The 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS Is A Track Monster (And A Powerful Argument For Electrification)

There are many good reasons for buying an electric vehicle. The most powerful one is desire. People will crave EVs when they make the driving experience better. The Porsche Taycan GTS is that car. It’s the perfect ambassador for performance lovers needing a grocery getter and a track tool without compromise. Comfortable for everyday driving, the GTS is happy to carve up Willow Springs International Raceway. That’s where Tom Voelk drives the sedan version (GTS is also available as the more practical Sport Turismo wagon). Don’t think EVs are ready for a punishing on the track? Taycan GTS proves the naysayers wrong.
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About Tom: Tom Voelk is an award-winning automotive contributor to The New York Times. His podcast was the first to win an Emmy Award (and he's won for photography, editing, producing and reporting). But really, all you need to know is in the videos. Watch a few and you'll subscribe.
00:00 Intro
1:02 Overview / Powertrain
3:14 Track Driving
7:20 Interior
8:58 Cargo
9:20 Summary
9:58 Epilogue and Fun Fact

[@Tetsujin-28]

Porche Logic: The name is actually a compound word of “Tay” and “Can.” Tay comes from Turkish meaning “Spirited Young Horse,” a nod to the horse emblazoned on the Porsche crest and something that embodies the “untamed, spirited, [and] wild” nature of the car, along with “power, dynamism, stamina, galloping, [and it being] swift.” Can, which also finds use in the company’s Macan, is also derived from Turkish and means “Soul.” Stuttgart says that at the base level of the soul, there is “Freedom” which goes hand-in-hand with the “Porsche spirit.” It also neatly lines up with the Taycan’s new ad campaign of “Soul, electrified.” Together, Tay and Can translate to the “soul of a spirited young horse.”

[@bostondan77]

Another wonderfully written and edited review, thank you!

[@marekw.9816]

GTS stands for guaranteed tremendous safety

[@michaelmeltzer5210]

Another excelllent video! Thanks Tom! Rock on brother....

[@JBsC6]

Great review Tom. Thank you.

[@Hollyrock712]

Great review Tom. You genuinely look like your having a great time.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

I was. Could have done it all day.

[@acchaladka]

I have a Tesla 3 LR and the Taycan Cross Turismo is my dream car. I miss my 1989 944t, which turned and did everything driving better than my California car. Sigh, of desires there is no end; what a car. Ps. Tom, thank you for using the metric figures and putting old units in parentheses, much appreciated.

[@rlgwoody8966]

Tom, Thanks as always for the terrific content! That opening shot put some hair on my chest. Wait a sec . . . nope, it was just peach fuzz. :)

[@JDelta87]

Some days at work are just better than others. Looks like a blast and one day I'll get to have experience a track day in a performance vehicle.

[@MichaelKirven]

Going though a sweeper at 100 mph looks like a walk in the park, Tom. Glad that the car can accelerate as fast as it can stop on a regular basis.

[@TJDST4]

I would love to see what Porsche could do for a Boxster sized and focused EV sports car, vice the larger Taycan.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

I kind of wonder if the Mission R they've showed off doesn't hint at what's going to happen in 718s. Not the gear setup but design and component layout.

[@TJDST4]

@@DrivenCarReviews I don't believe that I knew of that car before. That is very good looking.

[@marshx]

I am so obsessed with the cars that sometimes I feel like my heart is not a muscle, it's an engine.

[@limpunsing224]

Nice presentation, Tom

[@amigatommy7]

Great video. I'm sharing it.

[@ronb4633]

Hi Tom, great review. I have had a Taycan 4S for just over a year now and love it. 2 items, Bill Gates did pickup a Taycan back in 2020 also, didn’t impress Elon with that buying decision, but Bill is a bit of a Porsche file. Also Taycan is from two Turkish words meaning spirited young horse.

[@davidplon9215]

Love the Tycan but Cayenne is still the place for me at this point! Nice review Tom!

[@braddenton4729]

Well done !!

[@Porsche996driver]

Love how the Germans maintain some purist tradition: no one-pedal operation! I saw 3 of the new shooting brakes at Pelican Parts gtg last Saturday!

[@24bergman]

Wow, did we hear you say you prefer Taycan to the 718?! Great video little disappointed we didn’t get the paper goods comparison in but oh well. :0)

[@ma7mgte]

Tom, this looks a little quicker than your ELR. Nice vid as usual.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Better all-electric range too. But I paid for the whole thing for what the options are on this one so there's that.

[@tommihelich2613]

Of course you loved, loved, loved it.

[@firstlast1047]

My benchmark for an ev: Las Vegas to LA, July /Aug, running 70 mph with ac, and not having to recharge until, for instance, until Marina del Rey; hoping I can locate a recharging station.

[@sonofcain14]

Excellent Review Tom, as allways. I have told you before, you never look so happy as when you are driving a Porsche....when I was a kid my father had a 944, not the best of Porsche, but I fell in love with them since. Regards

[@DrivenCarReviews]

LOVE the design of the 944. Still holds up perfectly.

[@Wised1000]

Tom where's the EQS review? Love your vids!

