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2004 Auto Shows: Los Angeles
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| Porsche's Super Mean Machine |
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| Updated |
Mar 17, 2005 19:41:50 |
| Rating |
 59 ( -6 -10.16% ) | | Author | Brian Chee |
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Description:
Whereas the Chevrolet Cobalt will appeal to those looking for affordable, attractive transportation, the Porsche Carrera GT will appeal to everybody with a heartbeat. As Southern California is Porsche's single largest market -- debuting the Carrera GT is the perfect contrast to GM's mass appeal Cobalt. This is automotive technology at the masterpiece level; a carefully crafted
Features
Debuts
Vehicles introduced
2004 North American Car
and Truck
Ford F-150
Toyota Prius
The Lucky Three
Our Best Bets for Success
Vehicle Debuts
General Motors
Cobalt, Saab 9-2X and the H3T.
Porsche
Porsche GT Carrera and 911 anniversary
Mazda
MazdaSpeed Miata
A nicely designed Cavalier replacement, the Cobalt is being called a premium small car and will begin vehicle with one real purpose, to turn heads and make a powerful statement on the road and on the race track. Porsche flexed its muscle with this $440,000 vehicle, and the result is a stout answer to Ford's GT and the just released Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR. Which one is better is up to the tastes and desires of each individual, of course, but say this for Porsche's super car: few will match the technology behind taking this racing car and building a road car that can match race-level performance on the track.
Debuted earlier this year at the Geneva Auto Show, the numbers are numbing: 0 to 100 in less than seven seconds. Zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds. More than 600 horsepower from a V10, which really isn't the best thing about the vehicle. What is, perhaps, is the use of ceramics in constructing the brakes and clutch, the use of carbon fiber to keep the weight down, especially in relation to its monocoque chassis. The Carrera GT weighs in at a scant 3,043 lbs, which gives it a handling pedigree to match the V10 power plant.
Of course, hitting 204 mph on the speedometer is pretty nice, and makes going in a straight line all the more fun. And while most who buy this car will rarely get a chance to take the Carrera GT to its upper reaches of performance capability, the fact that it's capable of such astounding performance is a statement in and of itself. Design-wise, the Carrera GT is a sleek, smooth Porsche with a mid-engine architecture and large air intakes and side outlets in front of and behind the doors. Porsche plans to build just 1500 - and surely, most have already been spoken for.
Almost as a counterpoint to the Carrera GT, Porsche also announced the debut of a V6 Cayenne, to be sold with the existing 8-cylinder Cayenne and Cayenne S. Call it everyman’s Porsche – as close to a car every man can afford that Porsche will (hopefully) ever build. The reason for the creation of the V6 Cayenne may be to increase sales in several core Porsche markets, especially Southern California – the largest market for Porsche. The vehicle, which is basically the same as a V8 version with a lighter power plant, will also help Porsche dealers move more vehicles – dealers who have, collectively, invested $45 million in recent dealership improvements.
Porsche also announced the 40th anniversary of the 911 with an anniversary edition and two new special 911 models.
2004 Auto Show Gallery
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