An Astonishing Lap Time from the Carrera GT After 20 Years

The legendary Porsche Carrera GT has once again taken on the Nürburgring. This time, it smashed its 20-year-old record with an incredible lap time.

Sports Auto challenged the track in a yellow Carrera GT, driven by Porsche factory driver Jörg Bergmeister.
As a result, it completed the 20.6 km Nordschleife in 7 minutes 12.69 seconds.

This time beats the previous best set in 2004 by the legendary driver Walter Röhrl by a full 16 seconds. Even more impressive, it came within 15 seconds of the modern hypercar Porsche 918 Spyder’s record. The 918 Spyder set a groundbreaking production car lap of 6 minutes 57 seconds 11 years ago.

Newly Developed Tires Unlock Carrera GT’s Performance

The hero behind this record-breaking run is the newly developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires by Porsche. A few months ago, Porsche launched a recall campaign for the Carrera GT, providing all owners with these tires free of charge, alongside newly developed titanium suspension parts.

Tire technology has advanced dramatically over the past 20 years, making a huge difference on the track. The new Michelin tires offer excellent grip, allowing Bergmeister to skillfully manage both understeer and oversteer throughout the lap.

The Timeless Appeal of the Carrera GT After 20 Years

Despite being over two decades old, the Carrera GT showed remarkably stable performance on the track. Without the aggressive aero parts common on modern supercars, and featuring only rear-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual transmission, it remains a pure sports car with undiminished charm.

On the circuit’s main straight, it hit a top speed of 302 km/h (187.6 mph), showcasing high-speed capabilities that belie its age.

Porsche’s Ever-Evolving Technical Excellence

Since the Carrera GT’s debut, tire technology has leapt forward. It’s been 11 years since the 918 Spyder set its Nürburgring record, and with the latest tires, there’s potential to beat the 6:57 mark even further.

Still, the fact that the Carrera GT came within 15 seconds of far more powerful and advanced successors is a truly impressive achievement. It reaffirms Porsche’s engineering prowess and the Carrera GT’s remarkable potential.

For Porsche owners, the knowledge that their cars continue to evolve year after year is a great source of joy. Porsche’s ongoing support and application of cutting-edge technology to past models is undoubtedly a key factor that elevates the brand’s value.