Taycan better 'in every discipline'

Wide-ranging gains give new Porsche EV up to 939bhp and 422 miles per charge

- FELIX PAGE

The Taycan has received an extensive upgrade in a bid by Porsche to cement its position as one of the fastest, longest-range and best-handling EVs on sale.

Due on sale in the spring, the new Taycan "excels over its predecessor in every discipline", according to Porsche, which claims huge improvements in range, acceleration, charging speed, equipment and dynamics. The revisions are aimed at building on the tremendous success of the model line, which has sold nearly 150,000 units since being launched in 2020.

A characteristically subtle refresh of the exterior headlined by new creased front arches, revamped LED headlights and reshaped air vents - belies the extent of the substantial technical changes within, which Autocar has experienced in a late-stage prototype drive that you can read about in next week's issue.

While the similarly sized, combustion-powered Panamera dropped its estate body option as it moved into its third generation recently, the Taycan keeps all three variants: standard saloon, which makes up half of all Taycan sales in the UK, plus the bigger-booted Sport Turismo and jacked-up Cross Turismo.

POWERTRAINS

The Taycan can be specified with a single rear motor from £86,500 or a choice of three twin-motor powertrains: 4S (£95,900), Turbo (£134,100) and Turbo S (£161,400). The Turbo and Turbo S have been marked out more obviously as the performance-focused versions with exclusive colour schemes, unique wheels and liberal use of carbon trim. The lowered, stiffened GTS is expected to reappear in the range in the coming months.

All four launch variants bring a hefty power hike over their predecessors courtesy of a new motor on the rear axle that adds up to 107bhp and 30lb ft but weighs 10kg less than the previous unit.