"Pre-series Taycan" prototype (presumably Turbo GT model-to-come) beats Turbo S around Nurburgring by 26 seconds (and Model S Plaid by 18 sec)!

[MissionE]

This is the steering wheel from the gt3. Looking at that one, the location of the dial suggests it is not a boost button.

Other question, who / what will be the target audience for this Turbo GT? taycan is a 4 seats luxury car, not sure if someone with the budget will get this car as track car. Not only because it is a 4 door, but also the EV / charging infrastructure at tracks is not there yet.

maybe that snuck a hybrid V8 in it…

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[MissionE]

While looking at the video and pausing at the interior shot I see a boost button on the steering wheel, it is coming! And seems like heater/airco controls are still touch based..

 

[DCYL725]

Curious where this boost button is?

I don't think there is one on the pre-series Taycan.

 

[f1eng]

Agreed that for expert driving you want all aids off and as much manual control as possible, but for the primary use of the Taycan, I'd think most drivers prefer to use aids like traction control and full power available like the power of turbochargers - at the top end of the throttle, without having to enable it separately - perhaps like Audi does this, by having a drive mode setting to extend the power band with overboost which is only reachable for some number of seconds every so many seconds.

Out of curiosity, how would manual boost activation work in an EV? When enabled, car produces max power regardless of throttle setting until time elapses or brake pedal is hit? Or would manual activation just extend the power band - so only activated with high throttle just like in the automatic scenario but with limited availability of a few seconds?

IMO full power should only happen with the pedal to the metal on the road. How it tapers off with time (or more sensibly temperature directly) would be easily programable - and actually probably is in EVs.
On roads here I hardly ever use full throttle for more than a few seconds anyway.

 

[f1eng]

It's hard to tell from that edited clip but I did not see any body roll from that car at any point. Very impressive.
Gotta love the arms race! ???

It will certainly have PDCC so that is what one would expect.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

From a tracking perspective, there are some tracks that will not allow electric cars because of the fire suppression problem. Anyone else heard this?

With the big caveat that I've only very limited track experience, I'm not aware of any restrictions in the UK (interestingly, I 've noticed EV-only sessions offered at one popular track- not sure if the intent is to encourage or contain EV participation). Though, given the state of our charging infrastructure, EVs can be effectively discouraged from many tracks just by not providing fast charging at the venue.

 

[f1eng]

I don't know about overrides, but the mapping of the accelerator probably changes while it's being held. Probably the equivalent of the remapping that happens when going from normal to sport plus just time limited.

I'd be surprised if it wasn't continually changing depending on data from motor temperature sensors. We were doing that in Formula 1 ever since fuel use was limited in one way or another starting in 1986 iirc so not new and much easier on an EV.

 

[f1eng]

From a tracking perspective, there are some tracks that will not allow electric cars because of the fire suppression problem. Anyone else heard this?

When I first retired from F1 I helped out classic F1 racing by being FIA technical delegate to make sure the old cars were properly run and safe - you'd be surprised how big the range of competance is amongst the competitors. I also used to help the teams trouble shoot problems to help out. I eventually got bored by the same old at every event and stopped but still sometimes get a question or two.
The problem of allowing EVs at race tracks IMO is the usual safety equipment marshalls use and their training isn't suitable either to deal with a lethally live chassis which is unlikely but possible after a big crash, or a battery fire.

It was a big change when F1 went hybrid and also Formula E and specialist training and equipment is available for marshals doing these big events, but club racing I am not so sure.

Personally I would be much more concerned to shunt in an EV than an IC car.

My view is EVs are better on the road and IC engined cars on the track.

 

[RAHRCR]

New headlights are a go. As is apparently Active Ride. Black teardrop front fascia is out with a much more balances vertical airvent design as standard.

If they take their new front fascia out, I think that would somewhat invalidate their quick turn around the ring….?

 

[whitex]

And as to why you wouldn't have that all the time: the 'boost' implies a time limit, or another form of constraint which should not be used without the driver's explicit intention. In the ICE world, BMW offered a similar functionality on their M3 (CS? or GTS.. been too long) - a button press would trigger spraying the intake with water from a small reservoir, to cool down the charge air (and so deliver, momentarily, more power).

Why does it need to be a button or paddle? Why not a drive mode setting like in an Audo (put it in "D" and it has no boost, put it in "S" and it adds time limiter overboost at the top range of the accelerator, if you use it longer it drops back for some time and then it's available again). Or Tesla Plaid or Lucid Saphire, boost always available for limited duration when the accelerator hit the floor. Taycan limits your power all the time via stability control (go try it, floor it turning right at the lights in our recent PNW damp weather, or next weekend on snow - your throttle response will be very much dampened by stability control unless you turn it off of course), so why not do the exact same thing when your overboost availability has expired, until it's available again. Only start the countdown of overboost when delivering over 100% power.

In this case, I imagine the logic is: "can deliver X amps max safely and indefinitely; can deliver 1.1 X amps for up to 10s". If you WOT and you get 110% amps by default, it'd be downright dangerous to fall back to lower current in the 11th second.

So if you activate the boost manually and keep your throttle on the floor for more than 10 seconds what happens instead, so it's not "downright dangerous"?

 

[whitex]

On roads here I hardly ever use full throttle for more than a few seconds anyway.

For me the same, full power usually only when passing on the highway. It would make my passing faster and therefore safer. That's why I would prefer if it was available with the throttle. My turbo has enough power to break away from the crowd at traffic lights (I prefer to not drive in a herd if I can help it) as in most local weather it's traction limited, so even with overboost automatic it would never get activated as the power is limited by traction control.

 

[Tighlines]

This is the steering wheel from the gt3. Looking at that one, the location of the dial suggests it is not a boost button.

Other question, who / what will be the target audience for this Turbo GT? taycan is a 4 seats luxury car, not sure if someone with the budget will get this car as track car. Not only because it is a 4 door, but also the EV / charging infrastructure at tracks is not there yet.

Totally agree but I don't think this is about sales, more about sticking it to Tesla (hense my bye-bye money emoji ?). This is equal to the Cheyenne GT, Why? Because we can! A mid range Porshe (in all models) is where practicality ends. Each trim upgrade from there is just because "I can." (except the 1% of us that actually take our cars on the track)

 

[ShiftyWolf]

Please let me know if incorrect, but I thought Porsche's design philosophy (maybe not for the SUVs) is that all their vehicles are designed for track performance even though they know the great majority or owners will never use them that way.

My understanding was that the motto was "not that you would, but you could" and for that reason any boost would be manually controllable since that is the best setting for track use.

 

[MissionE]

I

If they take their new front fascia out, I think that would somewhat invalidate their quick turn around the ring….?

To clarify, the facia on the car in the above article is the new sports fascia. Albeit a bit more aggressive considering the performance of this car.

The new standard facia is below

 

[RAHRCR]

I


To clarify, the facia on the car in the above article is the new sports fascia. Albeit a bit more aggressive considering the performance of this car.

The new standard facia is below

Got it and thanks for the clarification.
PS, I am 42% less offended by the standard front fascia.

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