Porsche Will Upset Competitors With These Records Set at Road Atlanta
In true Porsche fashion, the German automaker has set two more lap records, this time at Road Atlanta. The Cayenne Turbo GT set the benchmark for performance SUVs with a lap time of 1:34.32 minutes, while the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid set a time of 1:30.98, besting the previous Panamera Turbo S.
Patrick Long, the Porsche pro-driver and brand ambassador who already set the production EV lap record in the Taycan Turbo GT, was behind the wheel of both cars when the records were set. The Cayenne Turbo GT is a special beast, as it carries the same rear seat room and cargo space as the other Cayenne Coupe variants, but adds a twin-turbo V8 that produces 650 hp. Underneath, the suspension sports unique hub carriers and an additional center differential cooler.
'The Cayenne is so interesting because it's full of contradictions about what a sports car can be. You have to remember that it's a full-size SUV with a center of
gravity and ride height to match, but it's way more agile than you think, and the V8 sound, suspension calibration, and sticky tires make the car so maneuverable and responsive,' said Long.
On the other hand, the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid uses a twin-turbo V8, making 621 hp alongside a powerful hybrid system for a combined 771 hp. The car sits on carbon ceramic brakes, an active hydraulic suspension system, and track-focused Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 performance tires developed and homologated specifically for the Panamera. Both cars were completely stock, with 39 psi of front pressure and 38 psi of rear pressure for the Cayenne Turbo GT, and 37 psi of front and rear pressure for the Panamera.
'The new generation Panamera is so much more seamless in the regen and boost transition, it makes it very easy to get right up to the edge. When you think about how much braking is part of high-performance driving, the fact that you can make energy for acceleration while improving stopping power is such a positive attribute, and one that you can use both on and off the track,' Long said.
This isn't Porsche's first record-setting rodeo
Back on May 28, 2025, the Taycan Turbo GT set a new production EV lap record at Road Atlanta of 1:27.15 minutes. Much like the Cayenne and Panamera, the Taycan was also in stock condition. Five years earlier, a Taycan Turbo S went around Road Atlanta in 1:33.88, showing a pretty impressive improvement from Porsche.
2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT —
Source: Porsche
Final thoughts
Creating supercars whose looks match their impressive performance figures is nothing new. Creating factory sleepers, on the other hand, is something that should be celebrated, regardless of what automaker they come from. The fact that you can take either the Cayenne or the Panamera to do your errands around town in the morning and set lap records in the afternoon will never cease to amaze me. It seems the old adage of 'Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday' still holds true with Porsche.
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