Autograph Porsche Taycan 4S: This diet is not difficult at all

The first impression: familiar - the electric Porsche also looks unmistakably like a Porsche.

The manufacturer says: You don't need more, even Porsche project manager Stefan Weckbach admits that. Sure, the top variants of the electric sports car, the Turbo and Turbo S, are more potent on paper. But they also cost significantly more than 150,000 euros, which places certain limits on sales figures. But because Porsche needs large quantities to achieve the CO2 targets, the Swabians are now using the Variant 4S to support the Taycan series.

"The difference to the turbo models can only be experienced in rare extreme situations," he says. Downsizing in the model range is not yet complete with the 4S. "Later there will be a variant for less than 100,000 euros," says Porsche. In addition to the five-digit price, this car will have another advantage: "The entry-level version does not have two, but only one engine. The range will therefore increase to more than 500 kilometers."

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We noticed that: while with combustion models, you can tell at least from the sound and characteristics of the engine, its responsiveness and speed structure that there is a difference between the individual variants, the situation is different with e-models. The Taycan 4S not only looks the same as the Turbo and Turbo S models, the car also feels the same.

It's no wonder, because the two top models are so over-motorized for everyday life that hardly anyone drives them out anyway. And as long as you do not activate the launch control for the cavalier start, press the pedal fully and also pull out the stopwatch, you will not feel any difference between the maximum 571 hp of the 4S or the up to 761 hp of the Turbo S. Honestly: How often do you actually accelerate from standstill to 100 km / h in 2.8 (turbo) or 4.0 seconds (4S)? Or how often do you drive 250 km / h and want more?

So the 4S is anything but a resignation vehicle and much sportier than all other electric cars with which noble manufacturers hunt for Tesla. This is not only due to the maximum torque of 640 Nm of the two engines, which casually hide the 2.1 tonne curb weight. Because the Taycan - unlike the Audi E-Tron or Mercedes EQC - is not an SUV but a flat sedan, you are much closer to the road. In addition, there is the center of gravity, which is lowered by the batteries in the vehicle floor, as well as the all-wheel steering, which makes the almost five-meter-long Taycan appear handy and agile.

Take a look inside the Porsche Taycan 4S - with our 360-degree photo:

There are noticeable differences between the variants, especially in the equipment. To identify them, you have to dive into the details of the price list. However, there is an unpleasant discovery waiting there: That the intelligent cruise control, for example, is not part of the standard equipment of a 100,000-euro car, but is subject to a surcharge, can certainly be seen as insolent.

From a purely superficial point of view, the facility is identical. The huge screen landscape and the only electrically adjustable fan nozzles also receive you in the 4S. The fact that the 4S is lined with fabric instead of leather is extremely contemporary. The microfibre material of the cover fabric consists partly of recycled polyester fibers and is produced with an 80 percent lower CO2 emissions than conventional cladding materials. And fibers are used in the flooring, which are made from recycled fishing nets, as Porsche likes to emphasize.

You have to know that: The Taycan 4S can already be ordered and will hit the streets in spring. The prices start at 105,607 euros and are thus almost 50,000 euros below those of the turbo models. The 4S also has one motor per axis and there are two different batteries that have an impact on performance. With the so-called performance battery (storage capacity 79.2 kWh), the Taycan has a nominal output of 435 and in overboost 530 hp, as well as a standard range of 407 kilometers. If you order the Performance Accumulator Plus (93.4 kWh), you get an output of up to 571 HP and a range of 463 kilometers.

In contrast to combustion engines, where engines are hard to tune for more power, the power limits for electric vehicles are set almost arbitrarily and, above all, controlled by the software. However, the 4S also uses new hardware. To reduce the power of the front engine, Porsche is installing a so-called pulse inverter with 300 instead of 600 amps. Due to the lower current, the magnetic field in the stator of the motor is weaker - and accordingly generates less kinetic energy. A completely new engine is even used on the rear axle, just 13 centimeters long and thus eight centimeters shorter than in the turbo versions. With a little imagination, that's good as an equivalent to the displacement.

On the other hand, Porsche makes no compromises when it comes to charging technology: The 4S also has a 100 kW charger on board and can charge the batteries on corresponding columns from 5 to 80 percent within less than 25 minutes.

We will not forget that: The end of the label swindle on the boot lid. Because while Turbo and Turbo S adorn themselves with the wrong feathers at least by name and therefore have to endure a lot of ridicule, 4S is an honest abbreviation. It also works with an electric car.

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