Driver, not Taycan the weak link: Porsche

Porsche is championing the robust and repeatable performance of its all-new electric Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S.

In the face of claims and record attempts by EV darling Tesla, the established sports car brand is quietly but firmly reinforcing the serious production credentials of its Nurburgring record-setting car.

Porsche recently set a series production EV lap record at the German test and race track of 7min 42sec. In response, Tesla has tilted at the mark with a stripped out, upgraded ‘prototype’ Model S – and so far, failed.

Now, Porsche has confirmed the record was set with a Taycan Turbo, not the highest performance variant of its car, the Taycan Turbo S. In fact, it was the very same car that the German marque used to set distance records at its Nardo test track in Italy.

The only components changed, Porsche insiders say, were the tyres.

While the Taycan Turbo used was a pre-production model, Porsche has confirmed it was entirely in production spec, with the exception of a mandated roll cage.

The car was fitted with optional 21-inch wheels and ceramic brakes. Both these components are standard on the range-topping Taycan Turbo S model and available as options on the standard ‘non-S’ model.

“We're quite happy with our time,” Porsche Taycan Manager Complete Vehicle Product Line Lukas Kramer told carsales.

When asked whether a dealer-bought Taycan Turbo could repeat the Nordschleife time with the right driver, Kramer was clear.

“Definitely,” he said.

“That is the reason we set the record with a series [production] car. We want to compare apples with apples.”

When questioned on whether there was headroom in the lap time performance, Kramer was coy but confident.

“It’s something we could consider,” he said of a faster lap if and when required.

Porsche has focused on repeatable performance in its development of the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S. The head of chassis development for the electric Porsche, Ingo Albers, told carsales: “The driver will wear out before the car does.”

Albers was referring to the ability of the Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S to perform multiple full-throttle launch control starts.

In the Taycan Turbo S, Porsche claims 0-100km/h time of 2.8sec, with 0-200km/h coming up in 10.8sec. The 2.5sec distance is 28m – the same sort of performance as the 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar, Albers says.

“One of our most important development targets [with Taycan] is repeatability. You can do it long as you like -- we say more than 10 times. [But] We found out mostly the driver is the limit, not the car.

“After doing 20 or 25 launch control starts to 200km/h, you are tired, I promise!” he explained.

With up to 1050Nm available almost from standstill, Porsche has worked hard to ensure the Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S has hardware up to the job.

Albers says many components in initial prototypes required upgrading. For example, two years ago the development team significantly increased the diameter of the drive shafts.

Testing, including “more than 500” full-throttle launches in a row, determined the robust nature of the final product.

“They are now at the upper level [of what would normally be used],” Alber enthused.