Dan Neil on the Porsche GT2

Dan Neil, car columnist for the LA Times, reviewed the Porsche GT2, apparently one hell of a machine. Reading Dan Neil when he has a strong opinion is a joy unto itself. The car is nothing if not fast, and has been stripped to the bare essentials, all extraneous weight and creature comforts excised in the interest of getting from A to B at speeds comparable to that of a small airplane. Some simple numbers evoke wonder and inspire questions: 530 horsepower. There are three car garages that don't have that much horsepower. 200 mph. For absolutely no good reason. What is the difference between going 100 miles over the speed limit and 130 miles over the speed limit? Beats me. Just looking at the engine fires up the imagination:

"Lift the engine lid and all you see are the car's enormous lungs ducted from air intakes integrated into the dual-foil spoiler, which looks like something Klingons would carry into battle."

And how does something like that sound?

"the deep chortle and hiss of the turbocharged engine is something out of Dante."

Nothing like a good old-fashioned fire-and-brimstone image. How about another one?

"From the extraneous metaphor file: The GT2 is like lighting a cigarette on an erupting volcano. It's like cutting a line out of a kilo of cocaine and then snorting the kilo."

Of course, the best adrenaline rush comes when you can do 0-60 in less than, say, 5 seconds. In this case, that can be done in 3.4 seconds. What does that feel like?

"For a similar sensation, put a rodeo barrel on a train track, climb in and wait."

But how's the handling? Lots of cars can go fast in a straight line, but what about turning a corner? Steering tight? Close to the road? It has a

"fully adjustable suspension inspired by the paint-shaking machine at Home Depot."

So maybe not too comfortable?

"The resulting car (3,270 pounds) is 225 pounds lighter than the 911 Turbo and is about as cozy as an MRI machine."

It requires a certain machismo just to step into this thing.

"To love the GT2 is to embrace its malign indifference to your well-being."

Maybe not a great option for taking the kids to school. Unless there's a punctuality issue.

"But it's the sort of performance you dare not access on the street. Drivers a half-mile ahead can dutifully check their mirrors before changing lanes, and in the time it takes to signal and turn the wheel, the GT2 can materialize beside them like it's dropping out of hyperspace."

Warp factor 10, Mr. Sulu. We're late for soccer practice.

So what exactly is the issue?

"This brings me to a truism, a Zen koan of automobility: It's more fun to go fast in a slow car than slow in a fast car."

Ah, yes, how true. But so much fun to dream about how fast you can go in a really, really fast car.