New Porsche Taycan Turbo GT review: a ferocious performance EV

Verdict

Does the world need a track-ready, £186,300 electric saloon with just two seats? Probably not. But as a showcase of what Porsche is capable of in the electric age, the Taycan Turbo GT is deeply impressive. 

No matter how firmly you brace yourself against the new Porsche Taycan Turbo GT's carbon-fibre bucket seat, the ferocity when you release all 1,020bhp from a standstill will take your breath away. With a slight chirp from the tyres, the Taycan slingshots forward and piles on speed at a rate that's difficult to process, and before you know it it's time to brake for the first corner. 

We're at Monteblanco circuit in Seville to experience this new, hardcore breed of Taycan. With more power, more aero, less weight and a bespoke chassis tune, the Turbo GT is Porsche's EV fully unleashed, and the headline figures are stunning. 

Activate launch control and you get the full 1,020bhp (power is capped at 778bhp otherwise), enabling a 2.3-second 0-62mph time. An optional Weissach Pack ditches the rear seats, contributing to a 70kg weight saving and trimming a tenth from that same sprint. We’d question if this compromise is worthwhile, given that the lightest Turbo GT still weighs a colossal 2,220kg. 

But how does all that feel? In a word, brutal. The Turbo GT pulls so much performance out of the track that initially, it feels like your bravery – rather than the car’s ability – is the limiting factor. But settle in, grow accustomed to the speed and you can almost drive it as you would a traditional supersaloon. Get the car slowed down – not always easy given the momentum it builds before corners – turn in, and the nose hooks into the apex with great accuracy. As the cornering forces build, the Turbo GT doesn’t heave and roll as your brain tells you it should, either. That’s Porsche’s clever Active Ride system at work, controlling the suspension support at each corner to keep the car almost completely flat.

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This lack of body movement and the precision of the Taycan’s controls, gives you confidence to commit and use the mountain of performance available. When you do, the GT finds great traction yet is easily adjustable on the throttle when needed, the rear end sticking to the ground and driving you hard out of corners. It always demands respect – the flagship Turbo will bite back if your inputs are too aggressive – but even then the balance is malleable. 

Given its huge potential and the complex electronics that underpin the Taycan, the fact that you can exploit it relatively comfortably is a real achievement. Cracks only appear when you push right to the edge, when the tyres start to squirm and succumb to all that weight; the Turbo GT becomes more reluctant to your commands and feels a touch lazier. It’s the same story with the brakes – you need to leave a margin when slowing for corners, or else you’ll trigger the ABS and push wide of the apex. 

Our time in the Turbo GT was confined to the track, and in this environment it showcases the full might of Porsche’s latest powertrain and chassis technology. The results are mighty, but at an eye-watering £186,300 – yes, you read that right – the GT also needs to be meaningfully more rewarding than a standard Taycan on the road. We’ll soon find out if it is.