Porsche has built their reputation on producing some of the most challenging, on the edge performance cars that the world has ever seen. The backbone of their sports car lineup has always been the 911, and this stalwart has seen many different iterations over the years. One of the most potent versions of the 911 was the 2003 911 GT2. The GT2 was a turbocharged monster making 456 horsepower, 41 more than the standard turbo it was based on, to go along with 457 lb-feet of torque. Intended as a track version of the venerable turbo street car, the GT2 had no back seats, sunroof, or spare tire – everything that could be removed, every piece of luxury gear that could be forgone was stripped out of the vehicle, resulting in a weight loss of 220 pounds. Combined with a new, lower suspension system and a more powerful brake package, the GT2 was definitely not a package for the faint of heart, and without stability control or all-wheel drive to keep things under control, it was clear that the GT2 was intended for serious drivers.
Despite all of these upgrades and changes, it seems as though the GT2 was still not enough car for some people, and TechArt Automobildesign decided to see if they could better what the engineers at
Porsche had to offer. What they came up with is a vehicle that is almost too scary to drive. The 2003
Porsche TechArt GT Street S is a monster of a vehicle, with 646 horsepower and 641 lb-feet of torque taking you to a top speed of 211 miles per hour. Whereas most car makers brag about their zero to sixty times – the Street S does it in 3.7 seconds – the engineers at TechArt Automobildesign are more keen to talk about the zero to 187 mile per hour time of 22.9 seconds. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a special racing clutch and a custom 6 speed manual transmission.
Not only does the 2003
Porsche TechArt GT Street S reach triple digit speeds with ease, it is also safe and stable while at them. Using a wind tunnel, TechArt designers carefully honed the aerodynamic package of the car until it was stuck like glue to the road while under full throttle. A rear splitter is matched with an adjustable front splitter that fits in under the bumper to keep all four wheels in constant contact with the tarmac and resist the lift associated with high-speed driving. The rear and sides of the vehicle are also fitted with special air ducts that channel air both towards and away from the brakes and rear-mounted engine and turbo intercoolers. Unlike the GT2, which uses a fixed wing, the wing on the Street S is adjustable for track experimentation. To keep with the racing image of the vehicle, a roll bar, sports steering wheel and 6 point racing harnesses are included along with the single piece racing seats. The interior is more form than function, with no gadgets or luxury equipment other than a single entertainment screen to distract the driver from the most important task at hand: putting the Street S down the straightaways and through the curves as quickly as possible.
The 2003
Porsche TechArt GT Street S looks as radical as it rides, with the ultra-low suspension stance is offset by the aggressive aero package. The vehicle is intended to appeal to those who are more interested in performance than cachet with the local valet, although there is no question that anyone driving this beast will draw a crowd of onlookers no matter where they go.
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June 2, 2008, 7:12 am
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