Incoming Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Sets New EV Speed Record at Laguna Seca
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is now the fastest production electric car. It completed a lap at Weathertec Raceway Laguna Seca in just 1:27.87. The track is 2.238 miles long. The EV was equipped with Porsche’s Weissach package. Before March 11, 2024, the record was held by Randy Pobst in a Tesla Model S Plaid, with a lap time of 1:28.21.
The same Porsche development driver, Lars Kern, also set a record in the pre-production version at the Nürburgring. His lap time, 7:07.55 on the Nordschleife, was 26 seconds faster than his time in the Taycan Turbo S Sport sedan in 2022. His performance with the pre-prod Taycan Turbo GT earned a record as the fastest of all EVs tested and the fastest four-door vehicle at the Nürburgring.
Porsche is refreshing its full Taycan lineup for increased power and efficiency. In both Taycan Turbo GTs, the rear axle motor touts a beefed-up and more adept pulse inverter that uses silicon carbide as the semiconductor material.
“Launch Control” rips up to 760 kW of overboost strength, or to 815 kW for two seconds. “Attack Mode” supplies 120 kW of extra power for 10 seconds when the button is pressed. “Attack Mode” is rooted in the existing “push-to-pass” setting on other Taycan models.
It touts nearly 1,100 hp and a $230,000 price tag.
The Weissach package sets the record
More aerodynamic design and lighter construction get the Weissach-equipped Taycan Turbo GT a 0-60 mph time of just 2.1 seconds. It has new air deflector components on the underside, plus an upgraded front diffuser. You’ll notice a carbon-woven fixed rear wing and wing supports mounted on the body. Its top speed is 189 mph.
In a statement, Kern explains how the Weissach package propels the Taycan Turbo GT ahead of its class. “The cornering grip levels are just as impressive,” Kern explains. “The controllability and light-footedness are unbelievable. The tyres work very well and you have the right balance in every driving situation. It is incredibly good fun to drive this car around the undulating track at Laguna Seca.”
Don’t pout without the package, though; the standard Turbo GT is only two-tenths of a second slower to 60 mph and gets there in 2.3 seconds.
The 2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is expected to arrive this spring.
Source: Porsche Newsroom
