► Taycan Turbo GT driven on track
► £186,300, 1093bhp, 0-124 in 6.4sec
► Active Ride and Weissach Pack
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is the most powerful series production car Porsche has ever built. Like all Taycans, it is 100 per cent electric, which in a way makes the 1093bhp peak power output less of a shock and more of an inevitability. But is it really another string to the bow – or battery to the pack – of the machine we’ve previously judged the best electric car in the world? Or is it an unnecessary indulgence from a GT team twiddling thumbs between 911 projects?
Okay, so I sincerely doubt the Porsche GT team is ever twiddling its thumbs. Yet there does seem to be something odd about painting a 2.2-tonne four-door electric car purple, bolting a carbonfibre wing to the back, and – if you opt for the no-cost Weissach pack – removing the rear seats. Although I suppose even if the goal is simply to put one E. Musk back in his box for a bit, I can understand the inclination.
It’s probably not just Tesla that Porsche is stamping some authority over here. In a world where electric motors are unlocking ever more absurd amounts of horsepower and rapidly changing perspectives on automotive brands – you can buy a 429bhp MG4, for goodness sake (in fact, for the price of a Taycan Turbo GT you could buy five of them) – so-called heritage or legacy marques must feel increasing pressure to remind buyers the reason for their longevity and greatness.
Put all that together and you get the Taycan Turbo GT. But should you get the Taycan Turbo GT? We’ve got a few laps on track to make an initial judgement…
At a glance
Pros: Incredibly fast, clever suspension, great steering, promising efficiency
Cons: Still 2.2-tonnes, nervy brakes, seemingly in search of a point
What’s new?
So, yeah. We’re basing our first impressions here on a few laps of Circuito Monteblanco near Seville, and I’d be the first to admit this isn’t ideal. For Weissach package or not, the Taycan Turbo GT is still a road car and although it’s already set new records at the Nordschleife and Laguna Seca – and comes with an Attack Mode – it’s hard to imagine there will be many track dogs queuing up to trade in their GT3 RS for one of these.
However, based around the updated Taycan facelift model, which we’ve driven much more extensively in our Cross Turismo review, the Turbo GT benefits from a number of general technical improvements to the battery and charging systems, as well as some more specific upgrades for this performance variant.
Compared with a 939bhp Taycan Turbo S, the Turbo GT is 75kg lighter, thanks largely to a host of carbonfibre parts, most notably the bucket front seats. The Weissach version knocks off another 70kg, ditching not only the rear seats but also one of the charging ports (standard Taycans have two), the electric operation of the charge port door, the floor mats, some of the insulation and even the clock you usually get with the Sport Chrono Package. There’s special glass and a different hifi system, too.
The rear wing betrays optimised aerodynamics, including a new front diffuser and air deflectors underneath; the regular Turbo GT makes do with a Gurney flap and hits the wall at 180mph while the Weissach will sail on to 189.5, despite also generating up to 220kg of downforce. Both variants get a ceramic brake setup that saves over 2kg and comes with calipers (10-piston front, four-piston rear) painted Victory Gold. Humble stuff.
They also both receive a 900-amp pulse inverter for the rear motor. Making use of silicon carbide to ‘significantly reduce’ switching losses and enable higher switching frequencies, this sounds very much like something Doc Brown would try and explain to Marty McFly. So is perhaps best considered in the light of having 50 per cent more amperes than the one used by the Turbo S, which presumably contributes to the Turbo GT being quite a lot faster.
New longer and stronger gearing helps deal with the increased torque, and the Porsche Active Ride suspension system is fitted as standard alongside the Sport Chrono Package, air springs, Porsche Torque Vectoring and rear-wheel steering. The 21-inch alloy wheels, which have ‘relief-milled’ spokes for reduced weight and better brake cooling, come with bespoke Pirelli P Zero R tyres, optionally upgradeable to equally bespoke Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS, a street-legal semi-slick.
