The fastest electric sedan to lap the Nürburgring has been revealed and locked in for Australia.
Due in mid-2024, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT will become the quickest electric vehicle (EV) on sale locally, regardless of whether you look at its straight-line performance or how it handles the race track.
Last year, a pre-production version of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT set a new lap record for electric sedans at the 20.8km Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.
Its seven minute and 7.55 second lap time was 26 seconds faster than the pre-facelift Taycan Turbo S managed in 2022, almost 20 seconds quicker than the Tesla Model S Plaid and within 2.5 seconds of the outright EV record, held by the Rimac Nevara hypercar.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is priced from $416,600 before on-road costs, both with and without its optional Weissach package.
That makes it $42,200 more than the Taycan Turbo S but $800 less expensive than the 911 GT3 which partially served as inspiration for the track-focused EV.
Porsche claims the Taycan Turbo GT is 10kW more powerful than the Turbo S in its regular drive mode with 580kW, though this increases to 760kW on overboost (up 120kW) and 815kW (up 110kW) when launch control is engaged.
The Taycan Turbo GT is 75kg lighter than the former flagship, allowing it to accelerate from 0-100km/h in a claimed 2.2 seconds (0.2 seconds faster), 0-200km/h in 6.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 280km/h.
Things only get faster when the Weissach package – named after Porsche’s performance centre – is added, with a further 70kg pulled out as it loses its rear seats, analog clock, floor mats (available as a no-cost option), Bose sound system and electrically opened charging port.
As a result of the weight savings, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Weissach can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in 2.1 seconds, reach 200km/h from a standstill in 6.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 305km/h.
On the outside, the two variants share 21-inch forged wheels in front of ceramic brakes, as well as Matrix LED headlights – with HD Matrix LEDs available at no extra cost – and a front lip spoiler and rear diffuser.
The Weissach package adds a larger front diffuser and a wide carbon rear wing, which combine to produce up to 220kg. There’s a Weissach logo with the outline of Porsche’s test track on each endplate too.
Inside, standard equipment includes Race-Tex upholstered carbon bucket seats with black leather trim – with 18-way power adjustable sports seats available to no extra cost – a Race-Tex steering wheel, the Sport Chrono package (not available on Weissach examples) and a digital radio.
In Australia, the Turbo GT will also be fitted with thermally and noise insulated glass, lane change assist, park assist, a 360-degree camera, a head-up display and rear side airbags.
No-cost options available locally include a fixed panoramic glass roof, adaptive cruise control, and heated front and rear seats – all of which can only be paired with the Taycan Turbo GT.
The 2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is due in Australian showrooms from mid-2024, arriving around the same time as the rest of the recently revealed updated range.
