Porsche Taycan GTS Slides into History with Electric Ice Drift Record
The all-electric sports car shows its cool composure on a frozen Finnish track.
Porsche Taycan GTS Ice Drift Record
Gliding to Glory: The Record Run
Forget figure skating; the real artistry on ice just got taken to a whole new level courtesy of Porsche. The all-electric Taycan GTS has officially taken the Guinness World Record for Longest continuous vehicle drift on ice-four wheels, driven by an electric car. Imagine holding a perfect, controlled slide for almost one hour. That's what they did.
The Taycan GTS, on a proving ground carved into the snowy landscape of the Porsche Arctic Center in Levi, Finland, danced across the ice for an incredible 46 minutes. In that time, it made 132 circles around the track and only stopped after having covered a total distance of 17.5 kilometers-around 10.9 miles-in one continuous, breathtaking drift. Try holding your breath that long, let alone holding a perfect drift.
Behind the Wheel: Jens Richter's Ice Ballet
Behind the wheel was the maestro, Porsche Experience instructor Jens Richter. It was not all about brute force. Richter masterfully maintained the controlled skid with a delicate balance of throttle and steering inputs. To ensure grip on the slick surface, the Taycan's tires were fitted with 1mm-long studs. And to add to the atmosphere, the record attempt took place under the Finnish night sky - talk about dramatic.
The Tech Underneath: Taycan GTS Prowess
So, what is making this particular Taycan GTS so proficient on ice? First, it is a 93.4-kWh battery feeding its juice to two electric motors, one at the front and one in the back, giving it that very essential all-wheel drive grip. And it does not end there. The Taycan features an advanced intelligent control system that is constantly feeling and adjusting, via the suspension, braking, and steering. That is the sort of real-time magic that makes this car stable and agile, even when you are intentionally trying to slide it sideways on ice.
Driver's Verdict: Surefooted in Extreme Conditions
In the words of Jens Richter himself, the Taycan GTS showed "excellent controllability even in extreme conditions." He noted, "Above all, the high-quality chassis and the well-balanced nature of the car are the deciding factors in achieving such a record". That is ultimate proof that indeed Porsche's engineering can make electric performance just as exciting and able, even where the surface happens to be slick.
