Ferrari Enzo vs Porsche Carrera GT: analogue icons
Updated Report an error By Felix Hartmann
Ferrari · 2002–2004
Enzo
Price from €645,000 (2004)
- Power
- 485 kW659 PS
- Top speed
- -
- Kerb mass
- 1,480 kg
Porsche · 2003–2006
Carrera GT 980
Price from €452,400 (2003)
- Power
- 450 kW612 PS
- Top speed
- 330 km/h
- Kerb mass
- 1,380 kg
At a glance
Who suits what, worked out from the catalog figures of the versions above.
Categories won: Enzo 0 Carrera GT 980 2
- City Carrera GT 980 Width: 1,921 mm vs 2,035 mm
- Performance Too close to call Power per tonne: 328 kW/t vs 326 kW/t
- Value Carrera GT 980 Price: €452,400 vs €645,000
Verdict Opinion
On paper the Enzo is the faster and more exclusive car, with a V12 developed alongside Ferrari's Formula One know-how and a quick-shifting paddle gearbox. The Carrera GT is the more involving one for a driver who wants to do the work: a racing V10, a manual gearbox and a racing-style ceramic clutch.
Ferrari's later hybrid flagship, the LaFerrari, moved the game on. Both are now collector cars, so originality, history and condition weigh as heavily as the specifications below.
- Felix Hartmann
The Ferrari Enzo and the Porsche Carrera GT were the two great supercars of the early 2000s. Today they are often called the last of the analogue hypercars. Neither has turbochargers, hybrid assistance or all-wheel drive: just a large naturally aspirated engine behind the driver and a carbon-fibre structure around them.
The Enzo was announced at the 2002 Paris Motor Show as a limited run of 399 cars, built from 2002 to 2004, and a 400th example was later donated to the Vatican for charity. It was styled by Ken Okuyama, then head of design at Pininfarina. The Carrera GT followed in 2003; production began in 2004 and ended on 6 May 2006 after 1,270 cars, short of the 1,500 originally planned, with Porsche citing new US airbag rules.
Ferrari Enzo vs Porsche Carrera GT: key differences
Engines with racing roots
The Enzo's F140B is a 65-degree V12 of 5,999 cc. It produces 485 kW (660 PS) at 7,800 rpm and 657 Nm at 5,500 rpm, with a redline of 8,200 rpm. The Carrera GT's 5,733 cc, 68-degree V10 was born in motorsport. It grew from an engine Porsche developed in secret for Formula One in the early 1990s, then intended for a Le Mans prototype that was cancelled in 1999. In the road car it makes 450 kW (612 PS) at 8,000 rpm and 590 Nm.
Paddles against a clutch pedal
This is the clearest dividing line. The Enzo has only a six-speed automated manual, Ferrari's F1 system built by Graziano, with 150-millisecond shifts. The Carrera GT has only a six-speed manual, combined with a small twin-plate ceramic clutch, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Clutch (PCCC).
Structure, brakes and figures
Both cars use carbon-fibre structures and carbon-ceramic brakes; the Porsche's monocoque and subframe were made by ATR in Italy. The Ferrari is the larger car: 4,702 mm long and 2,035 mm wide against 4,613 mm and 1,921 mm. The Porsche, however, has the longer wheelbase (2,730 mm against 2,650 mm) and is lighter at the kerb, 1,380 kg against 1,480 kg. Per kilowatt the two are almost level: 3.05 kg for the Enzo and 3.07 kg for the Carrera GT. Porsche quotes 330 km/h; Auto Motor und Sport measured 3.57 s to 100 km/h and 334 km/h. For the Enzo, 355 km/h has been recorded. On the Nürburgring Nordschleife, evo timed an Enzo with a faulty damper at 7:25.21, and AutoBild recorded 7:28 for the Carrera GT in 2004.
Race Stats side by side
Each figure is a 0–100 score from the catalog numbers, the same as on the 1CARS Race cards. PI is the overall performance index (100–999) and its class D–S.
| Stat | Enzo | Carrera GT 980 |
|---|---|---|
| PI | S · 812 | S · 800 |
| Power | 87 | 87 |
| Grip | 68 | 69 |
| Handling | 76 | 76 |
| Top speed | 100 | 88 |
| Launch | 63 | 64 |
Grip and handling are estimates from drive type, weight, height and body (hover a figure to see where it comes from). 1CARS Race
Who wins a race?
Quarter-mile (402 m) drag from a standing start, dry road, no reaction time - the 1CARS Race physics on the catalog figures of these versions.
