Porsche Taikan, the culmination of the second generation

Porsche's Tycann underwent a major facelift in early 2024. With a sharper design, more power, longer range, and improved charging performance, Porsche's electric car has undergone a wide range of evolutionary changes, and now the GTS has finally arrived. And now, theIn addition to the GTS, the addition of the Taikan 4 completes the family of 11 versions in Japan.The most notable of these is the newly introduced Taikan GTS.

For PorscheThe GTS has reigned as a special entity since the 904 Carrera GTS in 1963.

GTS, short for Gran Turismo Sport, is a legendary three-letter word among Porsche fans. And now, a variation of the legendary three-letter name has been added to the Taikan model lineup. Two, to be exact. The new Taikan GTS will be available in two body types: Sport Sedan and Sport Turismo (Sport Turismo is not yet available in Japan).

Taikan GTS: Sporty all-rounder

The Taikan GTS is positioned as a sporty all-rounder,Up to 515 kW of overboost power when using launch controlThis is an increase of 75 kW over the previous generation model. In addition, new features included in the standard Sport Chrono PackageWith the "push to pass," one can get a boost of up to 70 kW for 10 seconds at the touch of a button.

In the Taikan GTS, the push-to-pass function has a particularly sporty character. At low speeds, torque is raised to a launch control level.
As on the Taikan Turbo GT, boost is indicated by a countdown timer on the instrument cluster and dynamically staged in an animated ring around the speedometer.

The Taikan GTS Sport Sedan and Taikan GTS Sport Turismo are,It reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in only 3.3 seconds.This is 0.4 seconds faster than the previous generation model. For the sports sedan, acceleration from 0-200 km/h is only 10.4 seconds. This is 1.6 seconds less than the previous generation. The cruising range has also been improved by more than 120 km,Currently, it records a maximum of 628 km in WLTP mode.

Similar to the Taikan Turbo S in order to express the exciting character of the GTS,A more distinctive sound profile was given.This acoustic feature differentiates it from other Taikan models.

Taikan GTS exterior and interior: Outstanding individuality

The exterior and interior are equally unique. Black or anthracite gray details found throughout the exterior are characteristic of the GTS. New compared to its predecessor are the sport-designed front and rear aprons with inlays painted in black (high-gloss). The bases of the door mirrors are also finished in black (high-gloss).

Meanwhile, the standard 20-inch Taikan Turbo S Aero Design wheels and the optional 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels are,It is painted in anthracite gray, exclusive to GTS.

Many of the interior materials have been adopted from the Taikan Turbo GT models. For example, the Tycann GTS model comes standard with sporty RaceTex extended scopes and sleek black leather elements. Also standard are Adaptive Sport Seat Plus with 18-way electric adjustment, a GT multifunction sports steering wheel with mode switch and heated steering wheel, and a Sport Chrono package that includes push-to-pass functionality and track mode The car is also available with a Sport Chrono package that includes push-to-pass and track modes.

The familiar GT multi-function sports steering wheel from the Taikan Turbo GT model is available in black RaceTex specification upon request.

This includes two mode switches and paddles for push-to-pass functionality and energy regeneration. The optional GTS interior package is offered in Carmine Red as well as the new Slate Gray Neo. The instrument cluster, power meter, and start graphic display the Taikan GTS logo; a BOSE surround sound system is also standard.

Driving performance of the Taikan GTS: a chassis that accentuates its sporty character

The GTS-specific chassis and optional rear axle steering give it a particularly sporty character.Adaptive air suspension, including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), is combined as standard with Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus).

Optional, specially tuned for GTSPorsche Active Ride Suspension Control System also availableIt is. In dynamic driving situations, the optimal individual load distribution to each wheel ensures nearly perfect contact with the road surface. In addition, the Porsche Active Ride improves comfort in everyday driving situations.

Taikan 4: Most efficient range of all-wheel drive models

For those who wanted to combine the high efficiency of the entry-level Taikan with four-wheel drive, the Taikan 4 Cross Turismo already existed.

Now Porsche offers this entry-level four-wheel drive as a sports sedan as well. In terms of performance, thisNew Taikan 4 is equivalent to TaikanDepending on whether the standard performance battery or the optional performance battery plus is mounted under the chassis, the new model can provide up to 300 kW or 320 kW of overboost output when using launch control.

The range also depends on the type of battery. The Performance Battery allows the vehicle to travel up to 559 km, and the Performance Battery Plus up to 643 km (WLTP mode). This makes the two versions arguably the longest range of any four-wheel drive model, only about 35 km less than the corresponding Taikan model.

With one electric motor on each of the front and rear axles, the Taikan 4 provides greater driving stability and traction than the rear-wheel drive Taikan. This is also reflected in acceleration figures, with the Taican 4 achieving 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 4.6 seconds. Despite the additional 80 kg,0.2 seconds faster than the rear-wheel drive model.

Throughout the model cycle, Porsche has already improved its four-wheel drive strategy. Of course, the new Taikan 4 also benefits from these optimizations and achieves higher efficiency. This means that the front electric motor is electrically decoupled as far as traction, driving dynamics, and driving stability permit. They are then reconnected as needed, e.g. during acceleration or regeneration, in milliseconds.

On the exterior, extensive standard equipment includes 19-inch Taikan aero wheels, black brake calipers, and Matrix LED headlights. Additionally, adaptive air suspension with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) are standard.

Inside, front comfort seats with 8-way electric adjustment, black partial leather trim, dark silver accent package, leather multi-function sport steering wheel, and brushed silver aluminum door entry guards, Sound Package Plus will be standard equipment. Partial leather interior is also available in slate gray and black/chalk beige two-tone versions.

Thus, Porsche has completed its Taikan lineup with the addition of the new Taikan GTS and Taikan 4. With sedan and cross-turismo, four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, and Porsche E-Performance motors with various power levels from 300 kW to 760 kW, a total of 11 versions are now available in Japan. We are pleased to see that the Taikan now has even more choices.

Personally, I have test driven various models of the Taikan, and I recommend the four-wheel drive models, especially the 4S, GTS, and Turbo S.