Porsche Taycan Prototype Shatters Nurburgring Record
Imagine a scenario where a new version of your car could help you reach your destination approximately six percent faster. Porsche achieved this impressive feat on one of the world’s most challenging racetracks, the Nurburgring in Germany. This famed track has gained recognition as a competitive arena for automakers like Porsche and Tesla to showcase their electric vehicles’ capabilities. Recently, Porsche outpaced a notable competitor’s record, raising anticipation for a more powerful Taycan to appear at dealerships shortly.
Porsche Rings in New Year
The modified, all-electric Porsche Taycan prototype navigated the 12.9-mile Nurburgring Nordschleife with a remarkable lap time of 7:07.55 minutes, surpassing the Tesla Model S Plaid’s time of 7:25.23. This victory is particularly significant since the Tesla had previously become the benchmark by eclipsing a Porsche Taycan’s record.
During this exhilarating lap, Porsche development driver Lars Kern showcased his skill by consistently demonstrating impressive lap times. This recent record reflects an improvement of 26 seconds over Kern’s earlier ‘Ring record in a different Taycan Turbo S set in 2022. Porsche proudly claims their latest electric vehicle as the “fastest electric car from Zuffenhausen” in Germany—a statement that brings a blend of pride and light-heartedness given its unique origins.
Is a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Coming?
The performance enhancements achieved by the German automaker in its Taycan sedan are undeniably impressive. It is plausible that this prototype hints at an even more powerful production model on the horizon. The confirmed modifications on this prototype include a roll cage and racing bucket seats, essential for safety during ‘Ring races. However, whispers suggest that Porsche may be working on a groundbreaking three-motor drivetrain capable of producing around 1,000 electrified horsepower, which this prototype could be an early indicator of.
While the precise specifications will remain undisclosed until Spring, when the updated Taycan model line is introduced, expectations for remarkable performance are building. Porsche has clarified the performance enhancements achieved on the track, highlighting a speed increase of 25 km/h (15 mph) heading into the Schwedenkreuz. To put this into perspective, by the time Kern crossed the finish line at Grandstand 13 (T13) during this lap, he would have just been approaching the entrance to the Nordschleife during his record-setting drive in the Taycan Turbo S in 2022. This indicates a distance advantage of more than 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles), underscoring the substantial leap in performance on the 20.8 km course in Germany’s Eifel region.
In summary, this new trim model signifies that Porsche is eliminating nearly a mile of the Nurburgring with its advancements, hinting at a high-performance model that could be the Taycan Turbo GT. Additionally, this prototype might serve as a precursor to some aerodynamic or design modifications coming to the new Taycan sedan lineup, particularly in the frontend and featuring an innovative deployable rear spoiler.
