VIDEO: Ferrari 599 GTB vs. Porche Carrera GT
There could hardly be two more different approaches to the exotic supercar than the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and the Porsche Carrera GT. One's a production Italian gran tourismo with a front-mounted V12, and the other's a rare German targa with a mid-mounted V10. The Ferrari was designed and executed to be easy to drive, while the Porsche is reportedly twitchier than a monkey drinking coffee. As far as exotic sportscars go, they're like apples and oranges.
The question is, which one is faster? The video after the jump has your answer. The two supercars make two runs from a rolling start. One pulls ahead but by the end of the drag strip the second is ahead by a couple car-lengths. Follow the jump to find out which took the checkered flag.
(If you're thinking the Enzo would be a more fitting adversary for the Carrera GT, you're not the only one.)
[Source: German Car Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jos?le 7:51PM (2/19/2007)
I watched the 'Ultimate Factories' show on the National Geographic Channel about the Ferrari, and specifically how they made the Fiorano. It's a brilliant car and the process is amazing.
Reply
S7-R 8:08PM (2/19/2007)
The first test, I believe, is a little unfair. The 599 is appraised to be .2 seconds faster from 0-100KM/h (60MP/h). The standing starts make it harder for the 599. Even so, the Fiorano has a faster 1/4 mile. The 2nd test is much better and more scientific, and even though I don't know what changed the results from official spec., but the GT/B is seen braking towards the end of the second attempt before the Carrera. It could simply be Ferrari used optimistic conditions for its supercoupe, or Porshe doing the opposite. That does seem possible, given the power-to-weight ratios of these two cars (the Carrera is about 15%~ more efficient).
While I did, and still do believe the Ferrari is the faster automobile, its mushy handling would undoubtedly make the Porsche the better all-rounder. Both would probably be high on my list after I won the lottery, but I'd need a car with some soul before.
Reply
Jason 8:06PM (2/19/2007)
Isn't the Porsche about twice as expensive, nearly?
Reply
David 8:26PM (2/19/2007)
The best part is the cheesy victory music. I was anticipating some crappy electronic or rock music that perpetuates car vids..but I was surprisingly refreshed
Reply
KazO 8:51PM (2/19/2007)
That was pointless. I want the last 1:50 of my life back.
Reply
zach 9:34PM (2/19/2007)
What is the point here? 2 very different cars, made for different purposes, at significantly different prices.
The Carrera GT is a thinly disguised race car while the 599GTB is a GT with insane performance.
Hey, a Solstice and an SL65 both have 2 doors, let's race them! ...this is pointless.
Reply
ruggels 9:51PM (2/19/2007)
i'm with zach, compare the GT to the enzo, not a 599GTB. "hey let's take a mid engined, v10 powered lemans intended supercar and run it against a front engined v12 gt... who's gunna win?".
Maybe they'll follow up with a run around the track, I wonder who would win a full circuit... hmmm.
Reply
chewy 10:20PM (2/19/2007)
Yes, because it is so easy to ger a hold of an Enzo (nevermind that there were only 399 examples to start and there have been accidents)and a CGT at the same time. Be happy that you can watch the two battle it out. I enjoyed the video, you can clearly see that the Ferrari with the bigger engine takes the lead at first and looses out at higher speed.
Reply
AR 11:01PM (2/19/2007)
So that's great: A normal car from Ferrari can stand the better car ever from Porsche (special car). However, the Porsche GT can get closer to the Enzo Ferrari (what would be the logical comparison).
Trying to compare Ferrari with Porsche is like trying to compare Porsche with BMW: futile exercise.
Reply
Coleman 10:40PM (2/19/2007)
Porsche, there is no substitute!
Reply
Bob 11:21PM (2/19/2007)
Apparently sour grapes grow in Italy as well.
Reply
Baapo 11:33PM (2/19/2007)
Absolutely pointless...
Did they eve consider the weight differential between the two cars...
The Porsche is a stripped down "track" car, while the 599 is a GT car with all the luxuries...
Who are the idiots doing these tests anyway...
Reply
MJL 12:25AM (2/20/2007)
Hey, let's race a Cayenne Turbo against an F430 Stradale! They're both from Europe!!
Reply
grajeda 1:03AM (2/20/2007)
there is a huge difference between an exotic and a supercar.
Reply
RPM38 1:09AM (2/20/2007)
That's "turismo."
Reply
TheChaz 1:12AM (2/20/2007)
"this is pointless..."
"who are the idiots doing these tests anyway..."
Guys, no one ever claimed this race was to be the final arbiter of Italian v. German sports cars. Where's all the anger coming from? The race is exactly what it claims to be: a rolling start drag between a 599 and a Carrera GT.
Why does it have to be anything else? It's cool to see them go at it on the track. Who cares that they're not exactly matched in price, displacement, engine configuration and every other possible comparison? If everything were the same, they'd tie every time.
Any true car guy isn't making snotty posts about how "pointless" this video is, he's saying, "Sweet, two supercars drag racing!"
Reply
fuzzwonder 1:14AM (2/20/2007)
man i hate when people equate performance with quarter mile times. lets see some track times with turns. although i still believe the mid mounted porsche will win that, i think it's assinine to even draw comparisons with silly drag strip races.
Reply
Billy 2:26AM (2/20/2007)
Right on, no. 17, let's confuse a competition between real cars, that actually have steering wheels, with some dumb-ass drag strip race.
I also think that the mid-engined Porsche probably would win on a track, but at least that would be driving.
Reply
matt 11:34AM (2/20/2007)
They're called "gears".
Reply
phez 2:42AM (2/20/2007)
the video already pointed out the horsepowers - the two cars are about the same weight, with the gtb being about 200~lbs heavier. the gtb has a bit more torque, so i'm assuming the authors thought that torque, and the additional hp, would make up for the added weight.
good video to prove it.
Reply