Porsche vs Ferrari

Porsche and Ferrari are German and Italian sides of the same coin, interpretations of the sports car idea. Both founded by a dominant patriarch, both honed in racing, both more than 50 years old, both with engineering and styling integrity. Whether on the track of Le Mains or on the streets, the two have always been put head-to-head and compared. Even the most naive motorist associates these two names with both performance and style.

We’ve decided to compare the methodical Porsche 911 Carrera 4S and the passionate Ferrari F430 because both of them astonish with their performance while attempting to maintain a reasonable amount of practicality but do not pretend to be anything other than sports cars. 

A modern sports car should feature these characteristics: it should be started easily, maneuvered around town, blasted on a couple of country roads, it looks and performs the part on a racetrack but at the same time it is very safe. 

The easier way to separate the two cars is by measuring figures since both of them have mastered the modern sports car requirements and basically there’s no other way to choose between these two phenomenal cars. 

What initially impresses is Ferrari's lightning fast 4-second 0-100km/h acceleration and thrilling exhaust tone. As the occupants are pinned to the seats, the new generation 4.3-litre V8 pushes out 368 snarling kilowatts. Porsche’s acceleration also offers that kick in the pants a super car should deliver, although it is 0.8 seconds slower at the 100 km/k mark.

With such acceleration performance, it comes natural for both cars to excel in the braking department. The two cars offer optional ceramic discs for impressive stopping. 

Porsche’s engine gets the upper hand as it is more refined and on the economy rank leaps ahead Ferrari with a 11.8 liters per 100 km as opposed to 18.3 liters. Both cars deliver the power through impressive 6-speed gearboxes and offer top rate handling performance.

Both F430 and Carrera4S offer great interior comfort and even if the space is limited, the occupants don't feel claustrophobic and flustered. 
Although an impressive mix of suede, carbon fiber and aluminum abound in the Ferrari, the Italians stand no chance when it comes to the high finish level attained by the Germans.

Speed and silence are key elements for any super car. The look and appearance is the biggest draw card. The Carrera 4S is a typical Porsche, despite the new proportions. It is a great looking car, like any other 911 but somehow the styling no longer creates the jaw dropping reaction that the Ferrari does. Indeed, traditionalists may say that Porsche pays homage to its roots, but the truth is that Ferrari F430 simply draws the attention.

However, even if Ferrari F430 takes your breath away with its appearance, the super car title goes to the Porsche Carrera 4S with a more complete all round package.

Porsche 550 Spyder

In 1953, Porsche needed a race car more powerful than the 356. So they created the 550. This was the first true competition car from Porsche. It was lightweight, it had two seats, aluminum body, tubular frame and an open top. They were racing only with Volkswagen. The initial pair of 550 dominated their class at Le Mans finishing one-two in the 1500cc division. Then, one of the two cars won its category in the famed Pan Americana Mexican road race. 

Subsequent 550`s carried on what the initial 550`s had started. They were fitted with the four-cam Carrera flat four cylinders. They soon became dominant cars world wide. During races, it was fast and easily maneuvered so no other car stand a chance. But people loved it purchasing every one of these quick little cars they could find. 

In 1956, Porsche started to produce the 550A, a slightly modified Spyder. It was a hit, shocking the entire world by winning in its first Appearance in Targa Florio, a brutal road race. It also humbled well-known and more powerful rivals such as Ferrari, Maseratti and Jaguar. 

In the next five years it won almost all the races in which it competed. It became a car that attracted more attention for its occasional losses than for the nearly non-stop victories.

Porsche 356

The Porsche 365 is the first Porsche production automobile and it was sold from 1948 through 1965. Although many consider Porsche 64 as being the first automobile produced by the German company, the 64 was never mass-produced and it was only a drivable test-mule. The 364 was created by 
Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry Porsche, designed by Erwin Komenda and its engine features derived from the Volkswagen Beetle, deigned by Mr. Porsche Senior.

The models available were initially coupe, cabriolet (luxury convertible) and then roadster (a stripped down convertible). Before being withdrawn in 1965, it went through several changes. The most desirable versions were 356 “Carrera” (often sold for well over $150,000), “Super 90” and “Speedster”. In the late 50`s, the original selling price for a Porsche was $4,000.

In 1954, Max Hoffman, the only importer of Porsches into United States needed a lower cost, racier version for the American marker. Therefore, the company created 356 “Speedster” that became a instant hit thanks to the low, raked windshield (easily removable for weekend racing), bucket seats, 
and minimal folding top. These days, this car is still very appreciated as it is sold for over $100,000 and it has been used in several films, including 48 Hours, its sequel – Another 48 Hours and Top Gun. In 1957, the production of Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars. In 1959 it was replaced by the Convertible D model, which featured a taller, more practical windshield, glass side windows, and more comfortable seats.

