Plane race featuring Hammond and May piloted by an electric Porsche Taycan takes place
Top Gear Revisits Classic Challenge with Electric Porsche and Aircraft Race
In a modern take on a classic Top Gear adventure, James May and Richard Hammond have reinvented one of the show's most famous on-screen challenges. The duo pitted a high-performance electric Porsche against a small aircraft in a cross-country race from Alba, Italy, to a specific restaurant in London.
The race started from Henstridge airfield on the Dorset and Somerset border and concluded at the famous Top Gear test track, Dunsfold Aerodrome. Both the Porsche and the aircraft arrived at Dunsfold Aerodrome within minutes of each other, although exact times for both vehicles were not provided in the search results.
The Porsche in question was the Taycan Turbo GT, a powerful electric sports car known for its impressive speed and endurance. Capable of accelerating from 0 to 62mph in just 2.3 seconds, the Taycan Turbo GT delivers true hypercar performance. It also boasts a top speed of 305 km/h on a closed track, thanks to its advanced two-speed transmission and strong rear axle synchronous motor.
However, the Taycan's speed was a double-edged sword. Hammond noted that his Porsche EV could have gone much quicker due to its high speed, but he found himself stuck behind other vehicles during the race.
On the other hand, James May was piloting an aircraft in the race, competing against a Bugatti Veyron driven by Jeremy Clarkson in a previous Top Gear episode. This marked the first time Hammond and May had returned to Dunsfold Aerodrome in a decade.
The goal of the race was to deliver a truffle from Alba, Italy, to a specific restaurant in London. The challenge involved a Pipistrel Velis Electro aircraft, another fully electric vehicle, adding an interesting twist to the competition.
Top Gear is known for conducting these cross-country races to test whether fast cars can match or beat light aircraft over certain routes. While precise times weren't reported, the Taycan Turbo GT's high speed and acceleration performance suggest that it would likely be competitive in such a race.
Unfortunately, the search results do not reveal the exact finishing order or final time for either the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT or the small aircraft in this specific Top Gear race. Nonetheless, the race promises to be an exciting addition to the Top Gear legacy, showcasing the capabilities of electric vehicles in unique and thrilling ways.
- The race, revisiting a classic Top Gear challenge, saw James May and Richard Hammond driving an electric Porsche Taycan Turbo GT against a small aircraft.
- The electric sports car, known for its speed and endurance, was pitted against the aircraft in a cross-country race from Alba, Italy, to a specified London restaurant.
- The motoring lifestyle siad at the forefront of technology, as both the electric Porsche and the aircraft arrived at the Top Gear test track, Dunsfold Aerodrome, within minutes of each other.
- The Porsche's high speed and acceleration, while impressive, posed a challenge when it was stuck behind other vehicles during the race.
- The race added an interesting twist to the competition, as it also featured another fully electric vehicle, a Pipistrel Velis Electro aircraft.
- This cross-country race, part of the Top Gear general-news and entertainment, showcases the thrilling potential of electric vehicles in unconventional settings, with results yet to be revealed.
