Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Retakes Nürburgring EV Lap Record with Manthey Kit

Porsche has retaken a major electric car lap record at the Nürburgring. The Taycan Turbo GT, equipped with the new Manthey Kit and Weissach Package, lapped the Nordschleife in 6:55.553 with factory development driver Lars Kern at the wheel.

Previously, the standout time in the production EV segment belonged to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. The Chinese sedan managed 7:04.957, but Porsche beat that by over nine seconds. Xiaomi also had a wild prototype that ran 6:22.091, though that car doesn't count as a production vehicle.

The Manthey Kit for the Taycan is far from a cosmetic body kit. It was developed jointly by Porsche in Weissach and Manthey engineers in Meuspath, right next to the Nürburgring. The car gets new aerodynamics, revised suspension, lighter wheels, stickier tires, upgraded brakes, and a power boost.

Visually, the Taycan looks more like a track car: adjustable front splitter, canards, GT3-style fender vents, arch extensions, prominent side skirts, a new diffuser, and a large adjustable rear wing. Carbon-fiber aero discs sit on the rear axle, while 21-inch forged wheels with titanium bolts reduce unsprung mass by 2.7 kg.

The key number is downforce. At 200 km/h, the Taycan with the Manthey Kit generates 310 kg of downforce, versus 95 kg for the standard version. At the top speed of 309 km/h, that figure climbs to 740 kg. This allows the car to not only be powerful on straights but also maintain pace through high-speed corners.

Power is also up. In normal mode, the electric powertrain delivers 804 hp, in Attack mode 978 hp. With launch control, it stays at 1,019 hp, but torque has increased to 1,269 Nm. On paper, the Xiaomi still looks stronger: the SU7 Ultra claims 1,526 hp and 1,770 Nm. But the Nürburgring once again reminded everyone that peak power alone doesn't win a lap.

Lars Kern said the Manthey Kit turns the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package into an absolute track tool. In the Lauda-Lefthander corner, he was able to carry 14 km/h more speed than in his previous attempt.

This Porsche vs. Xiaomi duel is interesting beyond just the record. Chinese brands have learned to impress Europe with power and numbers, but Porsche responds the old-fashioned way: with aerodynamics, chassis, and the ability to put together a fast lap as a whole, not just a nice spec sheet line.