Porsche’s infatuation with ‘ring lap times is well documented. Just last week it was busy congratulating itself for shaving 10 seconds off the standard 992 GT3’s monster time with the even more monstrous 992 GT3 RS - a model which is already deemed to be quicker than a 911 Cup car. Where other manufacturers tend to treat a flying lap as a handy development tool and/or occasional marketing wheeze, for Porsche it’s very much a way of life. Every car sets a time, and woe betide the engineering team that doesn’t achieve the target set for it.
As a consequence, the manufacturer tends to get a bit prickly if someone knocks it off its perch. This has been going on for years, of course, but it was edifying to see Porsche’s reaction to the lap set by the Tesla Model S Plaid back in 2021. The American upstart, courtesy of a 1020hp output and some highly put-upon tyres, delivered a 7:35.579 record for EVs in September of that year with Andreas Simonsen at the yoke. It was impressive stuff. So much so that it took seven months for Porsche to beat it.
It did so with a lightly modified (but available to buyers in Germany) Taycan Turbo S, which was very much down on power versus the Model S, but very much superior in the handling department. Accordingly, the margin was slender - just a little over two seconds distinguished the Taycan from its much older American rival. Evidently, this fact has been niggling at Porsche’s brain trust, because the latest spy photos suggest that the firm is inclined to have another crack at bettering its overall EV lap record.
As ever, there’s nothing remotely official yet - but we’re going to believe both our eyes and the assurances of our ‘ring-based snapper, as he feverishly predicts a 1,000hp output for the plainly modified Taycan currently ploughing round the track. You likely won’t need to be told that the number would represent a sizeable upgrade for the model, which currently hovers at around 760hp in high-spec format - and only then courtesy of an overboost function.
Of course, this being an EV, it’s not the scale of the number which confounds expectations, but rather the management of all the necessary factors around it - and not just for the completion of a flying lap of the world’s most demanding proving ground, but in a car that must also be sold to the public if Porsche intends for it to be anything other than a one-off showcase. For now, there’s nothing to underwrite our photographer’s prophetic figure aside from the notion that the manufacturer would doubtless very much like to compete with Tesla’s uber-powerful headliner in showrooms - and crush it on its hallowed proving ground.
Alongside the theoretical space for such a flagship (and the Cayenne Turbo GT proved beyond doubt that nothing is off the table in terms of go-faster product) there is the fact of that prominent new aero package, which comprises at the very least a jutting front bumper and huge fixed wing - not to mention colossal wheels, tyres, brakes and a roll cage inside. Oh and the fact it is apparently being piloted by Lars Kern, who just happens to be the man that set the Taycan’s 7:33.35 lap back in April. 1,000hp or not, that record is likely to be short-lived.
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