With up to 1020bhp, the Turbo GT is the new flagship of a revised electric performance car range On sale July Price from £186,355
John Howell whatcar@haymarket.com
IT’S NOT OFTEN that we deploy a word like ‘astonishing’ to describe a new car. But, heads up: that word will appear a few times in this review of the new Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
What is the Turbo GT, exactly? It’s the new top tier of a revised Taycan range – part of a mid-life refresh to keep pace with electric rivals such as the Tesla Model S. All Taycans acquire mild styling tweaks, faster charging speeds (up to 320kW), better efficiency and a longer range. Even this hyper-quick Turbo GT can officially do 345 miles on a single charge of its 97kWh (usable capacity) battery, although the Model S Plaid tops that with 373 miles.
Air suspension is standard across the Taycan range, but there’s a new option called Porsche Active Ride. It’s standard on the Turbo GT and does many clever things. It leans the car into turns, rather like a motorbike, softening sideways forces to make you more comfortable. Or it can keep the car flatter so it grips harder and corners faster. It even lifts the car by 55mm when you open the door, making it easier to get in and out.
The Turbo GT isn’t a limited-volume car, like the 911 GT3, but at £186,355, we doubt you’ll see too many on the road. That money buys you the most powerful series production Porsche ever, delivering a whopping 778bhp from its front and rear motors combined.
That’s not all, though. Unique to the Turbo GT is Attack Mode. Press a paddle behind the steering wheel to activate it and you get 1020bhp for up to 10 seconds – matching the Model S Plaid. With not far off 1000lb ft of shove, 0-62mph takes just 2.3sec, which is astonishing, wouldn’t you say?
Even more astonishingly, that time drops to 2.2sec with the no-cost Weissach Package. This makes the Turbo GT 75kg lighter than a regular Turbo S, but at a cost: you lose the rear seats and the second charging port. Even the non-Weissach Turbo GT – with four seats – is still a little lighter than the Turbo S, mind.
What’s it like to drive the fastest production Porsche ever? This was a track test only, and pinning the accelerator of a non-Weissach car, from a rolling start out of the pits, proved it’s crazy quick. From a standing start, though, using launch control, what happened was – no joke – astonishing. Even with four-wheel drive, the tyres scrabble for grip, but th
