Carrera GT sighting in Reno/Tahoe

Stanley · 04:58 PM

Yep, thats right I saw a black Carrera GT in the US. I could not believe it, all of a sudden I was following it on Mt. Rose Hwy, (Hwy 431) going towards Reno. I grabbed my camera (sorry, not digital) and took a few shots from the car, then it pulled over into a turnout/vista point and I was able to get a bunch more. I tried to talk to the two guys that were driving it, but they didn't understand English very well, and just stopped to take pictures of the view of Lake Tahoe. I was able to find out from them that there are only 3 currently in the US for testing purposes. The car was full of testing equipment and wires were everywhere. I think they were doing altitude testing in it because this was at around 8,000 ft.

My thoughts on the car?...seemed much smaller in person then in the pictures. The pictures that I have seen make it seem really long. The exhaust note was extremely tame, it barely made any sound at all. The windows and the doors were really small too, it looked like the German test drivers had to struggle to get out of the seats. It looks a little funny from the back. The big carbon fiber humps over the engine looked a little too big. It was one damn sexy car though, very low to the ground with nice lines.

I will have the film developed some time this week and post the pictures as soon as I can. Hopefully they will turn out OK. I had no idea they were testing them in the US and I believe that I am one of the first people in the US to see a Carrera GT and know what it is.

EDIT: Grammar corrections.

Bill Douglas · 07-06-2003, 11:51 PM

That's amazing Scott! Did I ever tell you about the UFO I saw on that exact bit of highway...

Seriously, good skills, and I'm looking forward to seeing the photo's.

Stanley · 07-08-2003, 10:06 AM

Here are the pictures:

Stanley · 07-08-2003, 10:14 AM

double post

liskeard · liskeard's Garage

Now... there is a job I could handle

CHILI · CHILI's Garage

I agree with liskeard! Of course, I'm not sure the factory would appriciate it when I told them "um, I cant return it cus I lost it, er, um!"

Schuey · 07-08-2003, 12:14 PM

hmmm...I wonder if they would've understood, "stick 'em up"

Rufblackbird · 07-08-2003, 12:22 PM

if that ain't a Carrera GT, then I don't know what is. Massive wheels and brakes!

Sure does look like a test vehicle though. Wish I could do that for a living!

k9handler · 07-08-2003, 12:24 PM

nice....but I thought it was past the "tape on headlight" stage of development.

ZAMIRZ · ZAMIRZ's Garage

it is, they just put that on there so it masks the major styling cues of the car.......primitive camouflage I guess. I saw one of those new mid-size Cadillac SUVs here in L.A. a few weeks ago under a ton of tape and leather front/rear bras........looked promising as well.

07-08-2003, 12:31 PM

er... I think that was the optional bodykit.

CarreraS2 · 07-08-2003, 12:33 PM

It looks like it has the sticker with the German word for "Test Vehicle" on the rear under the GT badge.

My firm used to be in the same building as one of the MB offices in So. Cal. I'm not sure what they did in that office, but our parking lot always had cool MB test vehicles with that same "Test Vehicle" sticker on them.

Stanley · 07-08-2003, 01:27 PM

After looking on other forums to see if anyone else had seen prototypes in the US i came across this http://www.ferfolia.net/james/porsches/tinynamed/ The guy was lucky enough to see all three of the US test cars.

Anyone know why the cars have Georgia license plates? Just seems like a weird state for the cars to be registered in. Also what kind of tires are they running? As you can see in this picture there are no markings on them.

Tim Polzin · 07-08-2003, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stanley

Anyone know why the cars have Georgia license plates? Just seems like a weird state for the cars to be registered in.[/img]

As quoted from PCNA's website:

"Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, PCNA also has three service training centers and a network of "field" employees who are located in major cities throughout the U.S., providing sales, service, and parts support to the dealerships."

briankeithsmith · 07-08-2003, 01:39 PM

Probably registered in GA because that is where Porsche N/A headquarters are....

motion · 07-08-2003, 02:08 PM

Now if I could just learn to like that weird looking wing...

avendlerdp · avendlerdp's Garage

I just had a sighting of TWO of those cars here in Venice Ca.. Georgia plates and a guys in the passeger seats with laptops. I was on a bicycle and they were stuck in traffic so I got to oogle plenty. The car sounds like a sport bike or two. Super small and very cramped inside. With a car like that upright grocery bags are not the point though...