We stand on the brink
The big loser of this match is the referee. If the M5 wins, the arbiter can only be a backward-looking, narrow-minded petrolhead. Put the Taycan first instead and be perceived as a tech junkie who turns a blind eye to the minimum range requirements of a daily driver.
Putting infrastructure to one side is a big call but one we surely make. After all, who would wade into the world of £150k EVs without first having checked they have an appropriate usage scenario and off-street charging capability?
If you do, it’s easy to be swept up in the brilliance of the Taycan Turbo S. Less practical and more expensive than the Tesla, and with less range and fewer charging options (truly Musk’s Supercharger network was a stroke of genius…), the Porsche fights back to eclipse the Model S with its mighty dynamic talents. If your lifestyle renders the challenge of charging on the fly redundant, dare to try the Porsche – but bear in mind that the Taycan 4S is a much better deal than the Turbo S.
If you must go on relying on liquid energy from a pump, the M5 more than makes the grade – and promises to do so for years to come. For me, the BMW gets the vote on merit, and not simply by virtue of being easy to fuel. The next M5 will almost certainly be electrified. Until then this V8 epitomises the art of classical performance automotive engineering. Ultimately slower and noisier than the Taycan, it wins nonetheless thanks to the intimacy of the relationship it nurtures between car and driver. The BMW is a machine able to communicate with man, wordlessly, in real time, and with a nuance of language that beggars belief. The Taycan is agile, involving and alert for a battery-electric car, but that caveat is key – the M5 is more affecting; reaches deeper into your heart and your soul.
The Polestar is a dark horse which, with its knockout looks and brilliant chassis, threatens to snare your heart as effortlessly as the BMW. But ultimately the package is too expensive, too flawed and, unless fully charged, isn’t in the same performance ballpark as the rest of the group, either. It’s a compromise, but not a compelling enough one to let you off the hook. No, you must choose: are you ready for electric? Porsche is ready if you are; BMW if you’re not.