by Andrea Silvuni
He had already done so with the Taycan, the first electric Porsche with true sports car performance.
And now the House of Zuffenhausen raises the bar in the zero-emission luxury world with a model, closely related to the first Taycan, which, however, solves the problem of accessibility and habitability to the rear seats and that of the luggage compartment capacity. .
However, with the Taycan Cross Turismo, Porsche also winks at the Shooting Brake segment and above all offers an interesting 100% electric alternative to traditional high-end SUVs.
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Taycan Cross Turismo, super electric performance and respect for nature
Thanks to the four-wheel drive present in all four variants and to really interesting solutions because 'ingenious' but also high tech, the new Taycan Cross Turismo enters a niche well in advance - that of 'versatile' luxury models - which ensuring impeccable performance even in not extreme off-road conditions.
A car, therefore, that proves above all a tireless traveler, offering all the strengths of the Taycan, such as high performance and autonomy of reference. but adding the advantages of a body with a tailgate and a roofline that guarantees much more headroom for the passengers sitting in the back, all with a load volume that can reach over 1,200 liters.
Quality 'on road' and off-road that we were able to put to the test in a very interesting format, which combined the long (and fast, speed camera allowing it) trip from Paris to Le Touquet - the location in northern France known precisely as' beach of Paris' - with a truly exclusive driving experience, as it is realized, thanks to the practically zero environmental impact, inside the Parc Naturel du Marquenterre, which overlooks the Cote d'Opale so defined for the unique colors of the infinite expanses of sand.
Porsche's new electric model, which was available for testing in variants with power from 380 to 761 hp, proved capable - in the part of the route within the private reserve of Le Dunes de la Somme - to face in complete relaxation and with ideal characteristics for a practically intact environment, a pace comparable to that of those who, by bike or on foot, are looking for a respectful and total contact with nature.
In this regard, it must immediately be said that the Taycan Cross Turismo has zero emissions as it has no exhaust and guarantees a very low CO2 footprint if the recharge (as happened) is done with renewable energy. Furthermore, the absence of the pipes of the muffler and of the catalysts eliminates the risk - instead real with the thermal models - of burning pine needles or very dry brushwood when passing or in the stop.
Inspired by the Mission E Cross Turismo concept presented in 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show, the standard version (which begins to be marketed these days, with a price list starting at 99,621 euros) differs from the first Taycan not only for the roof line that goes down in the back, but also for elements defined Offroad Design. They are the protective curbs for the wheel arches, the exclusive lower parts of the front and tail and the side skirts. Cross Turismo also offers special flaps at the corners of the bumpers and also at the ends of the side skirts that protect against damage caused by stone chips raised by the wheels.
As in the Taycan sports sedan, in the new Cross Turismo the instrument cluster extends over the entire width of the car and includes - in addition to the display in front of the driver - a central 10.9-inch infotainment element and another optional display in front. to the passenger. On request, a compass is available at the top of the dashboard, highlighting the adventurous character of this model.
But the real difference, as we were able to assess in the off-road test, lies in the evolution of the frame. Porsche uses a centrally interconnected control system for the Taycan Cross Turismo and the standard presence of adaptive air suspension with three-chamber technology with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) shock absorbers. The air suspension includes a Smart-Lift function as standard which allows the car to be raised by simply pressing the trim button.
In addition to this, if the situation becomes more demanding, the additional driving program Gravel Mode can be used for dirt, sandy or muddy roads. With this setting, the vehicle height increases by 30 millimeters compared to the sedan and an ideal setting is obtained for the driving dynamics systems Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Porsche Traction Management (PTM), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus ( PTV +), Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and rear axle drive.
Taycan Cross Turismo operates on a system voltage of 800 Volts and a single 93.4 kWh battery type. Outside the protected area, where we traveled within 30 km / h, it was also possible to evaluate the 'electric' grit of the Taylor Cross Turismo range which offers from 380 to 625 HP through four versions.
These values rise by exploiting Overboost and Launch Control to a range between 476 and 761 Hp. With the more 'quiet' Taycan Cross Turismo you can sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.1. With the Turbo S, which is the best performing, in just 2.9 seconds.
