Leaning on the four-wheel drive systems to pull performance out of a slightly loose surface than any other rival could muster.
It’s not the first time Porsche has tasked the lanky Georgian with setting a record lap. Last fall, Keen took another heavy-hitter from Porsche’s stable around Road America to a record time. His hard-charging style, combined with an intimate understanding of P-cars has made him one of the foremost authorities on extracting performance from a 911.
His versatility as a professional driver has helped him find the absolute potential of 800-horsepower 935s, lightweight 993 RSRs, and his slew of Safari-spec 911s. The man lives and breathes Porsche, so it’s only natural Porsche Cars North America, located just a short distance from the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta, gave Keen a call to try and raise the performance bar for the EV market.
With the ambient temperature a mild 68°, this Taycan Turbo S was rolled out and sorted for the quick lap. Mind you, this was no qualifying special: this particular example was fitted with the standard summer tire Pirelli P Zero NF0 Elect, sized 265/35-21 front and 305/30-21 rear, on 21-inch Mission-E design wheels. Tire pressures were adjusted to provide a hot pressure of 41 PSI at all 4 tires for the lap.
“This track is unforgiving, meaning you have to trust the car completely,” said Keen.
“The performance through the turns was surprising. Turn-in, in particular, was crisp and consistent, and the steering response was immediate and communicative. The power pins your head back coming out of any corner, and the brakes have excellent feedback,” he added. “The electric motors respond so quickly, the power is right there when I need it, and combined with the active differentials, makes the Taycan a game changer when it comes to handling,” exclaimed Keen.
Note the big slides at 0:15, 0:32, and 1:29.
Its 617 horsepower, inspiring PCCB brakes, and intelligent rollbar arrangement allowed Keen to push forcefully and consistently for several laps—no mean feat with a 5,101-pound bruiser. With a fairly narrow operating window to work within, Keen spent little time indulging in lurid slides before taming his style slightly and clicking off a best time of 1:33.88.
Only 9 seconds slower around Road Atlanta than the GT2 RS, the Taycan Turbo S raises the entire EV sedan segment to a new standard. Though plush and pampering, this sleek sedan is more track scalpel than its size and shape might suggest.
Keen driving with the tail out as usual.
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Most people who'll buy the Taycan wont be putting it on track but isn't great what it can do if you have the driving ability to get the most of it out, a point to attend a Porsche Sports Driving School and do Level 1 to 3 at least and learn how to drive worth every cent.