The tailored rubber is something would-be electric track day warriors should carefully consider – the Taycan’s weight and Active Ride cornering behaviour will reputedly make near-instant slurry out of regular performance hoops. This is bound to represent a cost implication.
Phew.
What are the specs?
With that upgraded pulse inverter, all Taycan Turbo GTs produce a nominal 778bhp (580kW), a figure that increases to 1019bhp (760kW) when using Launch Control and ultimately peaks at 1093bhp (815kw) – albeit for only two seconds at a time.
Maximum torque – with Launch Control – is 988lb ft.
Attack Mode is described as ‘push-to-pass on steroids’. Activated by a paddle behind the steering wheel (you can also use the regular button, but the paddle is easier on track) it instantly stuffs ‘up to’ 161bhp more into the drivetrain for 10 seconds max, handy for slingshotting out of corners or dispatching slower traffic. A quicker system recovery time means you can use it more often, too.
We’ve already established the standard Taycan Turbo GT goes 180mph flat out; with Launch Control its 0-62mph time is 2.3sec, and it will do 0-124mph in 6.6sec.
The Taycan Turbo GT Weissach Pack compliments its 189.5mph top speed with 0-62mph in 2.2sec and 0-124mph in 6.4sec. The latter is 1.3 seconds quicker than the Taycan Turbo S.
Range and charging
Like all facelifted Taycans, the 800v charging system can now accept up to 320kW DC, theoretically making it possible to do a 10 to 80 per cent top up in just 18 minutes. This depends on battery temps (which are now more cleverly managed) and a suitable charger; restricted to 400v you’ll need 33 minutes for the same charge, for instance.
A full AC charge from zero will take at least 11 hours.
Combined WLTP driving range is up to 344 miles with the lighter Weissach pack. The normal version isn’t far behind, however, and the way you drive will likely make more of a real-world difference than the absent rear seats.
On track you’ll get nowhere near that official range figure. But with up 400kW of recuperation and other efficiencies you should still be able to enjoy more laps in a Taycan than in most electric cars.
What’s it like to drive?
On paper, 2.2 seconds is just a number. In real life, a Launch Control start in the Taycan Turbo GT is a physical event that few other cars can even get close to.
The instant sensation is like a gut punch as you’re thwocked into the seat back, then it literally feels like your face starts to ripple as you keep your foot in because – as the 0-124mph time suggests – the most astonishing, neck-straining, blood-pounding thing about this performance is not the initial grip and response but the sustained, relentless nature of it as the Taycan keeps pulling and pulling, pressing you further into the seat and reeling in the horizon. Or, in this instance, the braking point for the following corner. Which is where it all starts to get a little more interesting.
Hands-up – I’m no track-day hero. But on the basis that Porsche is selling these cars to ordinary members of the public (although perhaps subject to some kind of arcane vetting process, as is usually case with its GT cars) my experience of trying to cling on to the taillights of the pro driver leading us round this very unfamiliar circuit feels pretty relevant here. The Turbo GT is a wild ride, but not necessarily the most immediately intuitive one.
While I’m sure the Ben Barrys and James Dennisons of this world would be setting the apexes on fire almost instantly, I find myself very aware of the more intimidating aspects of this Taycan. The power is an element of this, sure – but you get used to that pretty quickly, even the added pow and wow of the paddle-flapped Attack Mode. It’s the weight that’s bothering me: how it’s managed and how it’s stopped.
Having been expressly instructed to drive in Sport Plus only, the Active Ride system, which has specific tuning for this model, is shorn of its most extreme pitch and roll control tricks – so it’s not leaning into the turns, nor completely supressing dive and squat. Yet there is still a lot of damper fluid being furiously managed here as the pumps and motors compensate for the lack of conventional anti-roll bars, keeping the body flat in a manner that’s apparently outstanding for lap times but perhaps disconcerting on a casual encounter.
