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It sent Stiggy spinning around our track. It blew Jeremy's mind when he drove it. And it's the car that briefly topped our leaderboard as the fastest. It's the Porsche Carrera GT.
But first, some context. TG's Paul Horrell recently had the opportunity to ride shotgun in a prototype Porsche 918 Spyder: that astonishing new hybrid supercar with electric motors front and rear and performance that promises 0-62mph in less than three seconds and a Nurburgring lap time 10 seconds faster than the Carrera GT.
Ah yes, the Carrera GT. Launched in 2005, it produced 612bhp from its 5.7-litre race-derived V10, mounted in the middle of that lightweight tub, and revved to 8,400rpm. Engage the clutch while exploring the F1-esque wail of that V10, and you'll feel the force of 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed - where permitted, naturally - of 205mph.
Yes, it was very beautiful but there's lots of race-car tech happening around this thing, as you would expect of Porsche. The geometry underneath the GT, for example, mirrored Porsche's race cars. You're talking rear diffusers and airflow channels that work with the carbon underfloor to provide a ‘suction' effect.
It also featured a carbon fibre reinforced plastic module frame with a monocoque chassis, and a kerbweight of just 1,380kg, while the suspension was straight out of motorsport: steel pushrods operate the spring and damper elements. Even the ruddy seats were made from magnesium and carbon fibre, and weighed just half those of conventional Porsche seats.
All of which brings us to the point at which you want one. Of course you want one. You've wanted one since you first saw it all those years ago. Here's one we found for the bargain sum of £325k, having covered just 3,875 miles and presented in Seal Grey. It's car number 259 of the 1270 produced, with terracotta leather and matching luggage.
Click through to view the ad, and then watch Jeremy's review in classic Top Gear, below.
Open Car Bar
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