The development of the Carrera GT can be traced back to the
911 GT1 and
LMP1-98 racing cars. In part due to the
FIA and
ACO rule changes in 1998, both designs had ended. Porsche at the time had planned a new
Le Mans prototype for the 1999 season. The car was initially intended to use a
turbocharged flat-six engine, but was later redesigned to use a new
V10 engine – based on a unit secretly built by Porsche for the
Footwork Formula One team in 1992 – pushing the project back to planned completion in 2000. The LMP 2000 was cancelled in November 1999, with rumours that the car had been cancelled as part of a deal with the
Volkswagen Group to collaborate on the
Porsche Cayenne, while also allowing
Audi to compete at Le Mans without competition from Porsche. File:Porsche Carrera GT (39995187763).jpg|Porsche Carrera GT concept at
Petersen Automotive Museum File:Porsche Carrera GT concept (6901776801).jpg|Porsche Carrera GT concept at the 2000
Paris Motor Show Porsche did keep part of the project alive by using the 5.5 L V10 from the prototype in a
concept car called the Carrera GT shown at the 2000
Paris Motor Show, mainly in an attempt to draw attention to their display. Surprising interest in the vehicle and an influx of revenue provided from the
Cayenne helped Porsche decide to produce the car, and development started on a road-legal version that would be produced in small numbers at Porsche's new manufacturing facility in
Leipzig. Porsche started a production run of the Carrera GT in 2004. The first Carrera GT went on sale in the United States on 31 January 2004. Originally a production run of 1,500 cars was planned. However, Porsche announced in August 2005 that it would not continue production of the Carrera GT through to 2006, citing changing airbag regulations in the United States. By the end of production on 6 May 2006, 1,270 cars had been made, with a total of 644 units sold in the United States and 31 units sold in Canada. In the United Kingdom, 49 units were sold. == Design ==