Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package Quietly Breaks Laguna Seca Lap Record
At $230K the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package is one of the best bargains in the Porsche lineup.
Porsche is the sports car company that other manufacturers all like to take shots at. For decades it was the Corvette that would be pitted against the 911 in comparison test after comparison test. Chevrolet would love to point to horsepower advantages and 0 to 60 times. But recently it seems that Tesla is more focused on trying to be the fly in the ointment for Porsche. The Texas-based EV company has been trying to steal lap records from Porsche in the last couple of years. And Tesla even staged a bogus drag race that showed their Cybertruck out running a 911 while towing a 911. Porsche takes performance seriously and they are not about to let Tesla own the record books. In February a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package set a lap record at Laguna Seca by smashing the old time posted by the Model S Plaid.
Ollie Kew from Top Gear was there to witness the record. Kew also got a lap around the track in the record-breaking Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package with Porsche driver Lars Kern. The activities from that day were captured in a video posted on the Top Gear YouTube channel. The performance of both the car and the driver is impressive. And despite the staggering price of the car, in some ways, it might just be the best bargain in the current Porsche lineup.
Performance
Fun fact. The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package can accelerate to 60 mph quicker than you can say its name. Thanks to a maximum output of 1,019 horsepower from its dual motors the car can hit 60 mph in just 2.1 seconds. It will keep on going until 190 mph. This is all very impressive, but Porsche cares about lap times more than straight-line acceleration. With a time of 1:27.87 around Laguna Seca this is the quickest road-approved electric car to ever lap the famed track. And it did so with only the sound of tires squealing and a little hum from the electric motors. Of course, how long will those motors last? According to Kern, the car is good for about 3 hot laps at maximum attack before the motors begin to get too hot to deliver full power.
Ride Along
If you have ever driven or been in a really quick EV, you know that the speed just hits different. It comes on suddenly and silently which can be disorienting. Kew is concerned about this as he straps in for his ride along lap. Thankfully he doesn’t lose his lunch, but it is obvious that the speed and g-forces are intense. Is this full-on track spec worth the extra money over an already silly fast Taycan Turbo S? That is a personal decision that only you and your banker can make. But in some ways, the car is a deal.
$230K Bargain
The Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package starts at $231,995. For that you get extra aero, an attack mode, and 137 pounds less weight thanks to ditching the rear seats and replacing steal with aluminum in some components. Side note, name another 4-door sedan without any rear seats. But here is why this car is a bargain. Porsche gives you the Weissach Package for free! Porsche doesn’t give anything for free, let alone a performance package like this. But the standard Taycan Turbo GT costs the same amount as the Turbo GT with the Weissach Package.
The Weissach Package on the GT4 RS is $13,250, and on the GT3 RS, it is a staggering $33,520. And in the GT3 RS that package shaves just 33 pounds, so you are paying $1,000 per pound saved in that car. The Taycan is also quicker than the GT3 RS to 60 mph, has a higher top speed, will be its equal around most tracks, and is less expensive. So, it might be hard to believe, but this $230K EV might be the performance car bargain from Porsche. And you will never hear it coming.
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