Car and Driver - USA (2019-10)

40. FEATURE. CAR AND DRIVER. OCT/2019

10 seconds. The Taycan’s 162-mph top
speed is achieved in top gear at the motors’
16,000 -rpm redline.
Rather than have a uniform, rectangu-
YN_ONaaRf]NPXV[aUR½\_=\PURa_N-
tegically relocated two of the 33 modules
that make up its 93.0-kWh pack to leave
space for rear passengers’ feet. It worked;
rear-seat space and legroom are quite gen-
erous. Other interior tricks include a
Pb_cRQ#%V[PUP[¼Tb_NOYRQVTVaNY
gauge cluster and a 10.9 -inch center screen
that runs a new infotainment layout, mov-
ing to tablet-like squares of selectable
Sb[PaV[ _NaUR_ aUN[ =\_PURμ Pb__R[a setup of scrolling menus that we’ve found frustrating. There’s also an optional sec- ond screen in front of the passenger, with duplicate functionality for infotainment and navigation. In addition to the typical leather, there’s a leather-free option. There are two areas where the Taycan may fall somewhat short of Tesla: its rated range and its lack of sophisticated semi- Nba\[\Z\bQVcRN`VaN[PRaRPU[\Y\TfAUR_Rμ[\\¦PVNY2=. _N[TRRaVZNaRfRaObaaUR2b_]RN[PfPYR]baaURY\[TRaN[TR
ANfPN[Na%ZVYRBV[TaUR:\QRY@μ`2b\cR_bB@
SbRYRP[\Zf¼TbRN\bfN_QaVPXdR]_RQVPaaURANfPN[μ
UVTURa2=._NaV[TdVYYOR\ZRdUR_RORadRR[#N[Q$ZVYR( aUNaμV[P\Z]NV\[dVaU $ZVYRS\aURa]ARYNAb_O\@ models should fall somewhere between 225 and 250 miles. But the Taycan has a trick up its rear subframe: a two-speed transmission, dUVPUP\ZOV[RQdVaUaURANfPN[μcR_fY\dP\R¦PVR[a\S
drag, may give it the edge in extended high-speed cruising that’s
generally a range killer.

DRIVE TIME

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tor and the brake pedal. When you’re ready, release the brakes

and—bam—that initial slingshot-like accelerative hit never feels

N[faUV[TYR``aUN[`b]R_[Nab_NY.[QaUR[N[RcR[Z\_R`aNTTR_-

ing thing happens: The Taycan just keeps pulling. The two-speed

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a claimed 2 .6 seconds for the Turbo S model that we piloted

DUNaNO\baaUNacR_fVZ]\_aN[aP\Z]\[R[a\SaUR=\_`PUR

experience—sound? Both the light whine in Normal mode and

aURY\dR_Z\_R`]NPR`UV]YVXRUbZV[@]\_a=Yb`\_VTV[NaRNaaUR

Taycan’s speaker cones, but at least they’re recordings captured

from actual electric motors on a test bench. It’s far from the burn-

V[TdNVY\S=\_`PURμ`OR`aN[QdUR[aURANfPN[V`_RNYYfUb`aYV[T

aUR]_VZN_f[\V`Rf\bURN_V`aV_R`^bRNY.YYaUNaN`VQR=\_`PURμ`

RYRPa_VPPN_N]]RN_`a\ORNa_bR=\_`PURN[QNa_bR`]\_a``RQN[

The concave digital

gauge cluster from the

Mission E concept

makes it into produc-

tion. It’s one of four

large screens that

dominate the interior.