Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
Performance specifications exceeding the Taycan S
Porsche decided to develop the Taycan Turbo GT in response to the demands of many owners for a performance-boosted version of the Taycan, which can reach 1,108 PS by using the overboost function.
The Taycan Turbo GT was given specifications that far surpassed the previous top model, the Taycan S. Christian Müller, technical project manager for the Taycan, recalled that the reason for its creation was the existence of users who wanted even higher performance from the Taycan.
“While studying feedback about the Taycan, we realized that some of our customers wanted a top-of-the-line model. Of course, increased power is an important factor in a model designed for high performance, so we focused on this from the very early stages of development.”
How do you achieve more power than the Taycan S? With a traditional gasoline engine like a six-cylinder boxer, you can achieve it by using a larger displacement, higher revs, lower friction losses, and a larger turbocharger. But with an electric motor, the situation is completely different.
Equipped with a new 900 amp “pulse inverter”
The Taycan Turbo GT is equipped with a new pulse inverter that operates at 900 amps, up from the previous 600 amps, allowing for greater electrical energy utilization.
The development team led by Müller first focused on the pulse inverter for the fully electric rear axle drive system. The pulse inverter is a component that converts the DC voltage of the 105kWh high-voltage battery into AC voltage and controls the electric motor. The Taycan Turbo S is equipped with a 600-amp pulse inverter.
The new pulse inverter introduced in the Taycan Turbo GT operates at a maximum current of 900 amperes, pushing more electrical energy toward the motor like a more powerful pump. At the same time, by using silicon carbide instead of conventional silicon as the inverter’s semiconductor material, switching losses have been reduced and the pulse frequency has been improved. As a result, efficiency has been significantly improved and performance stability has been achieved.
“This is the most important development to date,” emphasizes Müller. These measures may sound simple, but they are not so easy to implement.
“The new pulse inverter is larger than before, so we had to modify the bodyshell to accommodate the component,” explains Müller. This resulted in a “power dome”-like bulge in the trunk between the wheel arches, which Porsche has deliberately transformed into an attractive element, emphasizing it with “Turbo GT” lettering.
Strengthened transmission
To cope with the power output exceeding 1100 PS, the drivetrain has been significantly strengthened without increasing the size. Special aerodynamics, including a special fixed rear wing, have also been introduced.
The Taycan Turbo GT’s permanent synchronous motor and new pulse inverter are optimized for a high current of 900 amperes, delivering incredible power even at high speeds, delivering performance that is characteristic of Porsche. Furthermore, development engineers spent a great deal of time refining the two-speed transmission on the rear axle.
“When the input torque increases, the stresses are significantly greater. That’s why we’ve made the transmission components more robust, for example by using specially treated gear surfaces, adapting the bearings and strengthening the clutch,” says Müller.
The engineers were able to make all the changes within the existing transmission housing footprint, and “the longer gear ratios and modifications to the front axle drivetrain mean that much higher track speeds can be achieved, up to 305 km/h,” added Muller.
The exterior features a new aerodynamic package including a reshaped underbody, front and rear spoilers, lightweight ceramic brakes, special high-performance summer tires on exclusive 21-inch forged wheels, and intelligent weight reduction across all components.
The Weissach Package, which is designed specifically for circuit driving, removes all equipment unnecessary for circuit driving, including the rear seats. As a result, the Taycan Turbo GT equipped with the Weissach Package is 70 kg lighter than the standard model.
