Porsche sound in combination with the high-frequency roar characteristic of a thoroughbred racing engine.
Six-speed gearbox in transverse position
Drive power is transmitted in the Carrera GT by a specially developed manual six-speed gearbox following the basic concept and philosophy to the V10 power unit: compact dimensions, a very low centre of gravity, and supreme performance. All this is provided by the transverselymounted gearbox ensuring optimum weight distribution in the wide rear end of the car and not in any way impairing the position of the diffuser. With clutch dimensions reflecting the usual standards applicable in motorsport, the Carrera GT does not feature a two-mass flywheel, the usual function of such a flywheel being provided by the special design of the shafts leading into the transverse gearbox: The first main shaft comes as a hollow tube housing the long and thin solid shaft inside in the form of a spring rod. Acting in this way as a torsional spring, the two shafts dampen drive impacts and reduce transmission noise at the same time.
A world-first achievement: the ceramic clutch The Carrera GT is the first car in the world to feature the PCCC Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch. A particular highlight of this worldwide innovation is the compact external diameter of the clutch plates helping to give the drive unit a very low centre of gravity. Another crucial advantage is the low mass of the clutch with a positive effect on engine dynamics. So far only the carbon-fibre clutch has been able to meet these requirements typical of motorsport, but with a much shorter service life not adequate in this case considering the everyday driving qualities required. The abbreviation PCCC stands for completely new clutch design and configuration outperforming even the service life of conventional clutch plates. In creating this innovation, Porsche's engineers have benefitted from their excellent experience with PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, developing this material to an even higher standard for use in a two-plate dry clutch. The particular fortes of ceramics are enormous strength, low weight and, in particular, an exceptional service life. The two ceramic clutch plates made in principle of carbon-fibre and silicon carbide measure only 169 millimetres or 6.65" in diameter, versus clutch diameter of up to 380 millimetres or 15.00" on regular production cars.
Engine and transmission mounts ensuring comfort and safety in one
The engine and transmission rest on three mounts within the support frame made of carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFP) bolted on to the chassis. This support frame is part of the car's overall composite structure, teaming up with the chassis to form the backbone of the Carrera GT. The purpose of this absolutely unique construction is to keep the car sturdy and stiff in every respect, without adding to its weight. The three-point mounting concept reduces the transmission of noise and vibration and serves at the same time to protect the car's occupants in the event of a collision: Should the worst ever come to the worst, the front mounting point will ensure proper guidance of the drivetrain, thus guaranteeing a very high standard of occupant safety.
Chassis and Suspension
Supreme Dynamics, Supreme HandlingThe chassis and suspension of the Carrera GT has already demonstrated its unique qualities even under the toughest conditions – it comes from the Porsche 911 GT1, the winning car in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. The experience gained in racing events of this calibre, particularly with a view to the specific demands made of a composite carbon-fibre chassis, has gone straight into the Carrera GT right down to the last detail. The rear track control arms, for example, are made of aerodynamically designed steel tubes. Solutions proven in motorsport ensure driving dynamics of the highest standard, even though Porsche's engineers have focused not just on the car's racing performance, but also on an appropriate level of driving comfort for a street-legal super-sports car of this kind. Primarily, this comfort is provided by appropriate tuning of the dampers, the chassis and suspension itself retaining its racing car character.
Pushrods for a sensitive response
Double-track control arm pushrod axles front and rear give the Carrera GT its refined response and behaviour, feeding forces smoothly and efficiently into the car's chassis. Fastened inside on the chassis structure, the spring and damper elements are operated by stainless-steel pushrods and pivot levers. Contrary to the McPherson spring struts featured in Porsche's other sports cars, pushrods separate the guidance function from the spring action. This design principle is often used in motorsport to provide free choice of the transmission ratio between the wheel, spring and damper unit as well as the anti-roll bar. The advantages are sensitive response and behaviour plus perfectly tuned suspension both at high and low speeds.
Forged aluminium control arms resting on broad mounts feed wheel forces on the Carrera GT into the monocoque body structure. Like on a racing car, the control arms are bolted on to the chassis without any rubber insulators in between, thus providing precise wheel guidance at all times. The car's superior driving dynamics are further enhanced by power steering ensuring a high level of agility, and to avoid vibrations the firmly mounted safety steering column is bolted directly on to the monocoque body structure.
Ceramics also on the brakes
The Carrera GT features ceramic brake discs used by Porsche for the first time in a production car when launched as a world-first achievement in the 911 GT2 in 2001. Now, entering the market also in the Carrera GT, the PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes have been further optimised and enlarged in size, the cross-drilled composite ceramic brake discs with highly efficient involute cooling ducts measuring 380 millimetres or 14.96" in diameter both front and rear – another 30 millimetres or 1.18" more than on the 911 GT. Brake disc thickness, in turn, is 34 millimetres or 1.34". Compared with grey-cast-iron brake discs of the same type, the ceramic discs in the PCCB brake system are approximately 50 per cent lighter. In conjunction with the brake lining also brand-new, Porsche Ceramic composite brakes immediately ensure a very high and, in particular, consistent frictional coefficient during retardation: Maximum brake power is built up within fractions of a second, abrasion is kept to an absolute minimum, and safety reserves remain substantial even under extreme loads.
