Porsche launches new electric sports car, among fastest in the world

March 11 (UPI) -- Porsche is launching a new upscale electric sports car that will be among the fastest in the world when it hits the market this summer, the German carmaker announced Monday.

The 1,093-horsepower Taycan Turbo GT, which has already broken two racetrack records for an electric car, accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 2.1 seconds with the help of a "launch control" button. It also carries a steep price tag of about $230,000, according to Porsche.

The Taycan Turbo GT set a world record lap time on Germany's winding Nürburgring Nordschleife track, and the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package recently earned the title of fastest electric series-production car at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in California with a time of 1:27.87 min.

The Taycan Turbo GT even beat a Tesla Model S in one race by 18 seconds.

"The two records at Laguna Seca and on the Nordschliefe show what great track potential there is in the Taycan," said Model line vice president Kevin Giek.

"The overall package of accelerating and braking, cornering grip, aero dynamics, stability and fine-tuning has to be right. In the Taycan Turbo GT and the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package in particular, our engineers have achieved this in absolutely stunning fashion," Giek added.

The two versions of the Taycan Turbo GT are currently available for preorder. There is the standard four-seat version or the Weissach Package, which ditches the backseats and other luxury items to cut down on weight, making it faster by one-tenth of a second.

"The Turbo GT with Weissach package sets new standards in almost every metric. These include acceleration and braking, an Attack Mode that's intuitive to use and a power train designed for maximum traction and performance," said Porsche development driver Lars Kern, who added that "the cornering grip levels are just as impressive. The controllability and light-footedness are unbelievable."

Porsche's new luxury EV comes in six exterior colors, including Pale Blue Metallic and Purple Sky Metallic. It also comes as demand for battery-powered vehicles has waned over range anxiety, cost and, for some, nostalgia for the high-octane noise of gas-powered cars.

Last week, Rivian released several smaller, more affordable electric SUVs to provide an alternative to its pricier R1T and R1S vehicles. And Dodge unveiled its first electric muscle car last week in its all-new Charger, which maintains the extreme speed and high-octane sound of its gas-powered counterpart.