Year after year, the basic shape of Porsche 356 remained the same and was easily recognized and remarked, even though changes were made, especially in the mechanical area. Coupe and cabriolet models were produced every year up to 1965, with the last 356B Roadster built in early 1963. The final model build was 356 C that featured disc brakes and the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche so far: the 95HP “SC”.

In the year that Porsche launched 911, 1964, Porsche 356 production peaked at 14,151 cars. Still, the company continued to sell the 356C in North America through the end of 1965 as a lower-cost 
vehicle. When the customers complained the price for 911 was too high (almost twice the price of the 356), Porsche started producing the 912, using the 356 engine. The 912model was sold between 1965 and 1969.

56 years after the beginning of the production, Sports Car International named 356C number ten on the list of Top Sports cars of the 60`s. Today, the 356 is a respected car among the collectors, as it stood the test of time. Worldwide, thousands of 356 owners maintain the tradition, preserving their cars and driving them regularly.

Porsche

Almost a century after its founder started designing automobiles, Porsche is still going strong and that’s the result of a premier cure for a mid-life crisis similar to Harley - Davidson. Porsche's lineup includes four model lines: the Boxster, the 911 models, the Cayenne SUV, and the Carrera GT. And if these vehicles are too expensive, Porsche also offers watches, luggage, and tennis rackets bearing its name. Descendants of the founding family still control the company and these days it has enlarged its area by offering consulting services to other companies involved in auto and furniture manufacturing, mechanical and electronic engineering, and construction.

Over the years, Porsche transformed itself from serious money-loser into one of the most profitable car companies in the world, all this while other car manufactures toil over cash incentives, market share and strategies for the Chinese market. Porsche has constantly rolled out new products and despite the costs and risks is has quadrupled its annual unit sales in just under a decade. The most recent debuts are the Boxster and the Cayenne. 

And so far, the key of their success seems to be the long product life cycles and the company intends to maintain this strategy. 

2005 Porsche Carrera GT

Unofficially, the Porsche Carrera GT is a racecar, a racecar built for the street. What makes it a racecar is not  necessarily the huge power produced by its V10 engine or the carbon fiber construction that keeps everything very lightweight – although these features surely make it a fast car. It’s more the sum of its parts that make this car worth every bit of its $440,000 price tag.

The Porsche Carrera GT was introduced as a 2004 model and until 2005 there were already a few changes in order to make the Carrera GT the new Porsche super car. These were minor updates in order to make it a little more street friendly. Between the supplemental bar hoops is now mounted a glass screen. The seats height is adjusted along with the additional bolstering in the thigh area. The Carrera GT is easy recognizable, as it’s a low, sleek, lightweight roadster, very beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. Two removable panels that can be stored in the front trunk make the foul weather protection available.

The car has unique features, among which are: 5.7 liter, 605 horsepower V10 engine, monocoque chassis with Porsche-patented engine and transmission mounts made of carbon-reinforced plastic and the first use of a ceramic composite clutch in a production car. A very important aspect is that The Carrera is safe and stable at speeds up to 205 mph, thanks to its aerodynamic and race-bred suspension package. 

The design of the suspension is so sophisticated that the shape of its components improves the Carrera GT`s aerodynamics. The designers used lightweight materials such as magnesium for the car’s substantial wheels and the frames of its special sport seats, the result being a faster and safer car. To prove so, The Carrera GT accelerates from a standing start to 62 mph (100km/h) 
in only 3.9 seconds reaches 100 mph (160 km/h) in less than seven seconds, 125 mph (200 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and can achieve a top test-track speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).

What makes this car have these impressive results is it’s 5.5 liter, normally aspirated V10 engine for racing created in the development center in Weissach, Germany. That engine’s bores have been enlarged to displace 5.7 liters in the Carrera GT. It has a very low center of gravity, a 68-degree V angle and four valves-per-cylinder heads. Since the block, crankshaft and camshafts are all made of light alloys, the engine weights only 472 pounds (214 kg).

To stop this “monster” Porsche`s team used a high-tech braking system. Developed for demanding motorsports applications, ceramic brakes are the first to work for on-road use. The massive 15 inch ventilated discs and six-piston calipers have the amazing capacity of bringing the car to a sure and safe stop, matched only by the stunning acceleration of Carrera GT.

Porsche Carrera GT is definitely a exotic appearance, a car that can do it all: fascinate you with its good looks, astound you with its performance and abilities on the race track.