The work on this project began back in April 2021 itself, only around 18 months after the Taycan was launched and well before the arrival of the facelifted 2024 car, but the Turbo GT could not have been developed using the original Taycan as the basis because its huge power reserves are contingent on the very latest technology.
The GT swaps the recently facelifted models’ rear motor for a unit with a silicon carbide inverter which is said to reduce energy losses as the transistors switch on/off and allow for a greater maximum current of 900 A, significantly boosting maximum power. As such, the Turbo GT is capable of putting out up to 1,108 HP and 1,340 N-m, which’s 74 HP more than the tri-motor Tesla Model S Plaid.
According to official tests, it can sustain maximum power for two seconds at a time using Launch Control and kicks out 789 HP in normal operation. The ‘push to pass’ function has also evolved to take advantage of the new motor, being recalibrated and renamed to ‘attack mode’ with inspiration from the Porsche 99X Formula E car, providing 1,033 HP for ten seconds at a time. That’s 69 HP (nice) more than what’s offered in other variants of the car.
Performance is also bolstered by a 75 Kg reduction in mass compared to the Turbo S, which has been achieved through liberal use of carbon fiber on the B-pillars, door mirror caps and the bucket seats, among other areas, as well as the fitment of lightweight 21-inch forged wheels and the removal of the soft closing boot mechanism. Even the ceramic brake disc chambers and caliper housings have been reworked to shave off two Kg.
The optional Weissach package takes the diet a step further, ‘eliminating all equipment not required for track driving’. Among the changes are the removal of the rear seats, rear speakers and one of the two charge ports. Also gone are the floor and boot mats, as well as some of the interior sound insulation material. The active rear spoiler is replaced by a fixed carbon fiber wing and the windows are swapped out for lightweight glass.
These efforts net an extra 70 Kg reduction compared with the regular (as if) Turbo GT, making it the fastest accelerating Porsche to have hit public roads. It achieves zero to 100 Km/h in just 2.2 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 290 Km/h with the Weissach package or 2.3 seconds, 306 Km/h without it.
For reference, the Model S Plaid has a claimed zero to 96 Km/h time of 1.99 seconds, but Tesla subtract a one foot rollout from the timing, meaning the car is already moving before timing begins, testing showed without that it took 2.4 seconds. To further improve track performance, the Turbo GT receives specially calibrated ‘Porsche Active Ride‘ suspension which the marque claims offers ‘an almost perfect connection to the road’.
It is also available as a two seater and is the first electric car from Porsche’s storied GT division, is also one of the fastest four door sedans on the market. Notably, the GT uses the same 105 kWh lithium-ion battery as the standard car, because using a smaller unit in the name of shaving crucial kilograms would have dented its performance potential.
Prices for the Taycan Turbo GT are almost as much as the 911 GT3 RS sold abroad and the Weissach package is a no cost option. The Turbo GT is available to order now in select markets, ahead of deliveries starting in the coming months.
