The spaceship-like Taycan could use a facelift, Porsche thought. Not so much on the outside; especially subcutaneously. We sniff it and experience it from the passenger seat.
After almost 150,000 Taycans, and with the new Macan in the starting blocks, it is time for a major update for Porsche's first EV. The lines have become a bit sharper and there is now more of a distinction between the 'normal' models and the Turbo and Turbo S. The latter get thicker bumpers and a special gray finish for logos and accents that Porsche calls Turbonite. The thin matrix headlights are (optional) even smarter, with more than 32,000 pixels instead of 84. Don't let the brats hear it.
More horsepower and speed for the Porsche Taycan facelift
Technically, hardly anything remained the same. The Turbo S – perhaps the version that recently set a bizarre time on the Nürburgring – now has 952 hp of peak power (up from 761 hp). This means it accelerates from 0 to 100 in 2.4 seconds (was 2.8 seconds). But the entry-level Taycan is also more powerful (408 versus 326 hp) and faster (4.8 versus 5.4 seconds).
Where you could previously charge the battery with a maximum of 270 kW, the Porsche Taycan facelift now draws in power with up to 320 kW. This way your energy supply goes from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes. The batteries are also larger and require less preheating. The entire bus is now slightly lighter and a lot more efficient, giving the Turbo S a WLTP range of 630 kilometers. That is 34 percent more than the previous one. The rear-wheel drive Taycan with a large battery can even travel 678 kilometers.
Porsche Active Ride
For the big news in terms of driving dynamics, we take a seat next to a Porsche test driver in a Taycan Turbo Sport Turismo. Crazy fast, but we already knew that; the chassis is more interesting. All Taycans now have air suspension as standard, but those who want to take maximum advantage of the technical updates can opt for the Active Ride suspension. This actively monitors each wheel individually, which means: when cornering, the car leans slightly inwards, when braking it raises its front and on poor road surfaces the bodywork remains stable.
All this is not a new concept, but we have never experienced it before in combination with a car with a 0-to-100 time of less than 3 seconds and a more favorable center of gravity than a hockey puck. Even when braking gently, you notice that the front starts to 'float' to keep you in place. At pace, the effect is unreal: this is a heavy EV with winter tires in the pouring rain, but it shakes everything off. The agility and digitally controlled grip border on the unbelievable. Now the Taycan has always performed very impressively, but we can only stammer from the passenger seat that this chassis should take everything to an even higher level.
The Porsche Taycan facelift will be available at the dealer this spring for unknown prices. Before then, we hope to take a walk (or twenty) ourselves – we will keep you informed.
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