Porsche Taycan GTS: the most enjoyable electric car I have driven

The Porsche Taycan GTS is the first Taycan to exceed the 500-kilometre range mark and, at least on paper, it is the sportiest version.

It sits between the Taycan 4S and the Taycan Turbo models, and it is neither the most powerful nor the quickest Taycan available to buy. Yet it promises to be the most enjoyable to drive.

Alongside the launch of the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 in Franciacorta, Italy, we had the chance to drive the Taycan GTS for the first time. What this electric car has to offer came as a surprise.

The first electric GTS

The GTS initials - standing for Gran Turismo Sport - first appeared in 1963 on the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. They are now offered across every range from the Stuttgart manufacturer, including the all-electric Taycan.

On the outside, as with Porsche's other GTS models, several blackened details stand out, including the front bumper elements, door mirrors, wheels and window surrounds.

Inside, the most eye-catching features are the black Race-Tex trim - a material similar to Alcantara - which contrasts perfectly with the brushed aluminium details, also finished in black anodising.

Putting it to the test on the road

Although it has distinctive styling elements, the Taycan GTS - available to order as a saloon or the Sport Turismo estate - sets itself apart from the rest of the line-up through its on-road ability.

It is the first Taycan ever to clear the 500-kilometre range threshold, reaching 504 km. This is thanks to the Performance Battery Plus, with 93.4 kWh of gross capacity and 83.7 kWh of usable capacity.

It also uses two electric motors - the same units fitted to the Taycan Turbo - with one on each axle. Together, they deliver 440 kW (598 hp) in overboost mode with Launch Control, which lasts around 2.5 seconds; normal output is 380 kW (517 hp).

It is not as powerful as the Porsche Taycan Turbo, which claims 460 kW (625 hp), but it can still complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed electronically limited to 250 km/h.

There is more to it, too. Taycan GTS versions feature air suspension with model-specific tuning for sharper dynamic behaviour, as well as rear-wheel steering with a sportier set-up.

A brief but revealing drive

Once on the move, it takes only a few kilometres to confirm the Taycan GTS's extensive and impressive credentials.

I drove it for around 20 kilometres on the motorway, where it impressed with its comfort, solidity and stability. It was only when I headed onto secondary roads in a more mountainous area that it became clear this Taycan was different.

And it all comes down to corners. Every Taycan, regardless of version, is impressive in a straight line. Bury the accelerator pedal and you are pressed equally hard into the seat - the proverbial punch in the stomach. Through bends, however, this GTS is different.

The steering feel is excellent, body movements are exceptionally well controlled and the front axle's precision is remarkable. Its 2,370 kg mass is noticeable, but its agility and accuracy do a very convincing job of disguising it.

More importantly, and because it is not something we are used to finding in an electric car, the brake pedal offers very natural resistance, allowing deceleration to be controlled with great precision.

The car always feels firmly planted on the road, the driving position is beyond reproach - despite being electric and having a floor packed with batteries, you sit very low - and forward visibility is convincing.

Everything happens progressively and organically. The front end turns in very well on corner entry, while the rear rotates in an always predictable manner. More importantly still, there is always a “tonne” of torque on hand to catapult the car out of the bend. It feels like a genuine rear-wheel-drive car, even though we know both axles are driven.

Yet while the GTS's handling is impressive, it also excels because it is so easy and pleasant to use. Everything operates as it should and feels natural. Well… everything except the synthesised sound - which Porsche calls Electric Sport Sound - that fills the cabin. It was clearly something I could do without.

Other than that, there is very little to criticise in the Taycan GTS, which drives and feels like a proper Porsche.

The Porsche Taycan GTS to buy?

This is always a difficult question to answer, as there are no right or wrong answers. There are simply different needs. Even so, I genuinely believe this is the most balanced Taycan in the range, offering the best compromise between range, performance and dynamic ability.

That is precisely why this is the Taycan I would take home. It is one of those cases where we can say, without any hesitation, that “virtue lies in the middle”. It is neither the most expensive, the quickest nor the most powerful Taycan, but for me it is the best.

It is one of those electric cars that completely destroys the theory - one with plenty of followers… - that EVs are not fun. The Taycan GTS really is enjoyable to drive. In fact, let me rephrase that: the Porsche Taycan GTS is the most entertaining electric car I have ever driven.

All of this while also proving itself to be an excellent long-distance car and a capable family vehicle, too. The 407 litres of rear boot space - plus another 84 litres under the front bonnet - are enough for daily use, while the rear seats are spacious enough to accommodate two adults comfortably. Nor is its energy consumption intimidating.

Of course, when the pace rises and this model's dynamic potential is explored, it is easy to see consumption of around 24-25 kWh per 100 km. In mixed driving, however, alternating spirited driving with a calmer pace, it is possible to bring this down to 20 kWh. In town, naturally, it can use even less.