A few good sports

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Porsche expects to sell "three or four" models of the limited-edition Carrera GT in New Zealand, says the company's general manager Grant Smith.

The GT is based on race-car engineering and will go into production next year. Only 1000 left-hand-drive models will be built.

The New Zealand buyers will be private collectors and each car will cost "between $600,000 and $900,000".

"We are not sure of the final price yet," says Smith. "But whatever it is, it will be a truckload of money."

Leading motoring industry figure Colin Giltrap is expected to be one of the buyers.

The Carrera GT is powered by a 5.5-litre V10 engine from a stillborn Le Mans race project and is built from carbon fibre and aluminium to keep weight down.

The GT broke cover as a concept at the Paris motor show in 2000 and reaction was such that Porsche decided to go ahead with it.

Says chairman Dr Wendelin Wiedeking: "With the Carrera GT we want to do more than just demonstrate our technical competence in the sports car segment. This vehicle also mirrors the strength and self-confidence of the Porsche brand."

The V10 engine produces 416kW and 600Nm of torque and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed gearbox. Top speed is 330 km/h, or 203 mph.