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- rayvin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Go and check it out! You can review anything here. And you'll get paid for just writing a review. =)
- JJHong48, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0The Porsche Carrera GT design clearly indicates its athletic abilities. Yet contrary to prototypes used only in motorsports, the Carrera GT抯 design and character shows clear links to Porsche抯 production cars. From the front, the Carrera GT bears the typical Porsche face, with an extreme, swept-back 揳rrow?design of the front lid with wings rising up at the sides much like the 718 RSK Spyder of the 1960s. As on the awesome Porsche 917 racecars, flat glass covers a pair of large projection headlights that feature the most advanced and sophisticated headlight technology available with V-shaped Xenon headlamp units. Just as on the Porsche 911 Turbo, three extra-wide air intakes in the lower front fascia underscore the Carrera GT抯 clear commitment to outstanding performance by providing air to cool a trio of front-mounted radiators, as well as the ceramic front brakes.
The Carrera GT抯 look is even more dramatic in side view, where its taut, stretched and sleek shoulder line comes clearly into view. The mid-engine architecture is accented by a cockpit oriented clearly toward the front of the car with a long panel between the door and rear axle. New exterior mirrors have V-shaped bases and match the rake of the car抯 A pillar. Large air intakes and side outlets in front of and behind the doors add to the car抯 dramatic and dynamic appearance. But, as is typical with Porsche, with form comes function; these openings are designed to ensure airflow to and from the engine, transmission, brakes and air conditioning systems. Literally 揷ut into?the basic design of the car, just as on an aircraft, the air intakes are part of a highly functional aerodynamic airflow surface that enhances both the Carrera GT抯 athletic abilities and its aesthetic appeal.
To provide a view of the engine and to enhance cooling, cross-drilled stainless steel power domes stretch back from the rear panel behind the Carrera GT抯 seats. Two supplemental safety bars just behind and above the seats enhance safety and security as well as reinforcing the car抯 dramatic design. However, these bars also have another functional role: they anchor the removable roof when it is in place over the cockpit. At the rear of the car, a wing that spans between the tops of the fenders provides the downforce needed for high-speed stability. To assure stability at higher speeds, the wing rises 6.3 inches (160 mm) when the car achieves 75 mph (120 km/h), thus increasing downforce by some 30 percent. The wing retracts to its normal position when the car slows to less than 50 mph (80 km/h).
A racing-style diffuser beneath the rear section of the car enhances the aerodynamic effect of the wing and also provides a visual counterbalance to the wing抯 upward arc. Two stout tailpipes are integrated into the carbon fiber panel on either side of the rear license plate mount. The ribbed cover around the tailpipes is designed to enhance cooling and again reflects Porsche抯 clear belief in form following function.
Although hidden from view, the underside of the car was designed just as carefully as the Carrera GT抯 beautiful and sleek body. A fully covered underfloor provides ground effects to meet the demands of high-speed aerodynamics. The under floor structure includes airflow ducts, and the rear diffuser is made of composite carbon fiber and is firmly bolted to the chassis, engine mounts and crash structure. Carefully designed with computerized and wind tunnel evaluation, this under floor system channels air to maintain the car抯 30/70 front/rear downforce balance.
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