Porsche Taycan turns into a movie stunt car for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
How Porsche achieved a movie first in the new Hollywood action film
Porsche Taycan Turbo on set in Den of Thieves 2
The inside story of the five specially modified Porsche Taycan Turbo models used in the film’s heart-pounding car chase sequences
When it comes to the movies, few things are more thrilling than immersing yourself in the adrenaline rush of a high-speed car chase.For the first time ever in cinematic history, an all-electric car – the Taycan Turbo – was used as the hero vehicle in a car chase action sequence in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. Gerard Butler (Plane, Has Fallen series) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Out of Compton, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) return in this sequel to 2018’s action-heist hit Den of Thieves. In Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange.To bring these breathtaking car scenes to life, the producer of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, Tucker Tooley, and Christian Gudegast, the movie’s director, writer, and executive producer, enlisted the expertise of the Porsche Development Center in Weissach, Germany and technicians from Porsche Cars North America to help achieve their dream. The result? Five specially engineered Taycan Turbo development models, each uniquely modified to meet the exacting demands of the filmmakers and the movie’s action vehicle team.
Taycan as stunt pod car in Den of Thieves 2
A pod car is a vehicle used on a movie set that’s driven by a stunt driver outside of the car. Porsche engineers had to reroute over 70 wires to make the car’s secondary controls work here Photo: Rico Torres for Lionsgate
The Taycan Turbo hero car in Den of Thieves 2: PanteraOn a film set, a hero car is the vehicle used for close-ups and beauty shots, which usually has not been modified in any way. In other words, the Taycan Turbo model used here is the same you’d might spot driving on a road near you.Its unrivalled performance and powerful presence made the Taycan Turbo an ideal choice for the makers of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. A first-generation model, it can achieve 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in just 2.8 seconds. A true action hero from the outset.The modified Porsche Taycan stunt cars As well as the hero car, the movie used several heavily modified Taycan Turbo cars in its car sequences, starting with two dedicated stunt cars. These were adapted to help perform handbrake turns, full-speed reversing manoeuvres and power slides through tight corners.
Bullethole-ridden Taycan Turbo in Den of Thieves 2
Five Taycan Turbo sportscars in total were delivered to the film set in Tenerife, Spain, with four modified for use by stunt drivers and cameramen. This unfortunate model bore the brunt of a gun attack Photo: Rico Torres for Lionsgate
The engineers from Porsche Weissach and the workshop teams from Porsche Cars North America jumped right into the action to make the chase scenes as exciting and precise as possible. Working closely with the filmmakers, they modified the cars specifically for the high-stakes sequences. To achieve this, the engineers used blank Engineering Development Control Modules (EDCMs) and custom programming to tweak or remove certain systems – including the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). They also developed special driving modes that allowed the car to drive in reverse at full speed. A PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake) system was installed on the rear wheels to safely stop the car when reversing at full throttle. The EDCM was the only non-standard component added. Everything else came straight off the shelf from a standard Taycan, proving just how capable the electric sportscar is.How a Porsche Taycan became Hollywood’s first all-electric pod car A pod car is a specially modified car used in the film industry where all its driving controls – steering wheel, accelerator, brakes, etc – are moved to a platform outside the car, usually on the roof. This allows the stunt driver to sit up top and operate the vehicle while the actors are safely filmed inside.On Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, a Taycan Turbo became the first all-electric car to ever be transformed into a pod car. Achieving this engineering milestone required Porsche technicians to reroute over 70 wires, relocating the instrument cluster and drive controls to the roof.
Actor O’Shea Jackson Jr with Porsche Taycan Turbo
O’Shea Jackson Jr, one of the stars of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, poses with a Taycan Turbo stunt car from the movie Photo: Rico Torres for Lionsgate
What is a biscuit rig?The fifth and final Taycan Turbo used in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera was converted into what is called a biscuit rig. This clever example of engineering is used for filming dynamic action sequences. A drivable camera platform, it mirrors the movements of the stunt cars and captures dramatic angles that put the audience right into the heart of the high-octane action. For Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, the biscuit rig was modified to appear as if it were driving in reverse while staying entirely self-powered.Go behind the scenes on Den of Thieves 2: Pantera to see how it was madeCurious to see what the Taycan Turbo cars looked like on set and how the chase scenes were filmed? Then check out the thrilling BTS video below.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is scheduled for release on 10 January 2025 in the USA and between 8 January and 6 March in most European countries
Consumption and emission information Taycan GTS (WLTP): Electric energy consumption combined: 20.7 – 18.1 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km; CO₂ class: A.
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