The Taycan Turbo GT is the sportiest version of the Taycan range, Porsche's electric model that has just been revamped in several variants. For its 'grounding', the engineers in Stuttgart relied on their colleagues at Pirelli: there are two tyres developed in collaboration between the two companies for the car, the P Zero Trofeo RS, a semi-slick homologated for the road, and the P Zero R, an option for everyday driving. Recent additions to the Pirelli P Zero family, the two tyres have been developed in specific versions to best suit the car's sporty and efficient characteristics.
The Elect labeling on the sidewall of both indicates the presence of technological solutions inside the tyres that enhance the special features of electric cars: an innovation that debuted in 2019 on the very first generation of the Taycan and has since spread to other models. Today, there are more than 30 tyre homologations with Pirelli Elect technology for the Porsche range.
PIRELLI P ZERO R: DRIVING PLEASURE AND EFFICIENCY
Suitable for even the sportiest driving, the P Zero R tyres approved for the new Porsche Taycan are designed to enhance its dynamic qualities and driving pleasure in everyday use. The Pirelli Elect technology package also contributes to the enhanced aspects of the car compared to the previous model, such as comfort and range.
The double-ply carcass makes the tyre structure very strong and capable of supporting the weight exerted especially at the rear by the aerodynamic load and the presence of the batteries. This makes the car stable even at high speeds. In addition to the reinforced structure, the multi-compound tread, made using Resin Blend technology patented by Pirelli, is functional for handling the sudden acceleration typical of electric motors.
The materials inside the compound work in synergy to offer grip over a wide range of temperatures and road surfaces, allowing the tyre to always travel with high performance, even on wet. The tread pattern is designed to keep noise as low as possible, while the efficiency demanded by Porsche has been achieved thanks to the combination of compound and pattern, which reduces rolling resistance.
P ZERO TROFEO RS: SUPER SPORTS TYRE BORN AT THE NÜRBURGRING
Safe on the road but oriented towards the track, the P Zero Trofeo RS is the highest performing tyre in Pirelli's road range, a semi-slick made with ad hoc compounds derived from rally products. The specific development for the new Porsche Taycan allows the car to get the most out of the track, and therefore high performance in dry conditions, grip in corners and consistency of performance.
This is thanks to the co-development work between Pirelli and Porsche, which involved the collaboration of development driver Lars Kern and allowed the Taycan Turbo GT to travel at over 300 km/h between the kerbs of the Nürburgring. A series of construction solutions optimise the tyre's footprint even at high speeds: the dedicated compound gives grip and stability, the outer shoulder of the tread has a low number of grooves to provide support under conditions of strong lateral acceleration, and the pattern is designed to ensure rapid and uniform warm-up across the entire footprint. So much so that, even for the most demanding track sessions, this tyre does not require a thermal blanket.
Making the development process faster and more efficient is Pirelli's Virtual Geometry Development, a system that compares a very large number of possible profiles and footprint models in a digital environment to define the tyre's characteristics and behaviour in detail.
THE PIRELLI RANGE FOR PORSCHE TAYCAN
Both the P Zero R and P Zero Trofeo RS developed for the restyled Taycan and as original equipment on the Taycan Turbo GT are available in sizes 265/35ZR21 and 305/30ZR21. The other options developed over the years by Pirelli for Porsche's sports electric are P Zero, P7 All Season, P7 Blue and P Zero Winter, with sizes between 19 and 21 inches.
