A Carrera GT Haven: Repasi Motorwerks
How can one of the most iconic Porsche's made in the last two decades be born from failed motorsport projects? Indeed the Carrera GT's parts bin underpinnings aren't based on successes: a chassis from an abandoned LeMans project mated to a secret Formula One V10 engine that never raced. But if there was a rummage pile to pull from, Porsche's dusty bins wouldn't be a bad place to start.
It is rare to find delights like a Carrera GT; generally speaking, there are so seldom things in this world that are quite as extreme or as wild, yet almost universally revered as this. And as with most rare things, these too are infrequently experienced first-hand. Repasi Motorwerks changed that in an instant. Stepping foot into the shop for the first time introduced me to the most Carrera GT's I've ever seen in my entire life. Eight of the 671 examples that were brought into the United States were just sitting here undergoing varying degrees of service—more examples in the flesh than I'd seen on any episode of Top Gear, YouTube, or Instagram's highest profile channels combined.
The main shop floor of Repasi Motorwerks is laden with Carrera GT's
Repasi Motorwerks is, to put it plainly, the definitive destination for Porsche GT service. Put it this way: as much as Nakai is known for his RWB air-cooled builds, then James Repasi's trademark is the Carrera GT market.
"The most exciting, the best looking, the most expensive, and the fastest road going Porsche…ever made." - Jeremy Clarkson
For as much of a build up as we've established, we must confess that we drove right by this place on our first try. The exterior gives absolutely nothing away in terms of what you'd find behind the doors. But it's that contrast makes the visual onslaught you'll find inside much more impactful.
The breadth of service is also incredible. While many GT's were visiting for a generous helping of maintenance, others extended their holiday for more cosmetic pampering—paint correction and full body clear bra were on the menu for these candidates—which gave us a unique vantage point to admire everything underneath the Carrera GT's beautiful cladding.
No frunks found here—the Carrera GT is all business all the time.
But equally as impressive as the cars are, Jimmy's dedication to his craft deserves substantial merit. The Carrera GT is no average car and, by association, neither are its owners. They demand a level of care that only Jimmy has been able to consistently provide. Jimmy has been able to bridge that all-important gap of merging technical prowess and meticulous transparency to making sure every car here leaves better than it arrived. Every owner can simply focus on enjoying one of the most special machines ever created without an ounce of worry. And at this level, where every minute behind the wheel of a car like this is a chance to escape the punishing demands of the real world, that peace of mind means everything.
Make no mistake though: enjoying a car like this takes its own brand of dedication. There simply doesn't exist a service on the Carrera GT that can be defined as ordinary. New rotor rings will set you back a cool $40,000 or more. A clutch? That'll be a modest fifteen grand. The underbody engine cover alone is nearly sixty. But that makes Jimmy's unique place in the Porsche market an even more valuable one.
The clutch is made from "silicon c-c-c-arbide"
Factory Carrera GT door panel with magnesium pull handles
It's no surprise then that many of these hyper fortunate Carrera GT owners, after their first experience with Repasi, bring the rest of their fleet here: a 997.1 GT3, 991.1 Turbo S, and a Mercedes AMG GT-R Black were amongst the other cars peppered into the mix. Certainly no ordinary machines in their own right, but who wouldn't want to have their cars serviced at the same facility as Carrera GT's?
As reverent experiences go, visiting Repasi Motorwerks ranks amongst the top. Jimmy has been in the business for over fifteen years and it's amazing to see what he has done with that time. His rise to the upper echelon of the Porsche world has been decidedly and deservingly quick and we know there's much more in store for him in the near future.
Thanks so much for having us—we're looking forward to coming back soon.