[@DrivenCarReviews]

None have made their way to the PNW. Looking forward to it though.

[@bluerootz]

Did they fix the thermal throttling after 30 min as reported in the Taycan turbo S that was raced against Model 3s?

[@basselaltaji2171]

what did you think of the sound tom? mine arrives in 2 weeks

[@DonaldHawk]

Have a 2020 4s trying to get allocation on gts sport turismo. Glad initial impression is good.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Sport Turismo piece is next Tuesday.

[@breivikoyvind]

Tom, How comfortable is the GTS compared to e.g. a 4S when in normal mode? Thanks for your excellent videos!

[@DrivenCarReviews]

I didn't drive them back to back so I can't say precisely. But I have a video dropping next Tuesday in the Sport Turismo version that focuses on street driving. Until the embargo on that one lifts, I'll just say ride harshness wasn't an issue for me in the GTS. More next week.

[@elliottmanning4116]

“In a Porsche, the ignition switch, is on the left.” 😂

[@christopherprose3881]

The drone shots were very impressive this time out. No trees or power lines to worry about must have helped. One trend that always evades me is the propensity for manufacturers to use black as a way to make their cars appear more 'sporty'. Especially the wheels. You just can't see the details of the design when they are that dark. Such a waste to my eyes. As for EVs, we've come a long way since the original Tesla roadster and that's a good thing. As for the name of the car, Taycan, Google German cowboys, you'll be surprised.

[@theeALister]

I would love to know exactly how this car was spec’d.

[@regalgs51]

$165,000 and it doesn’t even have the top-tier stereo option? Dang!

[@timalma]

Sweet

[@edysinsimon8646]

Damn...I wished I would have been born rich instead of just so damn good looking instead!

[@mess0965]

All wheel steering in the machine you drove? Not sure about the colour.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Yes on AWS. The Chalk color looks great in person IMHO.

[@50yearoldskier]

Tom. Would you recommend the thermo insulated glass for the 4S? I am wondering whether to option it

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Personally? I would. Even in performance cars, I like a quiet cabin. If nothing else, it's easier to hear subtleties when listening to music.

[@50yearoldskier]

@@DrivenCarReviews Thank you Tom for the quick response. VERY helpful. I think I am going to do it. I did decide against PTV+ and RAS - I don't plan to track and for the most part, I will be in the City. So will use the "savings" to take care of the insulated glass. I just wanted to make sure it was a good idea

[@martinkleinman2522]

I want it I want it I want it I want it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@AbsolutMassager]

What’s the 0-60 and 1/4 mile on the GTS. I really wanted a Turbo S Sport Turismo to be a thing but apparently Porsche is forcing me to choose the GTS only in a ST or sticking with the sedan for Turbo S

[@DrivenCarReviews]

0-60 is 3.5 according to Porsche (most likely quicker). Don't know the 1/4 mile, sorry. Forcing? How is it forcing you?

[@kraenk12]

It’ll come at a later date.

[@amigatommy7]

Does the list price include 4 wheels?

[@DrivenCarReviews]

And tires

[@roo1314]

No matter how expensive or how cheap, anyone who drives long distances on a regular basis just isn't going to get an electric car until "refill" times come down into "fill-r-up gas" refueling times. I simply don't understand why batteries aren't standardized so that one can drive over a pit and have a machine pull the discharged battery out and plunk in a recharched unit. It would take no time at all. Computers finally made themselves compatible across platforms. Why not batteries? Yeah, there's an upfront investment for such infrastructure but there's no way the "oil" companies can't do it darn near painlessly. They've been pampered and coddled for so long, it's time for them to do something responsible, ethical, and environmentally friendly.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Here's why there are no battery swap options- Humans. People want to keep what they buy. They fear that the battery they get next might be inferior. Tesla said it was going to do it and backed out. Plus battery tech and charging keeps getting better. 22 minutes for 80% fill might be double a regular gas stop with snacks and bathroom breaks, but consider the time spent overall for trips to the gas station that are eliminated by home charging. Fewer maintenance trips like oil changes too. It adds up. EVs aren't perfect, but have some advantages over ICE cars. Buy what works for you.

[@herranton]

When I go on road trips with my buddy, we tend to loiter at a gas station for awhile. He likes to walk around and smoke a cigarette. He can't do more than four hours without a 20 minute break or so. And that's pretty normal for humans. I once did Minneapolis to NYC and back in 45 hours. And that included a 90 minute break in Brooklyn. And driving across Manhatten twice. That would be impossible in an electric car. Any electric car. But being honest, I'm not keen on _ever_ doing something like that again. I have a feeling that the pace one can take in an EV on a road trip is probably faster than most people will ever go.

[@jonnykromps9836]

Holy price $$$ 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@jw6188]

134k no options???? Nope M5CS right now.

[@JMacGyver1]

A good car. I’m hoping Porsche can come back with a much more powerful version that is also more efficient for their next go around. They also need to make an electric version of the 911.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Much more powerful than the Turbo S?

