2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT review
With up to 1020bhp, the 2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is the new flagship of a revised electric performance car range and the quickest, most powerful production Porsche ever...
On sale: July 2024 | Price: From £186,355
It’s not often that we deploy a word like "astonishing" to describe a new car. But, heads up: that word will appear a few times in this review of the new Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
What is the Turbo GT, exactly? It’s the new top tier of a revised Porsche Taycan range – and the quickest and most powerful production Porsche ever.
As part of a mid-life refresh to keep pace with rival electric performance cars, all Taycans acquire mild styling tweaks, faster charging speeds (up to 320kW), better efficiency and a longer range. Even this hyper-quick GT can officially do 345 miles on a single charge of its 97kWh (usable capacity) battery, although the Tesla Model S Plaid tops that with 373 miles.
What's the 2024 Taycan Turbo GT like to drive?
Air suspension is standard across the Taycan range, but there’s a new option called Porsche Active Ride. It’s standard on the Turbo GT and does many clever things, including leaning the car into turns, rather like a motorbike, to improve comfort, or keep the car flatter so it grips harder and corners faster. It even lifts the car by 55mm when you open the door, making it easier to get in and out.
The Turbo GT isn’t a limited-volume car like the Porsche 911 GT3 but at £186,355 we doubt you’ll see too many on the road. That money buys you the most powerful series production Porsche ever, delivering a whopping 778bhp from its front and rear motors combined.
That’s not all, though. Unique to the Turbo GT is Attack Mode. Press a paddle behind the steering wheel to activate it and you get 1,020bhp for up to 10 seconds – officially matching the Model S Plaid (although we managed 2.4 seconds in our testing).
With not far off 1,000lb ft of shove, 0-62mph takes just 2.3 seconds, which is astonishing, wouldn’t you say?
Even more astonishingly, that time drops to 2.2 seconds with the no-cost Weissach Package. That makes the Turbo GT 75kg lighter than a regular Turbo S, but at a cost: you lose the rear seats and the second charging port. Even the non-Weissach Turbo GT – with four seats – is a little lighter than the Turbo S, mind.
What’s it like to drive the fastest production Porsche ever?
This was a track test only, and pinning the accelerator of a non-Weissach car, from a rolling start out of the pits, proved it’s crazy quick.
From a standing start, though, using launch control, what happened was – no joke – astonishing. Even with four-wheel drive, the tyres scrabble for grip, but the acceleration is nonsensical. It makes your vision go blurry.
Being on track meant we could test the GT’s absolute limits in corners, too. Again, it’s hugely impressive for a car weighing 2.3 tonnes. The steering is weighted beautifully and, with the Active Ride Control propping up the body, there’s next to no lean.
It has a lovely balance of grip, but if you carry that bit too much speed, the front tyres wash wide easily. It’s more fun than a Model S, but it doesn’t demonstrate the scalpel-edged sharpness of, say, a BMW M4.
Then we tried a Weissach car, which has a trick up its sleeve: you can specify it with stickier, track-orientated tyres. With these fitted, the difference is, well, astonishing. The steering, which was good before, is sharper still and more precise.
The stickier tyres add heaps more grip and give the Turbo GT greater dexterity. Now, if you enter a corner too quickly and the nose washes wide, lifting off the accelerator brings it back into line quicker.
What's the 2024 Taycan Turbo GT like inside?
The Taycan Turbo GT's interior is almost the same as the regular model, with the biggest difference being the standard-fit lightweight sports seats. If you’d prefer something that comes with a bit more padding, you can switch them for 18-way electrically-adjustable items as a no-cost option.
There are also Turbo GT logos on the front headrests and a badge located by the cupholders. The seatbelts and door trim finishers can also be had in a silver of blue colour as a cost option. For more on practicality and boot space, see our regular Porsche Taycan review.
Verdict
Do we recommend you buy a Turbo GT? Er, no. It’s the most exciting electric car we’ve tried on a track, but who needs a £186k four-door car that’s at its best with no rear seats? There’s little reason to choose one over our favourite Taycan, the 4S, then… other than to be astonished.
What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5
Price and specs
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
Price £186,355 Engine Two electric motors Power 1020bhp (in Attack Mode) Torque 988lb ft Gearbox 1-spd automatic (f), 2-spd automatic (r), 4WD Battery size 97kWh (usable) 0-62mph 2.3sec Top speed 180mph Range 345 miles CO2/tax 0g/km, 2%
Rivals:
Tesla Model S
Read more: All the electric cars coming soon
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