2022 Porsche Taycan GTS: We Put it to the Test at Willow Springs Raceway

Just a few days after its world premiere at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, The Car Guide took the wheel of the all-new 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS at the Willow Springs International Raceway, located some 130 kilometres north of the City of Angels.

Not a bad place to put this sportier variant of Porsche’s electric luxury sedan to the test!

• Also: Porsche Unveils 590-Hp Taycan GTS and Taycan GTS Sport Turismo
• Also: 2021 Porsche Taycan 4S: Elektrisch

The GTS moniker, which first appeared on the 1963 904 GTS and was revived by the Cayenne SUV in 2007, is now used on all Porsche models. It made perfect sense for the German automaker to do the same with the Taycan, which is currently neck and neck with the legendary 911 in terms of annual sales.

Of course, the Taycan is not a sports car like the 718 or 911, but rather a four-door sedan with dimensions similar to the Panamera’s. And you know what? The new Taycan GTS felt relatively at ease on the four-kilometre long, nine-turn race track at Willow Springs despite weighing more than 2,800 kilos.

Between 4S and Turbo

Right out of the pit lane, we felt the massive push from the two electric motors, which generate up to 626 pound-feet of torque. It’s not quite the same thing as flooring the throttle with a Taycan Turbo or Turbo S, however, as the front motor in the GTS comes from the base 4S model. Total output is rated at 509 horsepower, or 590 with Overboost, while torque distribution mostly goes to the rear wheels.

Essentially, the GTS slots right between the 4S and Turbo when it comes to performance. While not as explosive as the latter, acceleration is always strong and sustained. For the record, 0-100 km/h sprints can be achieved in 3.7 seconds. The richer sound pattern of the modified Porsche Electric Sport Sound system makes the experience more captivating.  

For the first few laps, we activated Sport Plus mode but let stability control on in order to familiarize ourselves with the handling characteristics of the Taycan GTS on this particular track. When attacking turns 3, 4 and 5—also known as “The Omega”—the system helped improve stability by reducing the amount of weight transferred to the ground, but it prevented the car from shredding the fastest section of the track which comes right after. A quick stop by the pits later allowed us to completely turn off stability control and watch the GTS work its magic.

By the way, the suspension on the Porsche Taycan GTS is 20 percent stiffer than that of the Turbo or Turbo S, while the optional four-wheel steering system is tuned for even sharper handling in corners. The car definitely feels more agile and more dynamic on the track.

GTS Looks

As is traditional on a GTS model, there are numerous black or dark details on the exterior, such as the wheels, the front apron, the bases of the exterior mirrors and the side window trims.

Inside, you’ll find many black Race-Tex features plus a standard brushed aluminum interior package with a black anodized finish. One innovation is the available panoramic roof with Sunshine Control, which uses an electrically switchable liquid crystal film to change the roof from clear to matte. It’s pretty cool.

In Canada, the 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS starts at $150,100, but as you can imagine there is a plethora of options and packages that can push the price way up. Deliveries to Porsche dealers will begin in the second quarter of 2022. Same thing for the five-door Taycan GTS Sport Turismo variant.