by Michael Butler
If you had told hardcore Porsche fans back in 2010 that in a decade, Porsche would be building all-electric 4-door sports cars with close to 700 horsepower, you'd be laughed out of the room. Well, here we are, living in the future, and guess who's also here - the 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo. The first-gen Taycan has already proven itself to be a genuine Porsche, and not only in the way it looks, but in the way it drives, and more importantly, in how it makes you feel when you drive it. For 2021, Porsche has added some impressive new features such as a new Smartlift function and over-the-air updates. With up to 670 hp to play with, this is one serious executive car and one that Tesla is keeping a close eye on.
The 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo EV may not look any different this year, but several changes have been made to the lineup. A new color head-up display has been made available, although this is a rather pricey extra at $1,850. A new Smartlift function is now included with the standard air suspension system, allowing drivers to navigate speed bumps and the like without risking damage to the car. Another convenient addition is the availability of over-the-air updates, making it possible to unlock new features without visiting a dealership.
Porsche has added a new function to preserve the battery during charging by limiting the charging capacity to 200 kW - this can extend the battery's life and can be used if, for example, customers are charging but aren't in a great hurry. The new Plug & Charge system has been introduced, whereby payments are automatically processed, so all drivers need to do is plug in the vehicle to begin the charging process. Finally, the Taycan Turbo S is now even quicker, with 0-124 mph taking 9.6 seconds, as opposed to 9.8 seconds previously. The quarter-mile time is now 10.7 seconds, down from 10.8s.
See trim levels and configurations:
NHTSA safety ratings are not available at this time.
People tend to take a 'wait and see' approach when a company launches a new model, and even more so when it's the first time a company has tried something. Sure this is Porsche's first all-electric car, but we have no problem recommending it. Though there is no safety rating from any of the crash-test institutes in the USA, reliability is basically a given when it comes to the German automaker. Porsche has done an outstanding job with the Taycan EV sedan range, and if the more focused Turbo range is anything to go by, then the future of electric sports cars looks blindingly bright. In review, the 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo is not only stupidly fast, but also beautifully designed and built, awesomely comfortable, and pretty efficient, too. We say go for it.
If you're paying upwards of $150,000 on a car, you can stretch a bit further and go for the $185,000 Turbo S. Don't get us wrong; the Turbo is plenty quick, but if you're going to be messing around with the latest tech, you might as well get the one with the most RAM. If we were buying, we'd get the Turbo S in Jet Black Metallic and add the 21-inch Exclusive wheels with carbon-fiber aeroblades for $4,510. The $4,570 Premium Package would also make our list and adds features such as lane change assist, a surround-view camera system, and a panoramic sunroof. We would also add standalone options such as the $1,850 head-up display and remote ParkAssist. The total price of a 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo in this configuration will cost you just shy of $200,000.
The most popular competitors of 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo:
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