2022 Porsche Taycan GTS

If you’re a Porsche fan, when you see a GTS badge, you know that Porsche has worked their magic by taking a group of already available options and turned them into something bigger and better than the sum of those parts. Well now, they’ve waved that engineering wand over the all-electric Taycan. So, let’s see what they’ve pulled out of the hat this time.

Porsche’s first full battery electric vehicle, the Taycan, wasn’t a 911-style sport coupe or even an SUV, but a big luxurious high performance 4-door aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S. And after tearing up Roebling Road Raceway 3-years ago with the insanely fast Taycan Turbo S, we’re back for further research with Porsche’s latest offering, the Taycan GTS.

This battery-powered beauty arrived showcasing Porsche’s Chalk livery and was outfitted with SportDesign front fascia and GTS logoed side skirts, plus glossy black trim. Aero savvy satin black 20-wheels are standard; these 21-inch RS Spyder Design rims are an option.

Much like the Turbo S, for such a big heavy machine, it performs amazingly well at speed on a racetrack. It is so fast, and power is delivered so suddenly; that it truly does take some time to fully wrap your head around pushing what is essentially a GT car this hard around a road course.

True to the GTS formula, the bulk of the suspension hardware trickles down from the Turbo, but tuning is recalibrated, along with the powertrain for a total package approach. All-wheel drive is standard with both a front-mounted electric motor and a rear-mounted unit with an integrated 2-speed automatic transmission. The total 590-horsepower output comes in 80 less than the Turbo’s 670; torque rating is actually the same at 626 lb-ft.

And while it won’t get you to 60 in under 3-seconds like the Turbo S, it took us only 3.5-seconds, which is more than enough to satisfy most people’s need for speed. There’s no real let up in power throughout the ¼-mile, but unlike most EVs, there is an additional punch from behind when the transmission shifts itself into high gear. Still, it’s a remarkably smooth experience that’s over in just 11.6-seconds at 127 miles-per-hour.

So, while in straight line heroics, the GTS’ weight largely disappears, around the rest of Roebling Road Raceway you can certainly feel it, but not in an awkward way, more like a fleet-footed heavyweight with a genius suspension setup providing the footwork to make this car feel dialed in like an overgrown 911.

EVs certainly make for a quieter experience than most gasoline-engine track cars.

But this Taycan is far from silent; with plenty of unique high-powered electric motor sounds to accompany you around the track. Likewise, the tires started squealing early, yet maintained great grip; rear-axle steering is also available as is Porsche’s Dynamic Chassis Control Sport. Steering feel is classic Porsche, making for an incredibly fun and rewarding driving experience.

The GTS uses the Turbo’s 93.4-kWh Performance Battery Plus, with 246-miles of range, but of course it was much more fun being less concerned about range and discharging it as quickly as possible. And with 800-volt architecture that allows for up to 270-kW charging, you can be back making laps in only about 20-minutes time.

Inside, you’ll find the Taycan’s multi touchscreen dash and center console setup with build quality that Tesla can only dream of achieving. Unique GTS elements include Race-Tex materials, black trim, and lots of logos. An optional GTS Interior Package adds colored stitching and seat belts, along with carbon fiber trim and dashtop Sport Chrono dial.

Sport seats offer the perfect amount of bolstering for track work, and more than enough comfort for daily use; consistent with the vibe of the entire car, as you can drive it around for months and unless you put the throttle to the floor, you’d have no way of knowing the fury of performance it can unleash.

At 41 kWh/100 miles the GTS has a fair efficiency rating, and is fittingly priced in between 4S and Turbo Taycans, starting at $135,550. For more of wicked wagon vibe, a Sport Turismo version is available as well.

While not the fastest, when it comes to delivering the total package of performance with daily comfort, it’s the GTS models that come out on top in the Porsche lineup, and now EV buyers can experience it too with the Porsche Taycan GTS. And what’s not to like about that.