Purple Lightning: Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Slaps Interlagos Silly
Image Credit: Porsche AG.
Is there anyone out there who still thinks electric cars are just glorified golf carts for tree-huggers? They better think again. Porsche, those crazy Germans, have unleashed the Taycan Turbo GT, a purple beast that's apparently decided to rewrite the rulebook on speed. And in the process, they made the petrol crowd cry into their oil pans.
Image Credit: Porsche AG.
Take the hallowed grounds of Interlagos, a place where legends are made, and now, where electric dreams come true. Add to it Felipe Nasr, a man who's clearly spent more time in race cars than I've spent in sensible shoes. Mix those two ingredients... and the result? 1:42.13. That's a lap time that makes a 911 Turbo S look like it's stuck in traffic. And to think, some people still believe a 911 is the pinnacle of performance. Me included…
The numbers don't lie, even if politicians do. This Taycan Turbo GT packs 1,019 horsepower. That's definitely more horses than a medieval cavalry charge. It'll launch you from 0 to 60 mph in under two seconds. That's about two times faster than you can say, "Where did my internal organs go?"
And it's not just about straight-line speed. This thing corners like it's on rails, thanks to the optional Weissach package and those sticky Pirelli Trofeo RS tires. Nasr himself said the steering was "very precise," which, coming from a guy who's driven Formula 1 cars, is high praise indeed. He also mentioned the "balance, the grip – a real performance machine." Which translates to, "This thing is bonkers, and I love it!"
But what about the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra? Didn't that steal Porsche's thunder in Shanghai? Well, yes, it did. But Porsche, being the stubborn Germans they are, decided to show the world what this purple wonder can do on a proper Formula 1 track. I don't really wanna pick sides, but Interlagos is a bit more prestigious than Shanghai, isn't it?
During the record run, Nasr hit a top speed of 169 mph. That's enough to make your hair stand on end, even if you're as bald as me. And it rockets out of corners like a… like a rocket. It's a testament to the power of electric motors, and a painful reminder for the gasoline fans that the future of performance is electric.
Image Credit: Porsche AG.
Of course, it's not as fast as a Formula 1 car. Those things can lap Interlagos in under 1:08. But for a production car, this is seriously impressive. It's a bit like comparing a cheetah to a house cat; both are fast, but one is clearly in a different league. Still, the Taycan is a cheetah in its own right, and a very purple one at that.
And no, this isn't just a one-hit wonder. Last year, the same car lapped Laguna Seca in 1:27.87, which is basically warp speed for a road-legal car. It's clear that Porsche has created something truly special with the Taycan Turbo GT.
Electric cars aren't just about saving the planet (although they do that too, kind of). They're about performance, pure and unadulterated. They're about pushing the boundaries of what's possible. And they're all about having a lot of fun while doing it.
