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

• Porsche’s race-ready modern supercar

• Low mileage with only two owners from new

• Regularly serviced and maintained

In late-1998, Porsche found itself at an unusual crossroad. Just three years earlier, the Zuffenhausen manufacturer had declared its intent to enter a factory-sponsored car in the FIA’s new GT racing series, answering the challenge of McLaren’s dominating performance at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. Drawing on its considerable motorsports DNA, Porsche hurried to build the 911 GT1, which, after successively stronger outings in 1996 and 1997, eventually won the famed French endurance race in June of 1998.

Celebratory talk almost immediately emerged of a successor to the Le Mans-winning GT1, with discussion of a spyder body style. The corporate climate of Porsche had changed considerably from the company’s glory days of the early-1970s, when racing development was spared no expense and profit margins were a secondary priority. Conversely, the Porsche of the late-1990s was increasingly cool to continued GT car racing investment, while buzz grew around the idea of a production SUV, a notion that would have been considered sacrilegious a few decades earlier. It was eminently reassuring to the sports car cognoscenti when a dramatic new supercar prototype appeared at a special dawn presentation at the Louvre during the Paris Auto Show of October 2000.

Fortunately, although the spyder successor to the GT1 was shelved as a racing venture, the project was passed to the production car department, which set about developing a brand new supercar that might follow in the footsteps of such classics as the 959 and the 911 GT1 street car. Retaining many of the race car project’s central ideas, Porsche engineers prioritized low weight, which was realized with extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. This material was utilized for the entire monocoque tub, as well as the engine bay and body panels. Together, with carbon ceramic disc brakes and a lightweight carbon ceramic clutch that testers relished for its trouble-free burnouts, the new car tipped the scales at just 3,042 pounds.

Powered by a brand-new aluminum 5.7-liter V-10 engine capable of developing 605 horsepower, the Carrera GT could accelerate to 60 mph from standstill in just 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 205 mph. The model fittingly evoked Porsche’s motorsports heritage with features like a traditional six-speed short-throw shifter with a wooden shift knob, a clear reference to the renowned Le Mans-winning 917. Designer Grant Larson’s sensational bodywork, which was loosely based on the classic RSK Spyders of the 1960s and aerodynamically perfected in a wind tunnel, also featured 917-inspired headlight lenses, removable roof panels, and a self-deploying rear spoiler. Entering production in 2004 and concluding manufacture just three years later, the Carrera GT was built in a modest quantity of just 1,270 examples, and it remains one of Porsche’s most extraordinary and acclaimed road cars of all time.

This outstanding Carrera GT features low mileage and an outstanding overall condition, resulting in a well-preserved example of the modern Porsche classic. Desirably equipped with air conditioning, power windows, and the Porsche Pro CD player and navigational system with Bose stereo sound, this car was further optioned with a handsome five-piece luggage set, which is finished in Ascot Brown leather that matches the car’s interior. Currently displaying less than 7,600 original miles, this Carrera GT was purchased new from Jackie Cooper Porsche, of Tulsa Oklahoma. Acquired by its current owner in early-2008, the car immediately received some needed maintenance, including the installation of a new clutch and the replacement of the purge-control and shut-off valves.

Fastidiously maintained and used sparingly ever since, this car has also enjoyed a recent servicing in preparation for its current offering. The silver metallic paint continues to offer beautiful cosmetic quality, and it is benefiting from the installation a front-end clear bra, which ensures that future owners may drive the car with the confidence that minor rock chips will not result from occasional use. Accompanied by its original manuals and a factory tool kit, this sensational Carrera GT is a two-owner car that offers its next caretaker long-term appreciation as one of Porsche’s most sophisticated supercars. It invites future ownership to indulge in spirited track days with fellow members of the Porsche Club of America, proud display at local events and supercar shows, and long jaunts on smooth, open roads.