A sense of just how much the car is actively countering conventional behaviour comes from the tyres – the regular P Zero Rs in this instance – which sound like they’re practically sizzling as the Active Ride forces the contact patches into overtime. On the other hand, maybe that’s just my fists of ham doing the (over) cooking. Regardless, there’s a fast right-hander over a blind crest towards the end of the lap that feels desperate to suck the Taycan over the circuit limits and into the gravel, and no matter how clumsy I am about it, the chassis keeps the car travelling in the right direction.
This is undoubtedly impressive, and it’s clear – even to me – that with a little more familiarity there’s a deep well of ridiculous pace waiting to be unlocked. The steering is sublime, once I’ve relaxed a bit, and the sheer speed is a drug in itself. But whether I’d ever flip over from adrenalized terror into actual enjoyment, I’m not so sure, because the brakes don’t feel quite as on your side as the rest of it.
The left-hand pedal is softer under-foot than that of your more serious 911, and because the Taycan is juggling regenerative and physical friction braking, it’s difficult to be consistent and modulate smoothly. Especially when braking so much mass from three-figure speeds. As such, the Turbo GT seems unusually keen to activate its ABS – probably a good thing from a gravel-trap-avoiding perspective but not so hot if you’re trying to build confidence in 2220kg of very high-speed machine.
All told, I’m left feeling relieved when I roll back into the pitlane, rather than elated. I’m sure Ben or James will be along shortly to tell me where I’ve gone wrong. I’m more intrigued to find out what this monster is like on the road. All in good time, no doubt.
What about the interior?
You get a lot of black Race-Tex material but fundamentally the Turbo GT is similar inside to other Taycan models. I like sporty seats so the carbon buckets suit me fine and add all the sense of occasion I would want in a car like this. If you disagree, or simply think it’s crazy that a £186k car has manual seat sliders similar to those in a Skoda, don’t fret: 18-way electric armchairs are a no-cost alternative.
Not having driven a non-Weissach version, I remain unconvinced about the logic of exchanging the rear seats for a carbon panel, extra luggage space and a weight saving. Think of the fun you could have Launch Controlling 1093bhp with three passengers onboard…
Maybe invest in some Scotchgard.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
Trims-wise, it’s really to Weissach or not to Weissach, that’s the question. There’s no price difference (which is possibly the most surprising aspect of the entire car – Porsche having become famous for charging more for less in the past). I guess it comes down to how much of a scene you want to create or how many people you want to carry.
The Weissach Package can be made less subtle still with a choice of graphics packs. It’s faintly interesting (and also a bit of a shock) that Porsche will upgrade the standard Matrix LED headlights to the new HD-Matrix LED headlights for no extra charge. Again, for the minimal weight difference, I’d opt for the cleverer, more precise HD version.
As for rivals, safe to say no one else makes an electric saloon car quite like this one. The Tesla Model S Plaid is fast but far from finessed, and you can’t buy a right-hand drive Model S new anymore; the Lucid Air is an outstanding effort, I gather, but nowhere near this focused. And while there are plenty of dinosaur-burning super saloons, that’s probably beside the point.
As a track tool, the Taycan Turbo GT is also unique – unless your budget stretches to Rimac or Lotus Evija territory, in which case, you can likely afford the Porsche as well anyway.
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT – the initial verdict
Whether any of the above means you should buy one is a different matter. The Taycan Turbo GT feels a little like the answer to a question no-one was asking, although presumably Porsche knows its customers better than that.
Even so, as a track toy, the firm has better – albeit ICE – options available; as a luxury electric car, there are other variants of the Taycan that would serve almost exactly as well in every department except upsetting 911 owners on track…
As a halo product for Porsche’s electric expertise underlining those decades of driver-centric engineering it’s a fine demonstration. But one that plays more to Porsche’s (understandable) desire to go as fast as possible rather than the mere pleasure of getting right under your skin.
Specs below are for the 2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package