- 1 EnzoEnzo · petrol · 485 kW (659 PS) 12.23 sat 213 km/h
- 2 Carrera GT 980Carrera GT · petrol · 450 kW (612 PS) 12.33 sat 212 km/h · +0.10 s
Size and weight
Side view to scale, all cars from the front bumper.
| Enzo | Carrera GT 980 | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,702 mm185.1 in | 4,613 mm181.6 in −89 mm −3.5 in −1.9% |
| Width | 2,035 mm80.1 in | 1,921 mm75.6 in −114 mm −4.5 in −5.6% |
| Height | 1,147 mm45.2 in | 1,166 mm45.9 in +19 mm +0.7 in +1.7% |
| Wheelbase | 2,650 mm104.3 in | 2,730 mm107.5 in +80 mm +3.1 in +3.0% |
| Kerb weight | 1,480 kg3,263 lb | 1,380 kg3,042 lb −100 kg −220 lb −6.8% |
| Fits a standard garage? | Too wide | Too wide |
Difference vs Enzo (±). Garage check: a standard single garage takes a car up to about 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in) long and 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) wide (width as listed in the catalog; some makers include the mirrors). Leave about 0.6 m (2 ft) to open the doors.
Full specifications
| Ferrari Enzo | Porsche Carrera GT | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Version | Enzo · petrol · 485 kW (659 PS) | Carrera GT · petrol · 450 kW (612 PS) |
| Production years | 2002–2004 | 2003–2006 |
| Body | Coupe | Convertible, Roadster |
| Class | No data | Sports car |
| Country | Italy | Germany |
| Performance | ||
| Power Why it matters: More power means stronger acceleration and easier overtaking, especially with a full load. | 485 kW (659 PS) 650 hp Better | 450 kW (612 PS) 603 hp |
| Torque Why it matters: Torque is the pulling force you feel when accelerating from low revs, towing or climbing hills. | 657 Nm 485 lb-ft Better | 590 Nm 435 lb-ft |
| Top speed Why it matters: Top speed hints at how relaxed the car is at motorway speeds, even if you never reach it. | No data | 330 km/h 205 mph |
| Power per tonne | 328 kW/t 399 hp/ton calculated | 326 kW/t 397 hp/ton calculated |
| Engine and transmission | ||
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Engine | 5,999 cc · 12 cyl 6.0 l | 5,733 cc · 10 cyl 5.7 l |
| Gearbox | 6-speed automated manual | 6-speed manual |
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive |
| Dimensions and weight | ||
| Length | 4,702 mm 185.1 in | 4,613 mm 181.6 in |
| Width | 2,035 mm 80.1 in | 1,921 mm 75.6 in |
| Height | 1,147 mm 45.2 in | 1,166 mm 45.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 2,650 mm 104.3 in | 2,730 mm 107.5 in |
| Kerb weight Why it matters: A lighter car is usually more agile and uses less energy. | 1,480 kg 3,263 lb | 1,380 kg 3,042 lb Better |
| Fuel tank Why it matters: A larger tank means more distance between fuel stops. | 110 l 29.1 gal US | No data |
| Price | ||
| Price | from €645,000 (2004) | from €452,400 (2003) Better |
These cars do not differ in the data we have.
Equal rows hidden (2): Fuel, Drive.
Better marks the stronger figure - only for measurable specs (power, torque, 0–100 km/h, consumption, boot, weight).
In plain words
Ferrari Enzo has more power: 485 kW (659 PS) against 450 kW (612 PS) for Porsche Carrera GT. Ferrari Enzo is 89 mm longer than Porsche Carrera GT (4,702 mm vs 4,613 mm). Porsche Carrera GT is lighter by 100 kg (1,380 kg vs 1,480 kg). Ferrari Enzo is the older design (from 2002); Porsche Carrera GT arrived in 2003. On the catalog figures, the Porsche Carrera GT is the pick for city and value.
Which one to choose
Choose the Ferrari Enzo if you want the more powerful and rarer of the two, a V12 and paddle shifters, and the status of a numbered Ferrari flagship.
Choose the Porsche Carrera GT if you want a three-pedal supercar with a motorsport V10, a lighter kerb weight and a more physical driving experience.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more powerful, the Enzo or the Carrera GT?
The Enzo: 485 kW (660 PS) and 657 Nm, against 450 kW (612 PS) and 590 Nm for the Carrera GT.
Does the Carrera GT have an automatic or paddle-shift gearbox?
No. It was sold only with a six-speed manual and a ceramic twin-plate clutch. The Enzo, in turn, was sold only with Ferrari's six-speed automated manual.
How many were built?
The Enzo was planned as 399 cars, with a 400th donated to the Vatican. Porsche built 1,270 Carrera GTs between 2004 and May 2006.
Which is lighter?
The Porsche: 1,380 kg at the kerb against 1,480 kg for the Ferrari.