Wind insulation is the Carrera’s biggest failing. With the roof off at 90mph-plus, the buffeting in the cabin is enough to have you blinking to stop the wind licking your eyeballs. Sub-six-footers found it far less intrusive than taller types, but it still seems an unfortunate oversight in such an otherwise complete package.
Build quality like this hasn’t been seen with a Porsche badge for some time. Every grade of plastic, metal, wood and hide has palpable, tactile quality and the heater controls, electric window buttons and bespoke Bose hi-fi ably support the recognisable Porsche-only-more-expensive image. The regular 996 instrument binnacle does not: one expects a bespoke unit.
There are few other gripes, though, because the GT complements its user-friendly chassis and drivetrain with perfectly positioned controls. Manual sliders for the seats, fixed backrests and a wheel that only budges for reach still facilitate a great posture and the pedal box was clearly designed to have the throttle pedal lightly nudged from the right-hand side with the brake depressed an inch or so.
Standard kit isn’t overly generous in conventional terms. The roof is entirely manual, but the lid does stow neatly under the bonnet and it is very much an any-weather device. Electric motors scroll the side glass for you and Bose somehow managed to have a subwoofer use the tub’s empty spaces as a bass expansion box. To be honest, it is pretty impressive for a supercar hi-fi. There are front and side airbags and the enormously strong carbon tub should offer even more reassurance.
That the GT will happily gobble a gallon of super-juice every 11 miles or so if you use every last rpm will be of no concern if you can afford to buy the thing in the first place, but even at our 15.2mpg average it asks questions regarding touring range you wouldn’t expect of something with a 92-litre tank. Still, 267 miles is long enough in the saddle.
