Clutch problem on Carrera GT

[Mr. Boy]

The Porsche Carrera GT is one of my favourite supercars. It looks fantastic, sounds almost like an F1 car and goes, stops and corners like stink. I wish I could drive it in GT4. (Though I could resort to getting an XBox and Forza.)

Anyway, I read the January 2005 issue of Sports Car International, and it contained the journalists' take on the best sports cars to date of the '00s. They rated this car no. 1, but the feature article had an interview with a Carrera GT owner who was so frustrated with the car's clutch that he eventually sold it, calling it a Shakespearean tragedy. Could it scar this car's reputation forever? Or do most owners see it as a minor quibble in the car's wow factor?

 

[the Interceptor]

I guess they're referring to the clutch being a bit tricky. It's a sports clutch, drivers say you need to have a lot of feeling in your foot to operate it smootly. I suppose this can be really frustrating at times, but then again - why would you buy such a "nervous" car if it can be operated with ease? In my opinion, this belongs to the experience. If you like it smootly, go for the SLR.

Regards
the Interceptor

 

[Pebb]

Some of the greatest cars ever made have flaws, and those flaws have not ruined there reps.

 

[Tornado]

I doubt it. The appeal for cars such as Lamborghini's made before 1991 has never dropped and they were filled with similar glitches, in addtion to worse ones.

 

[iceburns288]

Nah. Real owners of the CGT (aka those who aren't total wussies and can actually drive) have absolutely no problem with the CGT. It just takes time to get used to, that's all. It happens with any carboceramic clutch if you've never driven one before.

The owner who complained owned it for less than 3 days, or somethin like that.

 

[Flerbizky]

I watched John Nielsen make 25 (at least) take offs with passengers in a Carrera GT yesterday.. Didn't look like it was too much trouble.. (I was close enough to touch the flames from the exhaust.. Yes.. The GT has some nice flames when it's been driven...)

If you can't handle the carbon clutch in your (almost) racecar, it's your fault for sucking and will NEVER EVER hurt the GTs rep...

Btw... I missed a drive in a Shelby Daytona Coupe because some schmuck misplaced the keys... Waited in line for 2 friggin' hours....

 

[G.T]

I don't think it'll scar the car's reutation.

I suppose you get used to the clutch after a while. People that complain are probably drivers that have only driven it a few times and give up easily. Time and practice makes perfect.

I remember at Goodwood last year. The driver there (probably the owner of the car) was doing lots of slow slug driving getting into a parking spot and stuff like that, then taking the car around the track. I don't think he stalled the car once...

 

[Keef]

My four mags, Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track, and Automoblie all said the clutch was very touchy and grabby. One of them said that you have two choices: bog the launch or smoke the tires during a hard launch. Without practice, of course. I've seen a few videos where th driver worked it just fine, though. Remember, it's a nigh race car, so I feel that this tricky clutch just adds to its exotic and respected reputation. It takes massive skill to drive the ar teh way it should be driven. I would love to have one. I'd take mine in a very bright, pure, Honda-like white, whith the black leather interior. Maybe I'd ask them to trim the seats and steering wheel in Alcantra, though, so I could get a better grip on both.

 

[YSSMAN]

The strange clutch in the Carrera GT is mostly attributed to the use of a Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch, similar to what is found in most Porsche racecars throughout the world. Most drivers who drive the car will stall it on their first attempts, but after getting used to it, it isnt so bad.

...Ive only seen two Carrera GT's in the GR area (one silver, one black), and their drivers did not seem to be having any problems operating the vehicles...

 

[Steeda]

I doubt it. The appeal for cars such as Lamborghini's made before 1991 has never dropped and they were filled with similar glitches, in addtion to worse ones.

funny, the font you used makes your pots look so professional:tup:

 

[TwinTurboJay]

This is a car to drive in your socks, ( or real racing shoes....)

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Just because one driver with weak, twig legs cant handle the clutch, doesnt mean it will scar the cars reputation.
Most high HP sports cars have stiff clutches.

 

[SRV2LOW4ME]

I don't get it? So the clutch is basically like an on-off button, and gives people who can't drive trouble, and your wondering if people would blame the car? Hopefully not. I mean, from what i've heard, the clutch is better then what comes in Ferrari's and Lamborghini's, so any car enthusiest or semi-knowledgable person with half a mind will know its a lack of drivers skill thats the cause of the problem.

 

[Keef]

The clutch isn't stiff, CAMAROBOY, it's pretty light, actually. It's just that the short pedal travel and the nature of the ceramic, multi-disc setup and small diameter yield a very high coefficient of friction which is hard to modulate with that short travel, especially when you're trying to do it quickly. That's usually the only time people have trouble, when you're trying to launch the car quickly.

 

[niky]

Whether or not an owner is "man enough" for the clutch becomes a moot point in stop and go traffic, where funny clutches are a real pain for most people who aren't race car drivers or athletes with legs of steel... no matter how light it is, holding the pedal halfway is hard work in traffic. And some owners actually want to drive it to and from work.

It's part of what's keeping CGT sales lower than expected, as the tricky clutch... or its reputation as such... keeps buyers away.

Of course, the point of the clutch, as Jay Leno likes to say, is that you won't get embarrassed at stoplights by Civics because you're too scared of frying a $17,000 clutch. (In reference to certain user-friendly but fiendishly fragiile AWD supercar clutches).

 

[Wolfe]

Of course, the point of the clutch, as Jay Leno likes to say, is that you won't get embarrassed at stoplights by Civics because you're too scared of frying a $17,000 clutch. (In reference to certain user-friendly but fiendishly fragiile AWD supercar clutches).

That's a laugh. Certainly, most Civic drivers, even big-headed ricers, should be smart enough to know that they can't possibly out-run a Carrera GT. Only an absolute idiot would think otherwise.

 

[niky]

If they've got stickers all over it and enough BOMEX to stop bullets, they often count as idiots.

But you won't see any Murcielago drivers rising to the bait of a Civic... or at least, not more than two or three times. (grnnnnchh.... oh ****, there goes another clutch!)