Porsche Taycan Turbo GT: your move, Tesla

Porsche has unveiled the nec plus ultra of its facelifted Taycan range: the Turbo GT. It is the fastest four-door EV on the Nürburgring and Laguna Seca and the most powerful series production model from Porsche ever. It is enough to comfortably beat the Tesla Model S Plaid, but it also comes at a price.

Porsche claimed the lap record for four-door EVs on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in January, beating the Tesla Model S Plaid by some margin. But we had to wait until after the launch of the facelifted Taycan to discover how the German brand achieved this record time. That is now clear with the 1,108-hp Taycan Turbo GT.

Most powerful Porsche ever

This is the most powerful production model ever from Porsche, thanks to a dual-motor drivetrain and a new pulse inverter capable of sending up to 900 amperes to the rear axle. The result is a maximum of 760 kW (1,034 hp) in overboost mode, or 815 kW (1,108 hp) for two seconds with launch control enabled.

The Taycan Turbo GT can sprint from zero to 100 kph in just 2.2 seconds, from 0 to 200 kph in 6.4 seconds (1.3 seconds faster than the Taycan Turbo S), and can keep on accelerating up to 305 kph (Turbo S: 260 kph). Thanks to the new 105 kWh battery from the facelift model, the range is still decent, with 555 km, according to the WLTP cycle.

However, to achieve maximum performance, customers will have to select the Weissach package. This is similar to what Porsche already offers on its 911 GT3 models, with larger spoilers and more weight reduction, mainly by removing the rear seats, the rear audio system, thinner glass, and just one charge port. In total, this removes around 70 kg compared to the four-seater.

Faster than the Plaid?

Compared to its main rivals, the Tesla Model S Plaid (1,020 hp, 0-100 kph in 2.1 seconds with a 1-foot rollout, top speed of 322 kph) and the Lucid Air Sapphire (1,251 hp, 0-60 mph in 1.89 seconds and top speed of 330 kph), the Taycan Turbo GT is not faster in every regard. Still, Porsche will point to its track performance as its main strength.

However, where Tesla still has Porsche beaten by some distance is the price. Whereas the electric super-saloon can be bought for €110,970 in Belgium, Porsche charges a hefty €255,299.99 before options, although the Weissach package is free. Lucid’s top model is not yet available in Europe.