A Four Door Electric Porsche Has Just Lapped The Nurburgring In 6:55

The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package and the new Manthey Kit has lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6 minutes 55.553 seconds. That is a new record for electric production cars in the Executive category, more than nine seconds faster than the previous record and 12 seconds faster than the time Lars Kern set in a standard Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package in October 2023.

To put that number in perspective: the Porsche 911 GT3, one of the most celebrated driver’s cars of its generation, lapped the same circuit in 6 minutes 55.34 seconds. A four-door, four-seat electric saloon weighing over two tonnes has just matched it. The Taycan did it with no combustion engine, no gearbox and no exhaust note. Just batteries, electric motors and a comprehensive aerodynamic and chassis upgrade developed by Manthey, Porsche’s motorsport partner based a few hundred metres from the Nordschleife itself.

Kern, Porsche’s development driver, was at the wheel for both the 2023 and 2026 laps. A notary was present on site to certify the record.

What The Manthey Kit Does

The Manthey Kit is the first of its kind for an electric Porsche and the most comprehensive upgrade Manthey has developed for any Porsche model. It is also the first Manthey Kit available directly from the factory rather than as an aftermarket fitment. It covers aerodynamics, powertrain software, wheels, tyres, brakes, suspension and driving dynamics systems.

The aerodynamic changes are the most dramatic. Total downforce has increased by more than three times compared to the standard Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package. At 124 mph, downforce rises from 209 lbs to 683 lbs. At the increased top speed of 192 mph (up from 189 mph), the car produces approximately 1,631 lbs of total downforce. That is the kind of figure associated with GT racing cars, not road-legal saloons.

The key aero components include a new rear wing with enlarged end plates, an optimised front diffuser, a high-performance rear diffuser with extended fins, enlarged underbody air deflectors and carbon aerodiscs on the rear wheels. Both the rear wing and front diffuser are adjustable, allowing the driver to vary downforce levels for different tracks and conditions.

More Power From The Same Battery

For the first time, a Manthey Kit also includes modifications to the powertrain. Optimisations to the high-voltage battery, control unit and pulse inverters increase the maximum discharge current from 1,100 to 1,300 amps. That lifts standard system output by 26 hp to 804 hp. In Attack Mode, the short-duration power boost rises from 938 hp to 978 hp, available for 10-second bursts. Launch Control output remains at 1,019 hp.

The numbers are close enough to the standard car that you might wonder whether 26 hp makes a difference on a 12.94-mile circuit. It does. On a lap where tenths of a second accumulate across more than 170 corners, every increment in available power during corner exits and short straights adds up. Kern reported an increase of 8.7 mph through the Lauda left-hander before the Bergwerk section compared to his 2023 lap. At those speeds, that is a significant gain from a combination of more power, more grip and more downforce acting together.

Wheels, Tyres And Brakes

The Manthey Kit includes newly developed 21-inch forged aluminium wheels that are lighter than the standard Turbo GT items despite being larger. Including titanium wheel bolts, the unsprung mass is reduced by approximately six pounds per corner. The standard tyres are wider Pirelli P Zero performance rubber, with road-legal Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS track tyres available as an option. The track tyres are four centimetres wider at the front and three centimetres wider at the rear than the standard Turbo GT fitment. The record lap was set on the Trofeo RS rubber.

The braking system has been upgraded with 440 mm front discs (up from 420 mm) and 410 mm rear discs, paired with performance brake pads. On a circuit where heavy braking from high speed is repeated dozens of times in a single lap, brake fade resistance is not a luxury. It is a requirement.

The suspension and driving dynamics systems have been completely recalibrated for the Manthey Kit’s wheel and tyre package, with revised settings for Porsche Active Ride, front and rear axle steering, and the all-wheel-drive torque distribution. The result, according to Kern, is a car that offers more stability and confidence in fast sections and under braking than the already exceptional standard car.

How Kern Described It

Kern has driven the Nordschleife more times than most people will drive any road in their lifetime. His assessment of the Manthey Kit was direct: “The Manthey Kit turns the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package into the ultimate track tool. On the Nordschleife, you can feel the stability and confidence the car offers in fast sections and when braking. We were able to improve the previous best times thanks to significantly improved aerodynamics, further improved tires in terms of performance, and higher available overboost power.”

Kevin Giek, Head of the Taycan model line, framed the achievement in terms of what it represents for electric performance: “With the new Manthey Kit, we also offer a unique upgrade for the Taycan Turbo GT. The small, agile project team from Manthey and Porsche succeeded in transferring the Manthey DNA into a kit for electric vehicles. This approach ultimately culminated in an impressive new Nordschleife record.”

What It Looks Like

The visual changes are extensive and unsubtle. Exposed carbon fibre covers the upper and lower wheel arch vents, front and rear wheel arch extensions, widened side skirts and the rear wing. An enlarged one-piece front lip is supported by suspended carbon struts. The overall effect is a car that looks like it belongs on a starting grid rather than in a car park, which is precisely the point.

Where This Sits In The Nurburgring Hierarchy

The Nordschleife lap time list is the closest thing motorsport has to an objective ranking of performance cars. The Taycan’s 6:55.553 places it alongside some of the most capable cars ever built. The 911 GT3 sits at 6:55.34. The McLaren 720S recorded a 7:08. The Ferrari 488 Pista did a 7:00.03. The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, which held the overall production car record when it was set in 2018, lapped in 6:44.97.

The Taycan is not the fastest car around the circuit. It is not trying to be. What it is doing is something more remarkable: demonstrating that a four-door electric car with rear seats, a boot and air conditioning can lap the most demanding circuit in the world at the same pace as a purpose-built, mid-engined, naturally aspirated sports car with a flat-six engine and a manual gearbox.

That comparison tells you everything about where electric performance has arrived.

Pricing And Availability

Porsche has not yet announced pricing for the Manthey Kit. Further details on availability and cost will follow in due course. The kit will be offered as a factory option for the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package.