Porsche and Tesla have been trading blows at the Nurburgring for the past few years, and just over a week ago the American automaker put itself back on top when a Model S equipped with an optional Track Package set a time of 7:25.23 to become the fastest EV around the historic German track.
But could Porsche be about to spoil Tesla’s celebrations? Even before the Model S’s recent triumph, we’d seen Porsche testing a more hardcore-looking Taycan and as if by magic, here it is again, ripping around the Nurburgring Nordschleife’s 12.9 miles (20.8 km) of twisty forest asphalt.
What’s rumored to be called the Taycan Turbo GT will be the new halo model in a Taycan range that’s about to get its first major facelift, which is why the bumper corners on this prototype are disguised. The Turbo GT, or whatever Porsche decides to call it, probably won’t be reliant on new bumpers to help you identify it though. The huge 911 GT3-style fixed rear spoiler (possibly available as an option given we’ve also seen prototype without) will ensure you can’t miss it, and that’s paired with a less extreme, but still large splitter at the front end to keep the nose down.
Related: Porsche Is Taycan Their Time, Slowly Developing 1,000 HP Turbo GT
It looks like the test car is running PCCB carbon brakes, which are currently an option on top-spec Taycans and some sources are suggesting the new hero model will have as much as 986 hp (1,000 PS), a healthy increase on the 751 hp (761 PS) offered by the fastest current model, and the car the Tesla recently toppled, the Turbo S.
One thousand ponies would put the Turbo GT almost toe-to-toe with the Model S Plaid, which has 1,019 hp (1,033 PS) and beat the Taycan Turbo S’s time by a massive 8 seconds. That’s a heck of a margin and was achieved mostly thanks to new wheels, Goodyear Supercar 3R tires, 410mm carbon ceramic discs, and new six-piston front, and four-piston rear calipers.
Porsche hasn’t issued any teasers about a Nurburgring record attempt yet, but we know it won’t be able to resist responding to Tesla’s challenge.