In the interest of enhanced strength and stiffness, the six-piston monobloc aluminium brake callipers front and rear are a new development from the ground up. Featuring an extremely large and therefore firm bolted connection to the wheel mounts, the brake callipers serve to “dose" the brakes even better, giving the driver a very good feeling for the brake pedal. Short stopping distances are of course also ensured by the hydraulic brake servo building up brake pressure very quickly and efficiently.
ABS/ASC for enhanced driving stability in extreme situations
An ABS and traction control system serves to ensure dynamic driving behaviour to the most extreme limit even on interchanging road surfaces and in bad weather. The system enhances the car's driving stability when braking and accelerating and provides a feeling of safety matching the supreme performance of the Carrera GT. The four-channel anti-lock braking system is able to act individually both on the front and rear wheels, ABS control being geared specifically to the ceramic brakes and providing very short stopping distances whilst maintaining excellent steer-ing control. Four-channel anti-spin control (ASC) is activated when required throughout the car's entire range of acceleration, preventing excessive wheel spin on the drive wheels and thus avoiding any instability of the car at the rear. Intervening in engine management, ASC reduces engine power to the degree required by taking back the throttle and reducing the ignition angle. Whenever they are spinning, furthermore, the drive wheels are slowed down by the automatic brake differential (ABD). Should he wish to enjoy the thrill of dynamic driving of the highest racing standard, however, the driver can switch off the complete traction control function by pressing a button in the centre console.
Forged magnesium wheels
Porsche has developed five-spoke wheels measuring 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear specifically for the Carrera GT. The wheel rims are made in a magnesium forging process and are the first wheels of their kind featured in a production car. This special manufacturing process serves to enhance the endurance and fatigue strength of the material to an even higher standard, at the same time reducing weight to a minimum: Whilst offering supreme strength and stiffness, forged magnesium wheels are approximately 25 per cent lighter than cast aluminium wheels and thus reduce unsprung masses to a level never seen before. The result is not only supreme traction, but also particularly good and smooth spring and damper action. And a further feature certainly of interest to the motorsport aficionado is the central wheel lock on the hubs for a particularly quick wheel change whenever required.
Special tyres with a very large contact surface have been developed specifically for the Carrera GT, measuring 265/35 ZR 19 at the front and 335/30 ZR 20 at the rear. The tyres' contact surface ensures optimum traction, outstanding mechanical grip, consistent behaviour at high speeds, and a relatively low level of wear for tyres of this type. And last but certainly not least, the high standard of grip and traction helps to give the Carrera GT its very short stopping distances.
Bodyshell and Safety
A Strong CharacterJust one look is sufficient to see that the body structure of the Carrera GT was designed and developed by Porsche's Motor Racing Division. Reflecting the usual standard in motorsport, the chassis forms the central component made up of the monocoque, the windscreen frame, and the rollover structure. The drive unit is bolted on to the chassis with the help of the engine and transmission support frame. Forming the main structural components, the chassis and the support frame bolted firmly on to the body team up to provide one complete unit with superior torsional and flexural stiffness, which you might call the backbone of the Carrera GT. Acting together, these components support the front- and rear-wheel suspension and absorb forces fed into the body by the crash structures, at the same time supporting the body panels and holding the interior of the car.
The Carrera GT is the first road car in the world with not only the chassis, but also the engine and transmission support made entirely of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFP), a concept developed by Porsche's Motor Racing Division and already registered for a patent. The construction principle chosen for the engine and transmission frame is comparable to that of the chassis, higher temperatures in the engine compartment nevertheless requiring a suitable composition of materials with a higher level of thermal resistance.
The monocoque combines all structural functions such as the transmission of reaction forces from the chassis and drivetrain normally handled by the bodyshell. Contrary to a conventional bodyshell made up of numerous separate parts and components, the monocoque is made of just a few bodyshell elements bonded to one another in a high-pressure furnace. Forming a single or mono-structure in this way, the body rightly bears the name “monocoque".
