PRE FLIGHT BRIEFING PORSCHE TAYCAN TURBO S

Why is it here?

Because it’s a Porsche, an EV, and Porsche’s first (modern) EV. But where exactly does it fit in?

Is the Taycan good for an electric car, or good full stop? Are we simply relieved that Porsche hasn’t embarrassed itself? Does the Taycan o er much beyond the EV double-act of ridiculous acceleration and silent running? And would you take one over our reigning supersaloon king, the BMW M5?

Any clever stu ?

Nothing but clever stu . There’s a two-speed rear gearbox where most EVs keep their ratios fixed, for e cient high-speed running and a bludgeoning launch. The engineering in the motors makes them expensive but power-dense. The brakes o er way more feel than we’ve come to expect from EV regen systems. But perhaps the Taycan’s most significant innovation is that it’s designed for tomorrow’s chargers as well as today’s. The Taycan has an 800-volt electrical system, rather than the more usual 400 volts. That makes for slimmer, lighter cabling and the potential for ultra rapid charging. Although there are currently very few 800-volt, 270kW charging stations, if you find one you should be able to get a 60-mile top-up in five and a half minutes, or go from five per cent full to 80 per cent in 23 minutes. But the Taycan’s also ready to use basic 11kW AC chargers, and everything in between those extremes.

Which version is this?

The range-topping Turbo S, which has active rear steer, carbonceramic brakes and an over-boost function. The mid-rank Turbo has the same battery but reduced performance. The 4S, the current entry-level Taycan, is priced from just over £83k – the same money as a 911 Carrera…