I wasn't aware at the time that Porsche had placed a new 911 S coupe over at an adjacent paddock area turned into an autocross
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| Hurley Haywood, who just might be the most winning sports car racer to have ever lived, introduced the Carrera GT. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
course, which was thoroughly enjoyable, but I'll get to that in a separate review. What intrigued me more than all, of course, was the stunning Carrera GT parked at the end of the row. Porsche had requested that all of the motorsport instructors present that day introduce one of the new cars apiece, explaining the many upgrades to each. The introductions were made from base Boxster to Carrera GT, by race drivers positioned according to status. After Dave Murray explained the many benefits of the 911 S Cabriolet, Hurley Haywood, who just might be the most winning sports car racer to have ever lived, introduced the Carrera GT.
Normally it's difficult to notice any real enthusiasm in Haywood's eyes, as he's a pretty cool customer. Nevertheless, it was easy to see it was a challenge for him to bridle his excitement over the Carrera GT. While he wasn't foaming at the mouth like the pack of rabid dogs posing as journalists, as we checked over the car's otherworldly interior and then peered long
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| The pack of journalists on hand checked over the car's otherworldly interior and then peered long and hard into the car's stunningly detailed engine compartment. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
and hard into the car's stunningly detailed engine compartment, it was easy to tell he enjoyed his subject matter. While I would have loved to jump behind the wheel of the GT immediately, I was glad one of the instructors, Tony Morris Jr., who I know quite well, had decided to take me under his wing, so to speak, and start me off in the base Boxster. The intent was to allow me to work up to the 605-horsepower supercar one model at a time, in 240-, 280-, 325- and 355-horsepower increments so as to be able to learn the track, get a feel for speeds, turn-in points and elevation changes so that I would be able to make the most of my run in the GT. The track temperature would also be higher in the afternoon, which would optimize traction.
