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Rating

Verdict As good as it gets

The most refined, most astonishing engine I have ever encountered is currently to be found sitting in the middle of Porsche’s Carrera GT. The engine started out as a 5.5 litre V10 that was all set to be used in the back of a racing car at Le Mans. But a last-minute rule change favoured smaller turbo units so the programme was scrapped.

Nearly. In fact Porsche’s racing division handed over its engine to the road-car people, who had to worry about emission regulations. That meant adding a third piston ring, and thus fitting longer pistons, which took the engine up from 5.5 to 5.7 litres.

I was on an arrow-straight forest road in eastern Germany and it was like being caught up in a Doctor Who special effect – 0-60 was dealt with in 3.9sec, 0-100 took eight and then the car really started to fly. Even at 175 there was no let-up. There was just more power, more acceleration, more speed and more of that amazing noise.

What made the experience even more bizarre was the way the engine lost its revs between gearchanges. Because the ceramic clutch is so light, there’s nothing for it to fight. You just get that wawawawa, as you do from a Formula One engine.

There is no doubt that from any angle this car is utterly beautiful. I had a long discussion recently with a friend about the difference between art and design. And without wishing to sound like Alan Yentob, the Carrera seems to sit at a point where the two disciplines meet. It looks like the result of a liaison between Henry Moore and Isambard Brunel. It is engineering at its artsy-fartsy best.

The next time a car comes along that is better than this, it will be using a completely different technology. Because when you’re limited to what we have now, this, quite simply, is as good as it gets.

Price when tested (Oct 2003) £330,000 Model discontinued

Engine 5733cc, 10 cylinders

Power 612bhp @ 8000rpm

Torque 435 lb ft @ 5750rpm

Transmission Six-speed manual

Fuel 15.9mpg (combined) / 429g/km

Top speed 205mph / 0-62mph: 3.9sec