An exhausted topic I know. Question, is the 0-60 in 2.6 or whatever it is in the turbo s felt during normal acceleration or only when launch control is run? Basic question, in real world driving if you floor the GTS and floor the turbo s, is there a big acceleration difference? At highway passing speeds is there a big difference between the power these two models put down?

are the ceramic brakes in the turbo s a game changer over the steel in the gts for weight control?

thanks.

 

PCCB's are un-necessary and inconsequential on the Taycan but standard on the Turbo S.

 

I wouldn’t have a new performance car without them…
1. Zero brake dust… I spend 40% of my time cleaning the wheels on my E63s wagon without them….my turbo has never even seen a wheel cleaner and can be washed in minutes. It just looks cleaner longer.
2. Cost over time…. I typically change pads every 25-30k miles in my driveway… if you were to not be “handy” and paid the dealer, by 50k mileage you’ll probably be adding rotor costs and you will have almost sunk the cost of the initial PCCBs and still not have needed to replace the pads or rotors on the ceramic equipped car.
3. I won’t elaborate on the performance improvements as that is pretty well documented but no doubt Porsches (and Mercedes) steel or carbon have the best brakes in the business. I will say the PCCBs take a moment to get use too as they can be quite aggressive if you aren’t use to them.
4. Lastly… I have a soft spot for yellow calipers.

These cars are heavy so every thing I have said is amplified over my experience with a PCCB equipped 997.2 Turbo.

 

The power and acceleration of the GTS is more than enough power in the Taycan. Honestly the Turbo S is amazing, but how many times can you demonstrate that party trick.

Regarding brakes, PCCB’s are not necessary in the Taycan as most all of the stopping is handled via brake pedal modulated regenerative braking through the electric motors.

Short answer. Unless you need the Turbo S badge - save your money and buy a nice Boxster for sunny days.

 

I just took delivery of a Taycan GTS at the L.A. PEC, and because there were no GTS models in their fleet, I did the track work, wet skid pad and launch control starts in a Taycan Turbo S. Although I had driven a Taycan (Turbo S) while a GT3 I previously owned was in for its annual service, and again at a Porsche Drive event, where I autocrossed a Turbo, I cannot imagine wanting or needing more power than in the GTS. Also, the GTS has 246 miles nominal range, the Turbo S, 222. Depending on how much you will rely on remote charging, this might not be significant for you. It surprised me that the curb weights shown on the Porsche website are almost the same - the Turbo S is just 24 pounds heavier (5,101 vs. 5.077 lb.). I guess it is all in the tune.

I have not looked at equipment that is standard on the Turbo S but extra cost for the GTS, but seeing that the Turbo S base price is $55K higher, it would be difficult for me to have justified purchasing a Turbo S. I have no regrets. I wanted the GTS from the start and didn't consider other versions. Some of the options that I added like RWS, PDCC Sport, PCCBs, are probably standard on the Turbo S, but at 2023 pricing, I came in well below the Turbo S base price.

The GTS is the newest model and has certain interior, suspension and sound elements that are unique. As everyone says about Porsche's GTS variants, it really is good choice for someone like me who wants all-around great performance but without extra-cost bells and whistles or power that I won't use. I spec'd PCCBs because (a) I am shallow enough to not want brake dust on my rims, and (b) I figured that it would be good to have all the stopping power available when hauling this 2.5-ton beast down to a halt. I had PCCBs on my past three 911s and have not had any problems. My wife's and my other car is fantastic, but this Taycan GTS simply amazes me. Today, while driving, I figured out what the car feels like when accelerating from a stop. It is like a DC Metro train taking off from a station - and more. It just launches from a stop. Wow!

 

at most the Turbo - 4S/GTS/Turbo I think is the sweet spot - TurboS is nice, but honestly only difference is in launch control mode…for all non-launch control modes it's basically a Turbo.

 

Thank you for the responses. @AtTheGlen, appreciate this experience you had at PEC, that helps my thoughts. Does it change anyone's tune if the GTS and Turbo S are the same exact price? Turbo S is a '22 and slightly preowned. Am i not benefitting from the depreciation hit the Turbo took already that i will take on a higher spec'd GTS? Thoughts on this?

 

Both the coated brakes (PSCB) and the ceramic brakes (PCCB) have a fantastic side benefit: Very very little brake dust! I can't imagine needing more stopping power than even the standard GTS brakes provide, but I never want to own steel brakes again for that simple reason. And they look cool.

While any "Turbo S" Porsche is supposed to be much faster than the "Turbo", the Taycan is really odd in that the ONLY performance difference seems to be when using launch control - which means almost never. The "I bought the Taycan Turbo S for the performance" argument makes no sense to me.

 

it's a hard call - I think the GTS is more "special" - and if hte options are better you'll be happier day in and day out - the performance difference between the two is really only under launch control - the rest of the time both have a super low CG and instant EV torque (which is the real party trick)...

I wouldn't focus on value so much, but rather which car and it's options will make you happier - because the ONLY difference between the two is stop-watch level performance and the options - and without a stop watch both will "feel" equally "fast/quick" - so now we're down to creature comforts - the GTS also has some suspension tuning that is unobtanium to the other trim levels

tough call - but honestly the Turbo S's incremental performance is really really hard to deploy in any normal circumstances…

 

thanks for all the replies. i went with a '23 GTS after driving them back to back. There was really no real world difference in power that could be "felt" in what would be normal spirited driving.

 

A one-year old Turbo S with reasonable miles on the odometer or a new GTS with the same specifications for the same price? The Turbo S sounds like the winner, assuming it has the color and options that you want. You might regreat missing options more than the missing horsepower.

 

the Turbo S is my favorite, i'll choose it over 99% of cars.

In terms of everyday driving, i doubt you will notice a difference though.

 

Turbo S Anytime

 

That would be hard to choose but I will probably go for Turbo S since it has depreciated for a bit already unless I can do European delivery for the GTS.

 

euro delivery not an option for taycan North American cars due to different charge plug hardware standards

you can not charge a north american taycan in europe - or you’d have swap charge port hardware after euro delivery drop off

porsche could of course make all this work if they wanted to - but so far not a priority