Is it fair to compare a contemporary 911, even one aimed at the enthusiast like the R, with a full-out supercar such as the Carrera GT?

By the way, if you think this doesn’t make any sense, you probably need an update on just how much the 911 R costs right now: roughly $600k.

This, and the fact that the Carrera GT is an absolutely analogue supercar with a manual gearbox and no electronic safety net whatsoever, is what makes this comparison relevant.

Oh, and the performance, too, despite the Carrera GT having a noticeable power advantage on paper. We’re talking 612 PS, 590 Nm (435 lb-ft), 1,455 kg (3,207 lbs), 0-100 (62 mph) in 3.9 sec and 330 km/h (205 mph) top speed for the Carrera GT, and 500 PS, 460 Nm (339 lb-ft), 1,445 kg (3,185 lbs), 0-100 (62 mph) in 3.8 sec and 323 km/h (200 mph) top speed for the 911 R.

Such is the rate of progress that the previous-gen uber-Porsche is now practically neck-to-neck with a 911. OK, make that an uber-911, but still, we’re talking the 918 Spyder’s predecessor here.

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