2005 Porsche Carrera GT

FONTANA, Calif. – Hurtling down what seems to the narrowest ribbon of asphalt, the advertisements on the racetrack’s walls reduced to streaks of vivid color in my peripheral vision, my ears fill with the howl of the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT’s big V-10 engine. Porsche pro-racer David Murray is yelling into my helmet radio, telling me to stomp on the throttle. But we’re already well into triple digits and a hard right-hand corner is coming up fast. Instead, I stomp on the brake pedal and the G-force nearly knocks the air out of me. Mid-turn I’m off the brakes, hit the apex and finally obey Murray’s command, stomping on the accelerator pedal exiting the turn. I already feel like a marble expelled from a slingshot, but Murray continues to demand more throttle.

Lap after lap, the sleek silver Porsche Carrera GT does not make a miss-step on the road course at the California Speedway near Los Angeles. With the slightest movement of hands and feet this incredible automobile responds instantly to input. It is as though the thing is reading my mind, knowing before I do what will be asked. And, that sweet shriek of an exhaust note playing in my head, the sound track to my exclusive automotive fantasy, is nothing short of intoxicating.

Murray is riding shotgun to make sure I extract the most out of my Carrera GT experience and that I return to the pits with the car intact. Both goals are achieved, but it’s easy to see that someone could get in far, far over their heads with this car despite the fact that it’s one of the most forgiving exotic super-cars I have ever driven.