Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Outruns Its Own Shadow (Almost)
Tesla and Porsche seem to be playing a bit of a ping-pong game. When Tesla went out and set a record time around the notorious Nürburgring, Porsche didn’t wait too long in the pitlane. The Germans took it seriously and slapped the ball back into Tesla’s face. The Americans didn’t take it lightly either and after a bit of software trickery and (finally!) fitting the Model S with decent brakes, went around the Nordschleife quicker than Lucifer running away from hell.
You can just imagine the dressing down that went on at Porsche’s HQ. Engineers locked themselves in with their tools, fettled with the updated Taycan, used all the knowledge they had on handling and aerodynamics, and then pitched up their tents by the track and didn’t leave until they had a new record in the bag. Actually - two records. Porsche didn’t just throw the gauntlet. Oh no, they tossed it so hard, it knocked Tesla’s front teeth out.
Porsche has gone ahead and created a car that's designed to beat its own record – the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Think of it as the wild, slightly unhinged older brother of the already nutty Taycan Turbo S. Porsche isn't holding back with this one – they're claiming record lap times at both Laguna Seca in California and the notorious Nürburgring in Germany.
They've managed this witchcraft through the Taycan Turbo GT's secret weapon – the silicon carbide pulse inverter. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi flick, right? Well, it kinda is. It is the brain of the electric motor, the mad scientist that figures out how to cram insane amounts of power down the wires. Regular inverters are like those old-school computers with chunky monitors. But this silicon carbide jobby is a sleek MacBook Pro – far more efficient and way cooler under pressure. The result? More power out, less heat wasted. Porsche can squeeze even more juice from those electric motors, making this Taycan an absolute lunatic on the track.
Talking about the track - let's look at those lap records because this Taycan ain't just fast, it's embarrassingly fast. Porsche sent this thing out on the Nürburgring, the Green Hell, y'know, the track that separates the wheat from the chaff. The Turbo GT clocked a 7:07.55 minute lap time, absolutely smoking its Taycan Turbo S brother by like 26 seconds. Not to mention leaving the Model S Plaid 18 seconds behind. But they weren't done. Then Porsche went all "hold my beer" and dropped the hammer at Laguna Seca in California. 1:27.87 minutes! That's faster than any other production EV out there. Forget electric, this Taycan is challenging serious gas-guzzling track weapons now.
Beauty is a very individual thing and for some this speed demon may be a looker, while for others it’ll be a no-no. Porsche's thrown in all sorts of lightweight gubbins like carbon fiber bits and pieces. The Taycan Turbo GT feels like it went on the Atkins diet before hitting the track. But if by any chance you thought the standard Turbo GT was a little too tame, Porsche has just the thing for you.
Enter the Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach package – the hardcore, track addict's special. They've binned the back seats, slapped on even more carbon fiber bits, and fiddled with the aero to make this thing stick to the tarmac like chewing gum on a hot day. It's faster, lighter, and meaner. The new Turbo GT is your plain civilian Taycan after a crash course at a military boot camp – it's come back leaner, angrier, and ready to absolutely decimate lap times. Speaking of chucking things out, it seems weight-saving measures have extended to the sound system too. Why listen to music when you have that glorious electric whine, am I right?
Numbers game? This Taycan packs a 580-kilowatt wallop in regular mode, which, for those of us who don't speak electric, translates to about 777 horsepower. With launch control that number jumps to a mind-bending 760 kW or about 1,019 horses for 10 seconds. Then. there’s the overboost which cranks the power up to 815 kW for two whole seconds - that’s nearly 1,100 hp. It's enough to propel this hefty EV to 60 mph in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it 2.2 seconds with the fancy Weissach package. Top speed? 190 mph if you must know.
All that power needs big brakes, so Porsche's stuffed in ceramic stoppers as standard. It might be electric, but it's still a Porsche, and that means those 21-inch wheels gotta fill out those arches properly. And let's not forget the pièce de résistance – that enormous rear spoiler. It looks large enough to double as a picnic table, perfect for a trackside lunch break while you brag about your lap times. And it adds 485 lbs (220 kg) of downforce - IKEA, eat your heart out.
Porsche also did its usual suspension voodoo to keep this electric projectile glued to the road. Fancy dampers, big brakes, and sticky tires are just some of the tricks up its sleeve. Think of it as the automotive equivalent of Spider-Man on wheels.
Not content with just the insane performance, Porsche's gone a bit wild with the color choices. You've got your standard Porsche palette, of course, but they've thrown in some funky new options like "Pale Blue Metallic" and "Purple Sky Metallic." Honestly, those sound like colors you'd find on a unicorn, not a track weapon. But hey, gotta stand out from the crowd I suppose.
Inside, forget fancy leather thrones! This is a Porsche built for speed, not lounging about. You get lightweight carbon fiber bucket seats that hug you tighter than a worried accountant on tax day. No massaging functions here, just the bare necessities and a whole lot of grip to keep you planted as you hurl this Taycan around corners.
In the spirit of quality consumer advice, let's talk real-world stuff for a moment. Range? Well, that depends on how heavy your right foot is. You can realistically squeeze out about 345 miles (555 km) if you drive like a saint, but who buys a Porsche to be a saint? That range is likely to plummet as you unleash this Taycan's wild side.
Here is where things get very serious very quickly. All this bleeding-edge performance and fancy tech come with a hefty price tag. The base price sits at a rather steep $230,000- that’s before the taxman, or greedy dealer, gets a whiff of it. It ain't cheap folks, and you'll need to have plenty of greenbacks stashed away to get your hands on one. But then again, when has buying a record-breaking Porsche ever been about affordability? Go wild with the options list and you’ll be flying past the $300,000 mark quicker than this Porsche laps Laguna Seca.
The Taycan Turbo GT is a bit like that limited edition single malt scotch – it's an acquired taste and an expensive one at that. However, if you're the kind who lives for those adrenaline-pumping track days and has a hankering for all things electric, well, this Porsche might just be your cup of slightly overpriced tea.
Let's be honest, sometimes it isn't about the logical choice, is it? I don’t know about you, but I have a soft spot for fast Porsches and single-malt whiskey. Never at the same time of course - Porsche always comes first, whiskey is the perfect digestif for those rare moments after, while the blurry images of scenery flying past are still fresh.