Composite carbon-fibre materials determining the concept of the car
CFP is the generic term for composite fibre materials with a large share of carbon-fibre used primarily in aerospace applications. Porsche has chosen this material for the car's high-performance components, since it is the only material able to combine supreme performance and dynamic driving qualities with minimum weight and maximum body stiffness – which also means superior safety on the road. The Carrera GT thus offers a standard of overall stiffness and body strength quite exceptional for an open production car (maximum flexural and torsional stiffness), comparable to that of a thoroughbred racing car or to the high standard otherwise offered only by a coupé. CFP is used not only on the chassis and for the engine/ transmission support frame, but also on the doors, lids and wings as well as the underfloor and parts of the interior all made of carbon on the Carrera GT. And to provide visible proof of this unique standard, the composite carbon-fibre materials are not always hidden beneath covers and the paintwork of the car – rather, Porsche's designers present this outstanding, high-quality material as an exceptional eye-catcher on the door panels, in the doorsill area, in the engine compartment and at the rear of the Carrera GT.
Consistent use of CFP combines very low weight with a high standard of dimensional accuracy and body stiffness. As a result, the Carrera GT enters new dimensions in reaching its ideal weight, the chassis weighing just over 100 kg and with most CFP components being up to 40 per cent lighter than comparable conventional components used in standard production despite their supreme strength and resistance. A further advantage of composite carbonfibre materials, finally, is the supreme precision of these parts and components in production.
Carbon-fibre processed and finished to the highest standard
The structural components made of CFP are the result of an elaborate production process combining supreme precision with a high standard of craftsmanship and manual dexterity. Each component takes about one week in production and requires up to 400 individual operations. At the beginning of CFP production, carbon-fibre tissue units (so-called pre-pegs) impregnated in artificial resin are placed into production moulds. The specific type of resin and fibre used, as well as the flow of fibre and the thickness of the threads in the fibre mats, depend on the subsequent function of the component involved in the car. An additional layer of aluminium or plastic honeycomb material up to 25 millimetres or almost 1 inch thick, depending on the demands made of the component involved, is stuck on to the mats with the help of an adhesive film, further layers of impregnated carbon-fibre tissue being laminated on afterwards. Aluminium inserts are then laminated on additionally at specific points in order to subsequently fasten additional components to the load-bearing CFP structure. Finally, the mould is sealed airtight by means of a cover foil and placed in an autoclave high-pressure furnace at 6 – 8 bar and at temperatures of 150° C or 300° F. In the process the resin systems form a polymer and, via the adhesive films, bond the honeycomb or plastic on to the carbonfibre. This baking process may take up to 8 hours.
Consistently using composite carbon-fibre on the Carrera GT, Porsche's development engineers have focused very carefully not only on the number of fibre layers, but also on the choice and sequence of the various types of tissue mats and structures, since only the ideal combination is able to reduce weight to an even lower level with such a CFP structure. Particular attention has also been given to the high quality of the carbon surface structure, applying the same high standard Porsche also observes with aluminium, plastic and steel panel surfaces. Precise harmony of the materials and their structures thus serves to present the carbon surfaces in all their beauty to the beholder, at the same time giving them the right qualities to withstand both hot sunshine and low sub-zero temperatures.
Roof made of two lightweight panels
With its open roof, the Carrera GT ranks supreme in the classic roadster league. But even bad weather does not force this Gran Tourismo into the garage thanks to the special, easyto-use roof system developed for the car. Made up of two separate lightweight carbon panels, the roof can be conveniently removed by means of rapid-action catches and accommodated just as conveniently in the front luggage compartment. The two halves of the roof are designed to withstand the highest aerodynamic forces, low weight of just 2.4 kilos and compact dimensions of 74 x 57 centimetres or 29.1 x 22.4" making the process of fitting and removing the two halves child's play in the literal sense of the word. The only point to be observed is the right sequence when fitting the roof panels – first on the driver's, then on the front passenger's side.
Carbon structure providing extra safety
Apart from its truly outstanding driving characteristics, the Carrera GT offers an equally high standard of safety on the road: This new high-performance sports car comes with all of Porsche's well-known active safety features even at very high road speeds and naturally complies with all relevant crash standards the world over. In its torsional stiffness, the Carrera GT even sets up a new record for open cars. The passive safety of the Carrera GT rests quite literally on the composite carbon-fibre monocoque passenger cell with integral rollover protection provided by the A- and B-pillars. Extra-strong steel tubes serve additionally to increase the strength and stability of the A-pillars. Composite components featured on the B-pillars, like in racing cars, offer an equally high standard of safety in a rollover. Wherever very high forces are fed into the CFP structure, the areas and components involved are suitably reinforced and strengthened. Inside the passenger compartment all surfaces relevant to safety come with extremely resistant and tough aramide synthetic fibre on top avoiding the formation of splinters.
To ensure a further increase in passive safety, the longitudinal arms of the Carrera GT commonly referred to as chassis legs are made of high-strength stainless steel, forming a crash structure at the front and rear with special deformation profiles for highly efficient absorption of impact energy. Aluminium inserts connect the longitudinal arms to the chassis at the front and the engine/transmission support frame at the rear. The bumper system is made up of an extrastrong aluminium crossbar and impact tubes. Porsche's development engineers have attached particular significance to suitable protection of the 92-litre (20.2 Imp gals) fuel tank, finding the safest place for the tank made of deep-drawn aluminium within the monocoque between the passenger cell and the engine compartment.
