Short of the footage of Walter Rohrl flinging it between the trees around the time of its debut, footage of the Carrera GT in action is rare. Fortunately, there are a few well-heeled drivers who chance their irreplaceable hypercars at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, and this footage proves the elusive hypercar lives up to its fearsome reputation. Even while driven at a comfortably quick pace, the Carrera GT's purposeful, unforgiving nature is clear.

The pursuing GT3.1, shod in a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, can hang with most. That said, its motor seems almost anemic compared to the screaming V10 powering the Carrera GT. Even when driven at a more conservative pace (understandably), the Carrera GT walks away regularly—it just has torque and top-end in spades. Slow corners, long straights, and even technical sections demonstrate just what a gem of an engine the 5.7-liter V10 is.

The Carrera GT's driver, maxoge, has a great sense of how to squeeze the throttle in a progressive way so as not to upset the famously recalcitrant car. The minor shimmies over bumps and crests (7:22 and 7:43, respectively) indicate just how nervous the Carrera GT's tail is. Though, when he feels like it, maxoge is happy and able to powerslide his hypercar (10:25) and leave long stripes on the blacktop.

That drift and the surprisingly effortless countersteer can be witnessed from maxoge's perspective at 9:26 in the footage below. While seeing the Carrera GT's famous taillights twitch around from a pursuer's perspective, hearing the buzz of the V10 and the snick of the shifter from inside the cabin makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. It's almost like witnessing a rare dolphin thought to be extinct for decades, and it performing acrobatics just for your pleasure.

For these two, it's certain they left the track that day with smiles stretched from ear to ear.