FIA rule changes cut off Porsche’s plans for a new Le Mans prototype for the 1999 racing season, leaving its new 5.5-liter V-10 engine in search of a home. In Stuttgart, however, a good engineering project is never left on the shelf, and the automaker chose instead to build a car around its ferocious new powertrain. The 68-degree, 5.7-liter production V-10 featured four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing on its intake camshafts, and a screaming 8,400-rpm redline. Output was an arresting 605 horsepower, while a six-speed manual transmission with a Porsche carbon-ceramic-composite clutch would shuttle power to the rear wheels.

The Carrera GT was more than a race engine and transmission built into a car. The model featured a carbon-fiber monocoque and subframe sourced from Italian firm ATR Composites that was light and strong. Underneath, the suspension was race-ready, with inboard rocker arms poking between upper and lower wishbones at all four corners. Staggered 19-inch front and 20-inch rear magnesium-alloy center-lock wheels were mounted over massive eight-piston brake calipers up front and four-piston calipers at the rear. The carbon-ceramic brake rotors were ventilated and cross-drilled for optimal high-speed braking. A retractable rear wing extends above 75 mph to add downforce.

The production car that arrived in 2003 after being shown in thinly disguised concept form at the 2000 Paris Motor Show weighed just 2,755 pounds. It could vault to 60 mph in just four seconds, shifting as fast as a driver could possibly handle. On a closed course, it topped out at around 200 mph, and in the expert hands of factory test driver Walter Röhrl in July 2004, a Carrera GT rocketed through the Nürburgring Nordschliefe in a mere 7:28. This record would stand for more than half a decade.

The Carrera GT remained a capable road car, too. Its interior showed extraordinary attention to detail, unlike other cars that might boast similar performance: Power features, airbags, an effective climate control system, and Bose audio gave it luxury-grade comfort. A beechwood gear knob standard on early models served as a nostalgic nod to the Porsche 917 Le Mans racers.

Sold new in Texas in February 2005, the ultimate Porsche on offer here is cloaked in the classic Stuttgart color of GT Silver Metallic (U2) over Terracotta (MZ) all-leather interior. Displaying just under 5,500 miles at time of cataloguing, the car has had just three documented owners during its life. It is accompanied by a full set of owner’s manuals and an incomplete set of its factory terracotta luggage. The set now consists of a documents case with wooden handle, duffle bag, and shoulder bag with strap, as well as two front seat extension cushions with Velcro fastening strips. Per a report from the marque experts at VIN Analytics, the car was optioned with air conditioning, factory car cover, the aforementioned terracotta luggage set, and a Porsche Online Pro CD radio. Interestingly, this Carrera GT also features a signature by three-time Le Mans-champion Porsche driver, Hurley Haywood.

In September 2017, the car was treated to a full service by Porsche of North Houston consisting of new engine belts, spark plugs, valve clearance and camshaft inspection as well as flushes of the transmission, brake, and clutch systems. Additionally, in April 2023, the car was serviced by Porsche Cars North America for a factory recall which involved replacing both the front and rear trailing arms.

Developed from Porsche’s Formula One and Le Mans programs, the Carrera GT is Porsche’s landmark hypercar—an icon of its era, as one of the last great true analog cars, it is sure to impress enthusiasts for years to come.