Porsche’s quest for world domination of obscure automotive records took another turn, or several hundred of them, recently leaving the automaker to claim the Guinness World Record for the longest drift by an electric vehicle.
Staged on a 200-meter circle at Germany’s Hockenheimring race track, a Porsche Taycan driven by Dennis Retera completed 210 laps without the front wheels ever pointing in the same direction as the curve, Porsche reports.
“After 55 minutes the sideways expert had covered a total of 42.171 kilometers,” the company added. “By completing this marathon distance, Retera secured the world record for the longest continuous drift in an electric car. The average speed was 46 km/h (28.6 mph). The record was achieved with the rear-wheel drive version of the Taycan, which is already on sale in China.”
Skeptics will note that this record ranks right up there with Porsche’s world record claim for the 50-cone automotive slalom.
“When the driving stability programs are switched off, a power slide with the electric Porsche is extremely easy, especially of course with this model variant, which is driven exclusively via the rear wheels,” Retera, Dutch-born chief instructor at the Porsche Experience Center Hockenheimring is quoted in the Porsche announcement.
“Sufficient power is always available,” he added. “The low center of gravity and the long wheelbase ensure stability. The precise design of the chassis and steering allows for perfect control at all times, even when moving sideways.”
“Nevertheless,” he added, “it was also very tiring for me to keep my concentration high for 210 laps, especially as the irrigated asphalt of the drift circuit does not provide the same grip everywhere. I concentrated on controlling the drift with the steering – this is more efficient than using the accelerator pedal and reduces the risk of spinning.”
Porsche noted that the event was done under the supervision of Guinness record official judge Joanne Brent. Also observing from the Germany vehicle validation group Dekra, Porsche noted, was Denise Ritzmann, two-time European drifting champion.
“You can see at a glance whether the front wheels are pointing in a different direction to the curve,” she was quoted. “As long as this is the case, the car is drifting.”
Porsche added that the two women also were in charge of counting the laps.
Porsche’s Hockenheimring center has a website, but in German. For information about the company’s US experience centers at — at Atlanta, Los Angeles and Birmingham, Alabama — visit their combined website.
