Track-focused Porsche Taycan model could be on its way to the UK

British customers may yet be offered the same high-performance kit that helped Porsche’s Taycan to set a production-EV lap record at the Nordschleife - and Auto Express has experienced its potential during a ride on track.

The vehicle in question, a Taycan Turbo S, had a standard powertrain but was fitted with wider Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres front and rear, and featured recalibrated suspension. It set a time of 7:33 around the famous German circuit, eclipsing Tesla’s Model S Plaid to become the fastest EV.

A quick lap of Porsche’s Italian Experience centre at Franciacorta demonstrates how the small adjustments make a big difference. Our car was driven by former Le Mans 24 Hours winner Marc Lieb and while the Taycan’s sledgehammer acceleration out of the pitlane feels entirely normal for a Turbo S, the manner in which the car changes direction and hangs on through longer corners is notably more impressive than usual. 

Ultimately the tyres do give up the good fight, with a strained shriek - but we’ve little doubt that a regular vehicle would have been understeering towards the edge of the road much earlier. And the Taycan’s willingness to flick through Franciacorta’s faster chicanes is remarkable.

What’s less clear, on the billiard table-smooth surface, is how the wider rubber and retuned suspension would feel on the UK’s traditionally poor roads. And it’s not yet clear if we’ll ever find out; the set-up is already available to German customers for the equivalent of just under £12,000, but while Porsche sources say there’s no technical reason why it couldn’t be offered to UK buyers, the firm’s official line is that it is “still evaluating” the kit’s suitability for other markets.

Now read our long term test of the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo...