What is it?

Porsche isn’t one to hold back when it comes to driving performance. Its Turbo models have, throughout the years, aimed to deliver rocketship-style acceleration and, more recently, that famous nameplate has come to denote some of the brand’s quickest electric vehicles, too.

The Taycan Turbo S is no slouch, of course, but what if you’d like your EV to go even quicker or offer even more absurd levels of performance? That’s where this car – the Taycan Turbo GT – comes into play. We’ve been driving it.

What’s new?

One of the main aspects of the Taycan Turbo GT is the performance that it can deliver, but more on that shortly. Porsche has also put the Taycan on a strict diet, with the rear seats being removed to help improve this car’s power-to-weight ratio. Overall, you’ll find that the Turbo GT weighs around 75kg less than the standard Turbo S.

As with other Porsche models, a Weissach package is available for the Turbo GT, bringing even more performance-focused features, including a large rear wing that helps the car generate up to 220kg of downforce. It’s also the model we’re driving here.

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What’s under the bonnet?

If you’re a fan of Top Trumps, then you’ll want the Taycan Turbo GT in your selection. It’s got 1,084bhp – that’s right, over 1,000bhp from a car with number plates and seat belts – alongside an incredible 1,240Nm of torque from its dual electric motors. Engage launch control, take a deep breath and the Turbo GT will skip to 60mph from a complete standstill in just under 2.2 seconds. In fact, it’ll go from 0-124mph in 6.4 seconds, which is quicker than most sports cars take to reach 60mph.

Despite this, Porsche says that you should still get up to 343 miles from a full charge of the Taycan’s large 97kWh battery. That said, expect the range to dwindle if you repeatedly make use of all of this car’s power. However, given that the Taycan can accept a super-speedy charge rate of 320kW, you could get a 10 to 80 per cent charge sorted in around 18 minutes if you find an ultra-rapid unit.

What’s it like to drive?

With such power outputs, you only need to lightly tread on the throttle and you’re soon going very quickly indeed. A full launch control start sends you forward with organ-rearranging speed; you can only do it a few times before you start to feel a little ill, in fact. However, just as in the regular Taycan, the Turbo GT backs up its performance with excellent road-holding ability and steering weights which put many other EVs to shame.

The only downside is that you lose much of the refinement that you’d get from a regular Taycan. With the rear seats removed, the Turbo GT is a far louder, more raucous affair, though, given it’s aiming to be the wildest Taycan to date, you can forgive it this.

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How does it look?

The Turbo GT can be made to look as normal or as wild as you like. The zebra-like Taycan Design Vehicle Wrap, for instance, might look like some sort of concept-like finish but it’s actually a customer option available for an extra £8,239. Certainly, if you want your Taycan Turbo GT turning heads, then it’s the right way to go.

You get 21-inch lightweight forged alloy wheels on cars with the Weissach Package, too, and you can get these finished in a range of colours to help personalise things further.

What’s it like inside?

The basic architecture of the Turbo GT is largely the same as the standard Taycan, which is to say it’s all very pleasant indeed. Of course, that lack of rear seats takes away some of the overall versatility of the car, but elsewhere you’ll find lots of user-friendly features. The front bucket seats are extremely comfortable and do a good job of holding you in place through the bends. Plus, you can choose between varying degrees of firmness when you’re specifying the car, so you should be able to find a level which works for you – though they are an optional extra.

The steering wheel is pleasantly thin, too, and a welcome change to other chunkier versions that you’ll find on many of the Taycan’s rivals. It’s equipped with easy-to-use dials for the drive and suspension settings, too.

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Verdict

For most people, the standard Taycan Turbo S will be more than quick enough. You get rear seats and it’ll be an overall more comfortable – yet still rapid – way to get around. But that does miss the point of this go-faster GT version.

With the Weissach Package, the Turbo GT taps into an almost futuristic level of speed and one which is scarcely believable when you first try it out. As a technological breakthrough, the Turbo GT really is something to marvel and that’s what makes this car truly impressive.

Facts at a glance

Model as tested: Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package

Engine: Dual electric motors

Power: 1,084bhp

Torque: 1,240Nm

Max speed: 190mph

0-60mph: 2.2 seconds

MPG: NA

Emissions: 0g/km

Range: 343 miles

Maximum charging speed: 320kW