Porsche seems to be under the impression that the monster Turbo S isn't quite enough Taycan for us. How can we tell? Just look at the spec sheet of this, the Taycan Turbo GT, hotly-anticipated and newly-revealed. It’s here to question exactly how disruptive Tesla and its Model S Plaid still are. This is Porsche’s 1,108PS (815kW), 190mph, £186,300 riposte.
Of course, being a Porsche, it’s far from all about the power. From front to back, top to bottom, this is a Taycan that’s been redefined and re-honed for significant jumps in multi-dimensional performance. So let’s break it down.
Then again, when your power output is in four figures, it’s difficult to ignore. So let’s address that before examining the deeper intricacies of the Turbo GT’s evolution. The boost in power mainly comes from the rear motor, which is upgraded as it is on standard Taycans. The Turbo GT motor’s pulse inverter however gets a maximum current of 900 amperes, or 300 up over the Turbo S. It’s also more efficient, thanks to the use of silicon carbide as a semiconductor.
Attack Mode, which sounds very Formula E, gives an extra 120kW of power for 10 seconds when triggered via the right-hand paddle and is based on the push-to-pass facility seen on other Taycans. The association with Porsche’s 99X Formula E racers is obviously very deliberate.
Maximum torque for the Taycan Turbo GT is 1,340Nm (988lb ft) or, to put that into context, 240Nm (177lb ft) more than the Pagani Utopia hypercar. That’s enough to get it from 0-62mph in 2.3 seconds, or 2.2 seconds with the Weissach Pack and as you can imagine, there’s more to that too. The two will also get to 124mph in a respective 6.6 and 6.4 seconds, or quicker in both instances than the 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar, which limps from 0-124mph in a pedestrian 7.2 seconds. Struth.
Fear not, the projected range remains surprisingly impressive. The Turbo GT bucks the trend of the ‘fast one’ being impractical thanks to stunted range, by offering up to 345 miles on the WLTP cycle. You can have your cake and eat it too, it seems.
No matter which way you cut it, weight savings and all, this Taycan remains a heavy car. So with this performance, controlling that mass is hugely important. That’s why it has ceramic brakes and that’s why the standard-fit Porsche Active Ride suspension comes with a GT-specific tune. Forged 21-inch wheels save unsprung weight, too, while plenty of carbon trim outside gives it that GT presence, while saving some more weight.
So what about this Weissach Pack? We know it’s faster, we know it’s lighter. Designed specifically with track work in mind, the Weissach pack adds aero work, including a fixed rear wing, with total downforce up 220kg. In all Turbo GT is fairly distinctive to look at as is and with the Weissach pack, there’s no mistaking it for a lesser Taycan.
It also deletes the rear seats (as above) with reduced equipment, special glass and even one less charge door than other Taycans, making it 75kg lighter than a Turbo S. That all adds up to a 7:07.55 second lap time at the Nürburgring, set earlier this year in the hands of Porsche development driver Lars Kern.
That's a record for an electric saloon beating the Tesla Model S Plaid by 18 seconds and the Taycan Turbo S by 26 seconds. Perhaps even more remarkably, that makes it only two seconds for a lap slower than the overall EV Nürburgring record-holder, the Rimac Nevera hypercar.
That 190mph top speed? Only possible with the Weissach Pack, up from 180mph for the standard car.
As with any GT-badged Porsche, a liberal lathering of Race Tex on the interior is to be expected. There are new full bucket seats as standard though you can still get the adaptive sports seats plus as a no-cost option. Sport Chrono is also a given.
And yes, if you option that Weissach Package, the rear seats of your four-door car get deleted. Remember when we all laughed at the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 and Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm for that?
So that’s the EV Turbo GT, a 1,108PS tone-tonne-plus super GT. It’s the daddy and it’s Porsche telling Mr Musk it’s not backing down. We know it costs *from* £186,300, with the Weissach Pack surely to take that over £200,000.
So when do deliveries begin and can you have one? There’s no indication this is a limited-run machine that you’ll struggle to get an allocation for and deliveries begin in the spring.
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