Updated Porsche Taycan Turbo review
An electric masterpiece sets a new standard for four-door vehicles of all kinds - but it does not come cheap.
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The Porsche Taycan beautifully encapsulates how swiftly electric cars are advancing. The German brand is typically restrained with model updates, sprinkling just enough spice to keep enthusiasts content without risking frowns from those who’ve purchased the previous model.
Not with the Taycan.
Taycan take two – a mild styling update with new lights, fresh tech and the occasional additional trinket – has made a generational leap in performance, in part due to the addition of a new rear motor.
Take the Taycan Turbo S, the latest iteration of what was formerly the range-topper. It now makes up to 700kW of power when using its launch control function. That’s a hefty 25 per cent leap over its predecessor.
Even the Turbo (minus the S) makes 650kW, a full 90kW more than the former range topper and more than double the output of the most affordable variant of the iconic 911 (no Taycan has a turbocharger, or an engine, but maintains the nomenclature for Porsche familiarity).
And Porsche has added a new Taycan Turbo GT at the top of the range. With 815kW in Attack mode it’s the most powerful road car ever sold in Australia.
With two electric motors the GT out-punches any Ferrari, Lamborghini or McLaren and even the upcoming Mercedes-AMG One, a multimillion-dollar hypercar powered by a Formula One engine.
Yet performance is not where Porsche made the biggest investment with the updated Taycan.
The company spent more stretching the range between charges, with upwards of 600km from the largest 105kWh battery (97kWh of which is usable). That battery capacity is up 12 per cent but weighs no more than the model it replaces, which along with efficiency gains elsewhere yields an average increase in range of 35 per cent.
The updated Taycan is also the fastest charging EV in the country, able to accept up to 320kW for a 10-80 per cent top-up – up to 400-odd kilometres – in as little as 18 minutes.
The range kicks off with the car known simply as Taycan, from about $195,000 drive-away. It’s the only one in the Taycan family with a single motor driving the rear wheels.
Others add a front motor for all-wheel drive, kicking off with the circa-$219,000 4 Cross Turismo with a wagonette body. There are punchier 4S models and the more potent Turbo and Turbo S, each picking up dark grey Turbonite design touches.
At the top of the tree is the Turbo GT, at about $447,000. That GT model can be had with the Weissach pack that adds an aggressive rear wing and removes the rear seats, helping shed 70kg, something that lowers the claimed 0-100km/h time to a ballistic 2.2 seconds.
All models get electric front seats, heated steering wheel, head-up display and surround view camera as part of an extensive list of standard gear. Step up through the models and there’s a panoramic sunroof, quad-zone ventilation and doors that suck themselves closed, among other goodies.
Even in entry-level guise there’s thoroughly acceptable acceleration (0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds) teamed with dynamics that cleverly hide almost 2.2 tonnes of heft. It’s available nearly instantly, the occasional shift from the two-speed transmission the only minor jolt to otherwise seamless thrust.
The 4S models launch with the sort of ferocity that would embarrass plenty of supercars. And prod the throttle of the Turbo and it shoves you into the seat with the ferocity of an overzealous nightclub bouncer.
It’s difficult to imagine anyone craving more power, although the Turbo S and GT deliver just that (neither of which we’ve sampled).
Despite the accelerative force the Taycan can be tame and comfortable.
Air suspension smothers bumps and even once stiffened in Sport or Sport Pus modes it’s never terse.
Steering is wonderfully fluid and loaded with feedback. Grip levels are stupendous, cementing the Taycan as an accomplished sports car with back seat practicality.
Cross Turismo models boost rear headroom and the modest boot is complemented by an 84-litre cavity under the bonnet.
Perhaps the biggest criticism surrounds its clinical effectiveness.
The Taycan is brilliantly capable and potently fast, but lacks the theatre a 911 does so well.
While it can relocate a toupee with ease it’s less likely to raise the hairs on your neck.
We’re also not sold on some of the changes in the cabin.
Sure, the tweaks to the curved 16.8-inch instrument cluster with added info on charging and battery temperature are a win.
But having to delve into the 10.9-inch infotainment screen to adjust the direction of the air vents is a retrograde step. And the push to pass button that gives a 10-second power boost seems gimmicky when the right pedal could have been employed for the same effect. But they’re minor quibbles for a car that resets the performance benchmark for fast four-doors, whatever they’re powered by.
Throw in immense dynamic talent and the Taycan delivers plenty for those with a budget to match.
Verdict
Brutal acceleration with clinical dynamics ushers in a new level of four-door performance in an EV that remains the fastest (a lot of) money can buy.
4 stars
Originally published as Updated Porsche Taycan Turbo review
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