[@JMacGyver1]

@@DrivenCarReviews Porsche has been so good, especially over the last few years, in extracting maximum power from their IC engines, but they’re certainly not class leading with these Taycans. The 2 speed transmission is one unique attribute they have, but it seemed to address a fault with Tesla’s Model S that has already been addressed and instead of Porsche responding to the Model S Plaid with more powerful versions of the Taycan, they instead offer up a lower tier version. It’s going to be a challenge for many legacy automakers to shake their ~5 year model update cycle and act more like an electronics manufacturer that updates yearly with faster and more efficient models.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

@@JMacGyver1 I'm not really sure the Plaid is more powerful overall in the real world. Check on Car and Driver about its performance, they recently did some tests. I know bragging rights mean something, but the GTS and Turbos are outrageously capable, even compared to supercars.

[@JMacGyver1]

@@DrivenCarReviews Yeah, I just did a quick glance through the C&D article, which is why I brought it up. A perfect example of what I’m talking about is how the Taycan uses 2 motors, which is what Tesla has been doing. But now the Plaid offers 3 and vehicles like the Rivian use 4 motors, which of course amps up the power (pun intended), and instead of leading, Porsche seems to be chasing.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

@@JMacGyver1 With no dog in this fight (I can't/won't afford any of the EVs we're talking about) it's my observation that Taycan doesn't need things like extra motors to "lead". Even the GTS is far more car than most humans would know what to do with. I'm more impressed with engineers that know a car needs things like responsible braking and stability at high speed over selling something for marketing purposes.

[@miguelberetta7887]

Once I go electric, it will be with porsche

[@g.richardson6883]

Wish I had gone to dental school

[@nateisright]

Porsche has the best chance of convincing me that electric cars should be the future. I remain skeptical as I wait for a head to head win over an ICE on the racetrack.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Are you a track guy?

[@alanmay7929]

Now imagine if porsche was able to tune the tesla model s plaid, 🤣🤣😅

[@DrivenCarReviews]

@@alanmay7929 Car and Driver just did a piece on that- bit.ly/30cyLLW I've not driven the Plaid but I can tell you 130-145 in the GTS was like doing 80 MPH on the highway in most other cars. And I hammered the brakes to check for fade. None. But there shouldn't be considering the cost of the CCs.

[@alanmay7929]

@@DrivenCarReviews i apreciate the feedback and will definitely check that piece thanks 😊

[@Chris-yr6gu]

Only humans have soul fanboy.

[@bigtunaV]

Looks beautiful! Range is almost a dealbreaker though :(.

[@alliejr]

I cringed when you slammed the hood. Place it down gently and press the Porsche logo to latch it.

[@neil3858]

Wrong. I dented a 911 hood exactly by not slamming it.

[@wanttoplae]

People will crave them yes, afford them, no. Start at 136k - wow!

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Lot's of affordable options coming. Very interested in the Kia EV6. Mach E is pretty good too.

[@ashleyreid7113]

Too heavy to be a track monster

[@USUG0]

the turbo s lapped the top gear track 1.5s faster than a 458 Italia, as fast as a merc amg gts, and 1.5s slower than a gt3 rs, so ...

[@ashleyreid7113]

@@USUG0we are talking about the GTS which doesn’t have the same power to offset the weight, so

[@USUG0]

@@ashleyreid7113 ok, just as slow as a ferrari 458 Italia, then- But being a four doors saloon.

[@ashleyreid7113]

@@USUG0 it’s a quick car over a single lap but I wouldnt call it a track monster

[@masmainster]

Soulful??? More like soulless. Range wise, I'm guessing it's not going to be successful in a hundred mile race?

[@DrivenCarReviews]

It could easily do 100 miles on the track from the analytics I was seeing on the cluster.

[@Janesch]

Taycan is not a german word. We don‘t know either what it means…

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Turkish roots. Apparently "can" means "soul" or "spirit".

[@kraenk12]

We actually do…it means young spirited horse in Turkish.

[@joegondo7985]

Good video as usual..electric vehicle..meh!

[@andresmattos7541]

Overpriced as F.

[@kraenk12]

Hardly considered how much better than the competition this is.

[@mystery8820]

@@kraenk12 He says that in ALL the video reviews regarding Porsche. He also uses “salesman” as a euphemism for insulting people who review Porsche cars. He calls them sellouts. This guy had 4 channels terminated and he does the same thing over and over again: calling Porsche overpriced and insults anyone who reviews or drives them. He is using euphemisms to avoid being terminated again. But I see through his lies.

[@El_Que_Vee]

Thats because Porsche is on a whole different level my dude! Way waaayyy higher quality everything!

[@mgp-bct7723]

200 Miles that’s a joke :( In regular weather but if it’s cold 🥶 Or hi heat :( Or after 2,3-5 years range will drop 20% :( That’s a joke I still think electric cars are junk :( If it’s a environment what are they going to do it batteries it’s not safe they can dispose ? :( When companies try to do something else all they throw in the face of people environment , kids , old people now they start dogs and cats :(

[@DrivenCarReviews]

As I said, the EPA numbers are drastically low. Tesla numbers tend to be extremely optimistic. Batteries are repurposed. Kids, dogs, cats and old people will be just fine.

[@xxxmarekxxx505]

SUPER!!!!!!!!!