Porsche has reclaimed its lap record at the Nurburgring for series-production electric cars with the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, with development driver Lars Kern posting a 7:33 lap on the gruelling 20.8km Nordschleife circuit.
Back in 2019, a pre-production Porsche Taycan Turbo posted a 7:42 lap at the Green Hell before it was overtaken in September 2021 by a Tesla Model S Plaid, which was clocked hot-lapping at 7:35.
Helping unlock the faster lap time, the 460kW Taycan Turbo S – which can be boosted to 560kW in Launch Control mode – was fitted with a new ‘performance kit’ that includes a new track-oriented wheel and tyre combination and a software update to the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system.
Currently only available on MY23 Taycan Turbo S models in Germany through Porsche Tequipment, the kit includes 21-inch RS Spyder-design wheels with road-legal Pirelli P Zero Corsa sports tyres.
Porsche says the tyre compound is similar to that of racing tyres.
The software update to the Porsche 4D Chassis Control is designed to work in harmony with the sports tyres. Porsche says “the system analyses and synchronises all the chassis systems of the Taycan in real time”.
Already near-hypercar quick, the Taycan Turbo S can haul itself from 0-100km/h in an incredible 2.48 seconds, with 0-200km/h devoured in just 9.6sec. Not bad for a 2.3-tonne sedan.
Porsche said the record-setting Taycan was an entirely standard production vehicle, with the only modifications being the required roll cage and racing seats.
Helping verify the lap was independent German vehicle and product certification experts TUV Rheinland.
Despite the storming lap, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S isn’t the fastest EV around the Nurburgring.
That accolade goes to the Volkswagen ID.R race concept that lapped the Nordschleife in just 6:05.336 back in 2019.