There are not many cars that can reach a power output of over 1,100 horsepower. This figure, however, is even more impressive if we consider that we are talking about an electric car. But Porsche brought it to life with the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package, its most powerful production car ever. But it didn’t stop there, because to demonstrate its enormous potential it decided to launch the Porsche Taycan Cup, the first electric single-make series organized by the German company, which will have its inaugural edition in Italy, in the context of the Carrera Cup Italia weekends, and will have a “time attack” format, considered ideal by relating the car’s performance to the gentlemen drivers for whom this championship was designed. Therefore, there will be no hand-to-hand duels, but it will be a challenge against the clock.
After an initial test carried out in Vallelunga, with several Carrera Cup Italia drivers behind the wheel, the doors of the Porsche Experience Center in Franciacorta were opened to journalists. On that occasion, Motorsport.com also had the opportunity to discover this innovative format up close, but also to touch the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package, which will take to the track exactly as it leaves the dealership. And trust me, the technological and performance level is so high that it is not easy to exploit all the potential available, also because we are talking about a car designed specifically to be used on the track.
Taycan Cup presentation at PEC Franciacorta
Photo credit: Getty Images
1,108 horsepower, but there’s also much more
To reel off some data, just think that it is a car that in normal conditions delivers a power of 789 horsepower, which becomes 952 when using the Attack Mode derived from Formula E single-seaters, and with lauch control it even reaches 1,108 for the first two seconds after starting, guaranteeing acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2″2. An impressive figure if you consider that, although around 70 kg lighter than the version without Weissach Package, we are still talking about a machine that weighs more than 2,200 kg.
The lightening was made possible by eliminating all the equipment that is not necessary for driving on the track, including the rear seats, which were replaced by a carbon shell. To improve performance, an aerodynamic package capable of generating a downforce of 220 kg has also been set up, which includes a front spoiler with side fins, as well as a new front diffuser and a fixed rear wing in carbon fibre. Even under the bodywork, however, there is a lot of irons in the fire and you just need to open the trunk to realize it, because the load volume leaves room for an increased drivetrain, capable of managing 50% more current, reaching 900 amperes against the 600 of the Taycan Turbo S. Without forgetting the Porsche Active Ride suspension, which constantly varies the set-up based on the behavior of the car to make it more stable, compensating for all pitch and roll movements, thus also guaranteeing optimal traction when exiting corners.
As for the tyres, Porsche worked in collaboration with Pirelli to create the P Zero Trofeo RS, which is the Italian company’s flagship product when it comes to road-approved semi-slicks. It is a tire made with a compound derived from experience in rallies and with Elect technology, designed to withstand the high torque and weight of an electric car. But an effort has also been made related to rolling resistance, which can have an impact on the life of the battery charge, which can guarantee over 600 km, among other things with a charging time of just 18 minutes.
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
Photo by: Porsche
The test at the Porsche Experience Center in Franciacorta
To discover the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package, we were offered the opportunity to carry out three runs inside the main circuit of the Franciacorta plant, 2,519 meters long. In the first we were behind the pace car driven by Max Busnelli, Operation Manager of the Carrera Cup Italia, but with a history as a high-level professional driver, who gave us an indication of what the best lines to follow were. Then we had a second stint of five laps, three of which were timed, to try and start pushing a bit more. The grand finale was a last run which began with launch control and then with three other timed passes in which we were also given the opportunity to use the attack mode.
Beware of Slow Zones
Given the very high performance, two slow zones have also been established, indicated both with signs on the track and with the marshaling system present inside the car, which works exactly like that of the Carrera Cup, signaling on a small monitor at the inside the passenger compartment indications such as yellow flags or slow zones. In these two areas, located between Turn 9 and Turn 10 and then between Turn 11 and Turn 12 of the Brescia track, you simply had to lift the pedal off the gas. And this is something that should be part of the actual format of the championship, which however is still in the final study phase (a speed could also be imposed to be respected). It is no coincidence that the Carrera Cup drivers also used the slow zones during the test held in Vallelunga.
