Short answer: no.
For most car enthusiasts, the idea of Porsche switching from their proven 911 design to an electrified sports car is a rave disrespect to car culture and the vehicle that made the brand popular in the first place. Despite this, the Porsche Taycan has become a pretty popular model which proponents of the electric model look to as the perfect electric car. Recently, many have been wondering if the SUV can compete with the 911 on the track or in terms of fun driving. That’s right, people are really wondering if a 5,000lb electric crossover can be a real sports car in the same way that one of the lightest, fastest, and most driver-focused models on the planet.
So let’s start by comparing straight-line speed. The host of the video which is showcasing this rivalry seems to think that electric cars have always been faster in drag racing. Well, despite having great 0-60 times, electric cars kind of suck in terms of sustaining or even achieving high speeds so the 911 beat it in a straight up drag race. The 911 has a 3.0-liter flat-six engine which makes around 480 horsepower and 420 ft/lbs of torque which might not be the highest output from a sports car manufacturer but it makes up for that by only weighing between 3,100 and 3,700lbs.
On the opposite side of things, the Taycan weighs around 5,000lbs, makes 509 horsepower and 406 ft/lbs of torque, and has the aerodynamics of a pear that dropped out of pre school. Big shocker here, the Taycan has a lot of body roll and is generally sort of difficult on the regular road track because of its weight and suspension design. The man behind the wheel is a pretty great driver and manages a track time of 33.05 seconds with the gas-powered coupe which the Taycan must race toward for the hope of beating the 911. As you might expect, the most fun the driver has in the Taycan is pointing out features like the fake downshifts and artificial sound which were made to copy the natural qualities of a gas-vehicle. At the end of the day, the Taycan finished the track run in 34.15 seconds, so no the Taycan is not nearly as much of a sports car as a 911. Impressive, but not the buck.
