The Guinness Book of Records has been expanded with another entry related to the automotive industry. The world record for the longest drift behind the wheel of an electric car has broken, and the Porsche Taycan is the culprit. The bar was set at the Porsche Experience Center on the German Hockenheimring.
Record drift
The pre-production Taycan drifted continuously for 55 minutes around a 200-meter skid plate. The judges, including European drific champion Denise Ritzmann, checked to see if the front tires ever turned in the same direction as the corner.
But PEC Chief Instructor Dennis Retera was able to hold the car in the opposite position for exactly 210 laps, a figure of 42.171 kilometers. The average speed was 45.76 km / h. Of course, all driving stability programs were turned off.
For drift purists, this may seem a bit far-fetched as sprinklers were used on site to irrigate the track. All this to keep the grip low. A more faithful feat would be drifting on a dry surface, squeaking tires and clouds of smoke rising from under the car. That would be a real challenge for the sporty, sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Even so, they handled this wet challenge just as well.
It was not easy!
Regardless, the achievement is admirable. The instructor said that – he was very tired of maintaining high concentration for 210 laps. I was focusing on controlling the steering. This is more efficient than using the accelerator pedal and reduces the risk of a spin.
It should also be noted that the Taycan in question is a rear-wheel drive model. It was created with the Chinese market in mind. It has 402HP with Performance Battery, 469HP with Performance Battery Plus. It costs about 20% less than the Taycan with four-wheel drive. Porsche is also considering introducing it to other markets, including the US.
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