Fullsize airbags and side impact protectors
The Carrera GT is fitted on the driver's and front passenger's side with three-point seat belts and pyrotechnical belt latch tensioners as well as belt force governors. But the seats are also prepared for use of six-point belts for racing on the track. Passive safety is likewise ensured by four airbags in the cockpit, with a fullsize airbag and a side airbag on both the driver's and passenger's sides. The side impact system consists of a side airbag on each side as well as the energy-absorbing door panel including door reinforcements made of extrastrong steel tubes.
Equipment
Sophisticated and LightThe cockpit of the Carrera GT is characterised by the function-oriented ambience of a purebred racing car. Lightness was the supreme philosophy in creating this design concept, a philosophy successfully achieved through the exclusive use of high-tech materials. Apart from leather, carbon and magnesium are the dominating materials inside the car. In areas such as the door-sills, the composite-fibre components are either coated with a paint system matching the magnesium look or directly reflect the exclusivity of this outstanding material through their visible fibre surface, as is the case on the door panels. But despite all this racing car purism, driver and passenger comfort has not been neglected, features such as a navigation system, a Bose sound system, an interior filter with an activated charcoal insert, as well as air conditioning (optional for reasons of weight) ensuring a high standard of comfort wherever you go.
The centre console as a genuine eye-catcher
Extending dynamically upwards, the centre console made of composite fibre is covered by a galvanised magnesium surface. The shift lever snugly embedded in leather is positioned about half the way up, directly next to the steering wheel, its ball-shaped knob made of stratified birch/ash bearing testimony to motor racing in the “good old days". For weight reduction was of paramount significance even back then, making a big contribution to Porsche's first overall victory in Le Mans in 1970, the winning car being a Porsche 917 with its gearshift lever knob made of balsa wood.
First-ever seats made of composite carbon-fibre
Brand-new in design and structure, the seats offer sporting character and qualities of the highest standard. The seats are finished in extra-smooth leather in interior colour and come with manual adjustment for length, since electric motors adjusting the seats would hardly be appropriate in a thoroughbred sports/racing car. Indeed, this saves approximately 2 kilos on each seat alone.
For the first time in a production car the seat shell is made of composite carbon-fibre – to be specific non-splintering aramide fibre able to expand more flexibly than carbon-fibre as such. The use of this material is a further example for the intelligent choice of various materials Porsche Carrera GT • Equipment 19 for different components exemplified at first sight by the reduction of weight: Whilst a regular Porsche seat weighs more than 20 kilos or 44.1 lb and the bucket seats in the GT3 weigh 13.1 kilos or 28.9 lb each, the seats in the Carrera GT each weigh in at a mere 10.7 kg or 23.6 lb.
The right sound also inside the car
The Carrera GT comes as an option – and at no extra cost – with the Porsche Online Pro navigation radio including a Bose sound system. For reasons of space, this unit weighing only 1.5 kilograms is split up into three separate components: Apart from audio functions, Porsche Online Pro comprises a navigation system and a triband telephone including hands-free operation, presenting SMS news and the latest internet information (WAP) on the easy-toread display. A further important feature is that each Porsche Online Pro comes with its own e-mail address. Compressed MP3-CD digital music may also be played on the CD player and beneath the CD insert there is another slot for MMC MultiMediaCards for saving music files to provide hours of superior entertainment.
Bose, the world-famous HiFi specialist, has developed a special sound system specifically for the Carrera GT super-sports car seeking, first, to considerably reduce both weight and size and, second, to place the loudspeakers in an optimum position. Particularly the high bass sound pressure guarantees supreme performance and quality of music, cavities in the monocoque sills serving as resonance chambers. In combination with two woofers, two sub-woofers, two tweeters, two 100W digital terminal stages and an analogue equalising function, the sound system ensures musical entertainment of the highest standard.
Leather luggage coming with the car
The Carrera GT comes as standard with an elegant five-piece set of leather luggage matched to the car's interior colours (Terracotta, Dark Grey Nature, Ascot Brown/Black Nature). In its size and dimensions, each item is made precisely for a specific place within the car, the clothes bag fitting behind the passenger's seat, the attaché case in the passenger's footwell, the shoulder bag between the passenger's seat and door, the centre console bag beneath the console, the leather bags in special storage boxes within the doors, and the travel bag in the luggage compartment (where it has to give way for the two roof panels when driving with the roof down). The 76-litre luggage compartment lined in hard-wearing chequered fabric is specially designed to accommodate the two roof panels fastened in position by leather straps.
Specifications Carrera GT*
* Specifications may vary from one country to another
** provisional
