Argentina is not a place where it is common to see
super cars
.
Even in Buenos Aires, unlike other large capitals in the world, when a Porsche or Ferrari passes by it is as if a celebrity is walking up to you because of the number of phones that are pulled out.
Therefore, driving a
Porsche Taycan
for two days in Buenos Aires was an experience in every sense.
First to experience the sensation of feeling watched practically all the time and, second, to drive as an “everyday car” the vehicle with the
greatest technological load
that can be purchased in Argentina.
Although it is not a model that is debuting in our market, in fact, we have already tested another version in the past, there is no vehicle in the local market as advanced as this Taycan.
It is also a super exclusive car, with a price range that in the local market starts at
$359,000
and goes up to
$635,000
.
To which can be added a wide and expensive list of options.
It is also the car with which Porsche definitively finished kicking the board to fully enter the world of
electric cars
.
The car for a new era
This new era that the Taycan began did so without breaking with the past but marking a new path.
This sedan is easily and quickly recognized as a Porsche, but it left features that until now were inevitable in models from the Stuttgart brand.
The Taycan inspires avant-garde.
His figure is clearly more advanced than any other model you can come across on our streets.
He is long, he is wide and he is short.
And its proportions indicate that it is a different vehicle from the rest.
It's a
flying saucer
.
The shapes are unmistakably Porsche but it ushered in a new era of style within the German brand.
And people let us know with their reactions.
Whether it is a person walking or, unfortunately, a driver of another vehicle driving nearby: the reaction of many is to take out their phone and try to record their passage.
There are some, even, who “feel” it coming.
and the surprise was also big.
The thing is that although this Porsche is completely silent because it is electric, a
very peculiar sound
has been designed that the driver can select and that accompanies the acceleration rate.
It's a difficult sound to pigeonhole, but it's the closest thing to what science fiction cinema chose to associate with a spaceship.
That is to say, it is totally correct regarding the idea that the shapes of the car convey.
The Porsche Taycan was the first production electric car with an 800 volt system voltage (400 is standard).
A sporty flying saucer
The other objective that the German manufacturer set for itself with the appearance of its first 100% electric model is that it had to be under the historical mandates of sportiness and emotion that have always characterized Porsche.
One part was assured: the reaction delivered by an electric motor is much superior to that of a combustion engine, since the moment of maximum force (torque) is present from the moment it begins to accelerate.
Double assured, since the Taycan 4S that
Clarín
tested comes with two electric motors, one in front and one in the back, which gives it all-wheel drive.
Wheels 265/35 ZR21, front, and 305/30 ZR21, rear.
On paper its numbers are impressive: 435 horsepower with a peak of 530 HP using the
Launch Control
function and the ability to go from 0 to 100 km/h in
4 seconds
.
The maximum speed is limited to 250 km/h.
But there are many other very powerful electric cars that can accelerate a lot.
This Taycan is different from all of them precisely because it can sustain that performance repeatedly
without losing effectiveness
.
That is why the secret of this sports sedan is in its
electrical architecture and the management of its battery
.
Inside that package there is room for the cooling system and everything is protected by the steel casing.
That's where the heart of this model is.
Avant-garde interior, with four screens, all touch screens, including one for the passenger.
The Taycan was the first production vehicle with an
800-volt
system voltage instead of the usual 400 volts for electric cars.
This system prevents the entire unit from overheating and allows for better energy management.
In this model, which promises and delivers sporty performance, it maintains the response even if it is required repeatedly: it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h 20 times in a row for the same time.
The other advantage of an 800 volt system is that recharging can be much faster.
Of course it always depends on the power of the charger.
On a powerful charger you can gain 100 kilometers in 5 minutes.
With a wallbox type charger (11 kWh) it takes about 8 hours to complete the charge.
But with a powerful direct current one and 270 kWh, you can reach 80% in 22 minutes.
Another Taycan rarity.
It has a two-speed automatic transmission, when the vast majority of electric vehicles use a direct transmission.
Porsche does it to be able to deliver that impressive acceleration power: your back sticks to the seat and no matter how much you try to separate it, you won't be able to do it for several seconds.
It is a car that can be very comfortable in urban use even though it is very short.
The management of the chassis and suspensions is responsible for that.
And thank goodness it has pneumatic suspension that can modify the height, otherwise it would hit many donkeys' backs.
The instrument panel is a high-quality curved display that in style emulates the analog dashboards of the German brand.
Between how wide and how low it is, the weight of the battery that is located under the floor and further reduces the center of gravity, its gigantic and wide wheels, which are also directional on the rear axle, and a suspension that can be shorten their routes and become like a rock, their sporting behavior is astonishing.
The ability to fold quickly is scary, especially if we take into account that it weighs
more than 2 tons
.
The Taycan goes neatly, wherever the driver indicates.
Without joking.
Without complaining.
Without showing a single movement of disagreement.
Its interior deserves special mention.
If on the outside it is a flying saucer, its cabin should be in accordance with that message.
It is a 99% digital cabin.
To get an idea, even the direction of the air conditioning outlet is selected from one of the screens it comes with.
One of the few non-digital commands: the drive mode selector.
There are four in total and they are all tactile.
The one that impresses the most is the instrument panel, 16.8 inches, curved and with tremendous image quality, in addition to a wide variety of configurations.
There is another traditional one on the top of the center console.
Below it there is one more, to manage the air conditioning and battery charge management.
And the fourth is located in front of the passenger.
Its shipment of technology is unique in the country.
As well as its price: the range starts at
US$359,000
and the trial version reaches
US$430,000
, not counting options.
So you came across one in Argentina, I made a wish, since only three were patented.
Versions and prices
Taycan:
US$359,000
Taycan 4S:
US$ 430,000
Data sheet
Length: 4,963 mm
Width: 1,966 mm
Height: 1,381 mm
Wheelbase: 2,900 mm
Weight: 2,295 kg
Trunk: 407 dm3
Battery: 95 kWh
Motors: electric (two)
Maximum power: 530 HP
Torque: 640 Nm
Transmission: Automatic, 2 speeds
Traction: Integral
Maximum speed: 250 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 3.7 sec.
Autonomy: 505 kilometers
Featured equipment
ABS brakes and stability control
Front, front side and curtain airbags
Lane Keep Assist
adaptive cruise control
Panoramic ceiling
Air suspension with sport settings
Sports seats
16.8-inch curved screen
Passenger touch screen
See also
See also
100 kilometers with 3 liters of gasoline: how does the plug-in BMW that is already sold in Argentina perform?
See also
See also
Hybrid and electric cars: which ones are sold in Argentina and what technologies are available