First drive: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
The latest iteration of the all-electric Porache Taycan is now available in the Philippines. And as with any proper Porsche, its performance is literally electrifying.
I had a chance to drive the Taycan Cross Turismo 4S in Singapore a few months prior and was left very impressed: 0-100kmh in under 4 seconds with launch control, thanks to its 590hp available with launch control and 650 Newton-Meters of instantaneous torque, propelling the cross-over all the way to a 240kmh top speed, aided by the surety of grip afforded by its all-wheel drive system.
With the optional Performance Battery Plus upgrade, battery capacity is increased to 105kwh from the standard 93.4kwh. With the new 300kw on-board charging architecture, it can go from near zero to 80% state of charge in 18 minutes. It also has a range of up to 625 kilometers according to Porsche, but with careful driving, its very possible to stretch that further.
On the surface, Porsche also made the following updates: a new hood with new front fenders to give it a broader, more muscular stance, new headlight LED matrix, new and unique front bumpers for the Taycan, Taycan Cross Turismo and the range-topping Turbo S models to differentiate it from the previous models.
The new model also gets a new redesigned logo with more prominent colors to highlight the Porsche crest.
Nine different alloy wheel designs are now available ranging in size from 20-22 inches.
Aside from the powertrain, the Taycan gets new footwork to match: twin chamber dual valve suspension first seen on the Panamera and Cayenne update feature more air, more comfort and better dynamics. A new rear bumper a redesigned rear diffuser is also seen, with the Turbo S looking much more aggressive.
Inside, revised dashboard with a faster OS system for the MMI is now standard. There are felt lined door pockets for less noise too.
So how does the Taycan drive? Just like a proper Porsche. Light, feel-some, responsive steering that isn’t nervous. A sporty, composed and stable suspension that’s planted at speed yet pliant around town. We took the Taycan Cross Turismo 4S around a variety of roads around Singapore, ranging from its super smooth expressways like PIE and CTE, to popular car meet spots such as Dempsey Hill and Gilman Barracks. We also found some bumpy sections of road going through the area of Canterbury Road and the park beside that the Taycan Cross Turismo 4S just soaked up despite riding on massive 20-inch wheels and tires. The adaptive air suspension with lift also helped us clear some pretty steep ramps and speed bumps.
On the highway, the Taycan feels planted, composed and confident. While we never really got to go fast (thanks to Singapore’s strict traffic laws), we would punch it hard from rest just to feel the mind-boggling acceleration. There weren’t enough winding roads in Singapore with free traffic to explore the limits of the Taycan’s grip. Suffice to say though, you feel confident and ready to conquer the twisty bits. A local test drive is in order!
All that go is matched by hugely impressive stopping capability, another Porsche hallmark. The braking hardware is truly topnotch: massive Brembo 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers clamping down on 360mm front and 358mm rear ventilated discs with ABS-EBD and emergency brake assist. Additionally up to a massive 290kw of energy is recovered under braking with the latest Taycan. To put that into perspective, two seconds worth of full regenerative braking recovers enough energy to allow the Taycan to travel an additional 700 meters.
While there are many other cheaper EVs in the market, none have the polish, refinement, performance and exciting driving dynamics as the Porsche Taycan.
