605 hp, 5,733 cc mid-mounted DOHC V-10 engine, six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, front and rear independent pushrod-activated coil-over suspension, and four-wheel ceramic composite disc brakes. Wheelbase: 107.5"

• The pinnacle of Porsche road-car performance

• One of only 604 Carrera GTs sent to the U.S. market

• A two-owner California car from new, approximately 3,200 miles

• Clean CARFAX report

From the beginning in Gmünd, Austria with the earliest development and production of the groundbreaking 356, the Porsche name remains synonymous with performance and victory. With all Porsche models relentlessly developed, perfected and proven in competition, few other marques can rival their race-bred performance, legendary quality and cutting-edge engineering. Over the years, Porsche’s many racing commitments begat a succession of homologation specials, cars engineered to meet the requirements of international competition yet remaining perfectly adaptable and legal for road use.

The Carrera GT traces its own roots back to the 911 GT1, which was developed for the FIA GT Championship series. In 1999, Porsche began development on a new Le Mans prototype vehicle to replace the GT1. However, with a change in FIA rules frustrating its endurance-racing plans, Porsche decided instead to forge ahead with the design and development of a limited number of road-going supercars. From 2004 to May 6, 2006, some 1,270 of the highly anticipated Carrera GTs were built at the new Porsche facility in Leipzig, Germany. Of those, 604 examples were destined for the hungry U.S. supercar market.

The Carrera GT has a large mid-mounted 5.7-liter V-10 engine producing 605 hp, and as expected, performance is astounding. Acceleration from rest to 60 mph is achieved in just 3.8 seconds, with the 100-mph mark shattered in under seven seconds, en route to a top speed of 205 mph. Although never intended for the drag-strip, the Carrera GT can also deliver an 11.4-second quarter-mile time. Simply put, only a handful of today’s supercars can deliver the Carrera GT’s stratospheric performance. Mated to the race-bred engine is a traditional six-speed manual gearbox, allowing the driver to fully exploit the car’s prodigious capabilities. At the driver’s end of the cockpit is a simple yet elegant beech-wood gearshift knob that pays homage to the Le Mans-winning Porsche 917 racecars of years past.

The latest technology abounds beneath the Carrera’s skin. Its carbon-fiber monocoque, finished in GT Silver, and sub-frame structure were produced and assembled by the ATR Composites Group in Italy. Both the clutch and the Carrera GT’s brake components employ ceramic composite materials, making them significantly stronger and lighter than conventional systems. Even the Porsche’s massive 19- and 20-inch wheels are made from ultra-lightweight forged magnesium. As a result, the featherweight Carrera GT barely tips the scales at 3,050 lbs. Similar to other contemporary Porsche models, the GT includes an automated rear wing that deploys above 70 mph, providing additional downforce and stability at speed.

The interior of the Carrera GT is an elegant mix of pure racing car and Porsche’s purposeful luxury. Carbon-fiber and brushed aluminum are plentiful, reminding the driver what this competition-inspired car is capable of, while the supple black leather seats, steering wheel and interior accents make it comfortable enough for everyday driving. Other luxury amenities include one-touch automatic windows as well as electronically adjustable heated mirrors. Other road-going features include the front- and side-impact airbags as well as anti-lock brakes.

The Carrera GT proved a major success for Porsche, with virtually all magazine road testers at once stunned and inspired by the car’s appearance and vast performance envelope. Perhaps MotorWeek host John Davis summed it up best: “The Carrera GT is the best motivation to get rich that we’ve ever driven.”

The current owner acquired this example, a California car from new, in late-September 2007 from a California-based dealer specializing in European motor cars, with 894 miles traveled at the time. Since acquisition, the Carrera GT has been maintained within the current owner’s private automobile collection and only occasionally used for weekend drives. The car has never seen track use during his ownership. It remains in showroom condition and has always been garaged and was recently fitted with a new set of tires less than 400 miles ago at a cost exceeding $3,000.

Now offered for sale simply because the car is barely used and to make way for a vintage sports car, it remains, in the owner’s words, “one of the most spectacular cars I have ever driven.” Complete with the original luggage and books, this 2005 Carrera GT presents a magnificent opportunity to acquire and own one of the most technologically advanced and capable Porsche models ever conceived. Now showing approximately 3,100 miles and confirmed as a two-owner car that has never suffered any accidents, it is accompanied by a clean CARFAX vehicle history report. It is, simply put, the quintessential modern Porsche supercar, beautifully balanced, aggressively styled, luxuriously appointed and breathtakingly fast.