Braking is difficult to understand, but acceleration is lightning fast
This progressive approach, however, was very useful, because just a few corners were enough to understand that we were dealing with a vehicle that is not only very powerful, but also has very different demands compared to a car equipped with a combustion engine. In particular, it is not easy to take the reference when braking, precisely because the electric has no engine braking, but another element such as downshifting is also missing to simplify the task of stopping the car. Thanks to the paddle on the left side of the steering wheel it is possible to activate regenerative braking, which offers a little help in this sense, but it is above all a question of the driver’s habit, because the carbon-ceramic braking system is of the highest level, as well as more 2 kg lighter than the version without the Weissach package.
Taycan Cup presentation at PEC Franciacorta
Photo credit: Getty Images
With a torque that is immediate and can reach 1,240 Nm, in addition to all the cavalry available, it is clear however that the main weapon to be exploited is the Taycan’s acceleration. Therefore, we need to try to drive in a slightly different way from the one we are normally used to, almost trying to smooth out the curves and helping ourselves to turn the car even with the gas to use as little steering as possible, also because it is obvious that cornering can’t be the thing to aim for with a car that weighs more than 2,200kg. All this while being careful when you press on the gas because, even with the traction control in Sport mode, if you overdo it you can find yourself “flagging” when exiting the corners. In the first laps, in fact, it feels a bit like being on a roller coaster, because the dynamics are quite different from those of a combustion car, and the forces at play are really important. However, a few steps are enough to begin to understand how to behave and this also reflects on the times, which are constantly decreasing.
With launch control it starts better than an F1!
Once we got into the swing of things, it was spectacular to have the opportunity to test the full potential of the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package and the 1,108 horsepower it can offer with launch control. Once positioned on the grill, it was enough to hold down the brake and step on the gas fully to see the system warning light come on: no matter how prepared we were during the briefing, it is really difficult to describe what it feels like in those two seconds in which the car offers peak power. The acceleration, in fact, is more brutal than that of a Formula 1 single-seater, which goes from 0 to 100 km/h on average in 2″4. With this procedure, the Taycan is able to do it in just 2″2! As mentioned, the peak power lasts for two seconds, then for another ten seconds it remains above the thousand horsepower threshold.
Taycan Cup presentation at PEC Franciacorta
Photo credit: Getty Images
There’s also the Formula E-derived Attack Mode
Furthermore, in the last run we also had the opportunity to “taste” the Attack Mode, which we could use near the main straight, by operating the paddle located on the right side of the steering wheel (in the photo below). Inspired by the system available on Formula E single-seaters, it guarantees an additional and immediate boost of over 160 horsepower that lasts for ten seconds, which are indicated with a countdown on the display. In our case, we had been authorized to activate it only once per lap, but in reality the system is able to provide this extra power very frequently: in fact, it is enough to respect a pause of just 4 seconds to have the possibility to perform a new activation. It’s clear, however, that on a winding track like the one in Franciacorta it didn’t even make too much sense, given that the system automatically deactivates as soon as the brake is touched. Even here, however, the effect can certainly be felt: just think that on a short straight, just over 500 metres, we managed to reach a speed of over 240 km/h!
Taycan Cup presentation at PEC Franciacorta
Photo credit: Getty Images
In short, Porsche’s sporting customers will have something to enjoy in the six events scheduled for next season, which will all coincide with those of the Carrera Cup Italia. But what the German company is launching is a strong message, which wants to try to make people understand how exciting and high-performance electric cars can be in a historical moment in which they are greatly questioned. “The Taycan, with its immediate torque and unprecedented responsiveness, offers breathtaking acceleration. Every corner enhances the connection between the driver and the car. The Taycan Cup represents a unique opportunity to explore these sensations in a competitive environment, where the passion for speed combines perfectly with innovation”, said Pietro Innocenti, CEO of Porsche Italia. After all, we are talking about a car that has already been capable of shattering the electric records of two iconic tracks such as Laguna Seca and the Nurburgring Nordschleife, and we guarantee that driving it is much more impressive and fun than you can express in words. …
Taycan Cup presentation at PEC Franciacorta
Photo credit: Getty Images
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