Porsche ups Taycan variant count with new entry-levels

PORSCHE Cars Australia (PCA) is bolstering its local Taycan portfolio with not one but two new variants in the form of the eponymous Taycan and Cross Turismo 4, both of which will slot in at the bottom of their respective line-ups when they arrive early next year.

Priced from $156,300 plus on-road costs, the new base model Taycan will check in at more than $40,000 downstream of the previous range opener – the 4S – and will be the only member of the entire portfolio to be rear-wheel-drive.

Available as standard with the 79.2kWh “Performance” battery, the Taycan develops an even 300kW of power and 345Nm of torque in overboost mode, enough to launch it from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds.

Alternatively, the bigger 93.4kWh “Performance Plus” battery can be had as an option which bumps power and torque up to 350kW/357Nm, but has no impact on outright performance.

For reference, both versions top out at 230km/h.

As a result, the bigger battery ultimately increases the base Taycan’s effective range from 369km to 434km and loosely improves its charging capacity (225kW vs 270kW).

The Cross Turismo 4 meanwhile is exclusively available with the Performance Plus battery as per the rest of the Cross Turismo line-up and develops a healthy 350kW/500Nm courtesy of its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive set-up.

Zero-100km/h is dispatched in 5.1 seconds while the effective range is pegged at “up to” 437km.

In terms of standard equipment highlights, the Taycan and Cross Turismo 4 share all of the same bells and whistles with the Australian-delivered cars set to be more generously appointed from the factory than other markets.

Spec highlights include a grey top-tinted windscreen, auto-dimming mirrors, power-folding wing mirrors, LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Lighting System Plus, privacy glass, tyre sealant with an electric air compressor, heated steering wheel, a head-up display, 14-way power-adjustable comfort seats with memory package and a digital radio in addition to the usual array of Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and satellite navigation.

Safety highlights extend to comfort access, lane-change assist, front and rear park assist with surround view, adaptive cruise control with traffic-jam assist and power steering plus.

Elsewhere in the Taycan portfolio, prices are up across the board by between $4300 and $7800 depending on the variant on the account of some extra standard equipment being thrown into the all-electric package.

Most of the upgrades consist of the features above with the 4S, Turbo and Turbo S models all gaining a head-up display, windscreen with top tinting, tyre sealant with electric air compressor, traffic-jam assist and speed-sensitive power steering (already standard on the Turbo S).

The Turbo and Turbo S variants also score the previously optional 22kW onboard AC-Charger as standard, however it will remain an option on the lesser variants.

“As with the recent model year change for 911, Cayenne and Panamera, the Taycan range will now also receive Android Auto as standard,” PCA said in a statement.

Despite being up against vehicles with traditionally-powered internal-combustion engines, the Taycan was the second-best-selling $70,000-plus large car over the first five months of 2021 with its 326 sales accounting for 23.7 per cent of the segment, second only to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (493/35.9%).

2021 Porsche Taycan pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs

2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs