Porsche Taycan Turbo S vs BMW M5 CS F90: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Taycan Turbo S hits 100 km/h in 2.72 s versus 3.03 s for the M5 CS. The instant torque of 1,050 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Taycan Turbo S leads by 0.31 s and sits roughly 5 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Taycan Turbo S is doing 171 km/h against 170 km/h for the M5 CS. The gap is 0.14 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Taycan Turbo S crosses the line in 10.64 s versus 10.81 s. The 0.17 s gap represents roughly 10 m of track - barely a car length.

Past 400 metres, the Taycan Turbo S continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 238 km/h versus 231 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Taycan Turbo S finishes in 19.50 s versus 19.94 s, with a 0.43 s lead. Despite a higher top speed (295 km/h), the M5 CS never recovers its launch deficit.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Taycan Turbo S is capped at 260 km/h, the M5 CS at 305 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 4.20 seconds. The 0.31 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.