Porsche Carrera GT recommissioned
In September 2000, Porsche surprised invited journalists in the run-up to the Paris Motor Show when, suddenly, Walter Röhrl drove up in front of the famous Louvre with a concept car of a new supercar. This was based on the carbon fiber chassis of a never used Le Mans Prototype racecar and also took over its high-revving V10 engine. Of course, on the way to the series production in the fall of 2003, some changes had to be made, but the main technical and optical features were retained. By mid-2006, the production stopped after 1,270 copies of the Carrera GT, all produced in the new Porsche factory in Leipzig. Originally 1,500 cars were planned, but they adapted this number to the market situation. Each Carrera GT features an engraved limitation number above the gearshift lever, which was made from ultralight balsa wood, but was also available in leather or bare carbon later.
For the bodywork, customers could only choose between the six colors ‘GT Silver metallic’, ‘Seal Grey metallic’, ‘Black’, ‘Basalt Black metallic’, ‘Guards Red’ or ‘Fayence Yellow’ and could combine them with the leather colors ‘dark grey’, ‘terracotta’ or ‘ascot brown/black’. Finally, in the last model year, Porsche also allowed to order the Carrera GT in Paint-to-Sample colors and with individual leather colors. Next to that also contrast stitching and other colors for the brake calipers next to the standard yellow were possible. Theoretically, according to official price lists, there was even the chance to get the two-part targa roof in a contrast color – however, we don’t know of any car with this option. But some customers took the chance of getting the five-spoke magnesium rims partly or completely in body color.
Meanwhile, the Carrera GT became a real collector’s car. Nevertheless, there are of course some collectors who didn’t have the car on their radar during its production time or who might not have been able to afford it and now aren’t satisfied with the color selection available on the second hand market. For this you have to know that from the original six paint colors, the vast majority of customers chose the presentation color on the press pictures, GT Silver. About 70 percent of the production left the factory in this color. A car collector from the US didn’t like this. In addition, his silver vehicle showed some yellowish discoloration at carbon parts, which can happen with certain resins under UV light over time. He therefore decided to ask Porsche Classic in Stuttgart for a comprehensive recommissioning including a color change according to his wishes. Why at Porsche Classic and not at a free workshop elsewhere? Because he felt that only here he could expect the same manufactory quality that this vehicle received during production.
His Carrera GT was disassembled to the last nut and bolt. The team of Porsche Classic then took care of the visible carbon fiber parts, including the now exposed monocoque. Around 350 man hours went into the sanding and recoating process, both done by hand, until these components looked as good as on the day of first delivery. The bodywork was then repainted in the elegant ‘Oak Green metallic’, a Porsche color from the 1970s, which wasn’t used on any other Carrera GT before. Inside, bordeaux leather and pepita cloth is used on the seats, while the rim of the steering wheel shows a zero mark in green and gold. This is a reminiscence to the rims, which were adapted to the legendary, multi-part BBS racing wheels of the 1970s and 80s. However, at that time the outer edges could simply be polished, which isn’t possible with magnesium. Porsche Classic therefore looked for another possibility and finally applied a thin layer of silver and a layer of clear coat to protect it against any weather. The five spokes now show a matt gold finish.
Images: Porsche Classic
