Today's sighting was a Porsche Carrera GT, year unknown, at the Ferrari wing of Miller Motorcars in Greenwich, CT; Guards Red with a Terracotta interior. This is a very interesting car - it was Porsche's second purpose-built supercar (the first being the incredible 959) with a specially-designed V10 engine. More interestingly, it almost never came to fruition. The car's engine was first to be used in Porsche's new LMP (LeMans Prototype) car. A focus on the design of the Cayenne and the upcoming Audi R8 - a corporate relative - led to the shelving of this LMP project, however. Only after the release of the Cayenne did the dry-sump 5.7L V10 find a home in the Carrera GT.
The Carrera GT was both ahead of its time and an homage to Porsches past; mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, and a non-synchromeshed transmission give the car a hardcore driving feel, while a carbon fiber monocoque/subframe and carbon ceramic brakes add a modern technological element.
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