Taycan - how did they make it so slow?

Taycan - how did they make it so slow?

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sxmwht

Original Poster:

1,827 posts

66 months

Wednesday 24th November 2021
quotequote all
I'm looking at the Taycan models on the Porsche website. The Taycan 4 CT has about 470 BHP and does 0-60 in an absolutely rapid....

5.1 seconds.

Is it that heavy? The Golf R does it in 4 (source: carwow video)

Some of the other models look similarly "slow", but that one stood out the most. Is it a weight thing?

Cheib

23,740 posts

182 months

Wednesday 24th November 2021
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Comfortably the wrong side of 2 tons I guess. Wonder if they back off the acceleration a bit on the cheaper cars ? I have no idea if the motors are different in the different models.

Haribo Lecter

949 posts

234 months

Wednesday 24th November 2021
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Very simple - weight.

dgswk

912 posts

101 months

Thursday 25th November 2021
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I'd wager its actually just a conservative estimate, coupled with its place in the heirachy. The cynic says its detuned to allow for the 4S, Turbo and Turbo-S. Motors and electricals are probably very similar across the various 4wd models. If it was sub-4, no one would buy the Turbo etc.

My Polestar 2 manufactuer stats quoted 4.9s when I ordered (they have lowered it to 4.5s since), various reviews figure sub-4.5s, even 4.1s (US rolling start probably), and certainly feels sub-4 to me, at least in the magic 10-50mph useable zone. And for £975 I can take it from 408bhp to 476bhp via a simple download. Go figure.

https://www.polestar.com/uk/service-and-assistance...

I guess Porsche would want to attract a dealer visit and a certain amount of speed tax for the same thing.



Edited by dgswk on Thursday 25th November 11:19

Discombobulate

5,107 posts

193 months

Thursday 25th November 2021
quotequote all
sxmwht said:
I'm looking at the Taycan models on the Porsche website. The Taycan 4 CT has about 470 BHP and does 0-60 in an absolutely rapid....

5.1 seconds.

Is it that heavy? The Golf R does it in 4 (source: carwow video)

Some of the other models look similarly "slow", but that one stood out the most. Is it a weight thing?
Drive one. They feel like spaceships (quick). The throttle response on the move makes a Golf R feel decidedly woolly.

troc

3,856 posts

182 months

Thursday 25th November 2021
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Porsche seriously understate the 0-60 times of their cars, especially the models lower in the range to distance them from the faster ones.

Also, as stated, the Taycan weighs all the tonnes.

DMZ

1,558 posts

167 months

Thursday 25th November 2021
quotequote all
dgswk said:
I'd wager its actually just a conservative estimate, coupled with its place in the heirachy. The cynic says its detuned to allow for the 4S, Turbo and Turbo-S. Motors and electricals are probably very similar across the various 4wd models. If it was sub-4, no one would buy the Turbo etc.

My Polestar 2 manufactuer stats quoted 4.9s when I ordered (they have lowered it to 4.5s since), various reviews figure sub-4.5s, even 4.1s (US rolling start probably), and certainly feels sub-4 to me, at least in the magic 10-50mph useable zone. And for £975 I can take it from 408bhp to 476bhp via a simple download. Go figure.

https://www.polestar.com/uk/service-and-assistance...

I guess Porsche would want to attract a dealer visit and a certain amount of speed tax for the same thing.



Edited by dgswk on Thursday 25th November 11:19
That's very cool. I didn't know Polestar offered that.

CloudStuff

3,844 posts

111 months

Friday 26th November 2021
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sxmwht said:
I'm looking at the Taycan models on the Porsche website. The Taycan 4 CT has about 470 BHP and does 0-60 in an absolutely rapid....

5.1 seconds.

Is it that heavy? The Golf R does it in 4 (source: carwow video)

Some of the other models look similarly "slow", but that one stood out the most. Is it a weight thing?
Define 'slow'.

You've picked the base model, and are going by the official stats.

All Taycans are too fast for the road, the base one is the least bonkers. All of that power and torque is available instantly.

But if they're too slow for you, please be careful not to buy one by mistake.

sxmwht

Original Poster:

1,827 posts

66 months

Friday 26th November 2021
quotequote all
CloudStuff said:
Define 'slow'.

You've picked the base model, and are going by the official stats.

All Taycans are too fast for the road, the base one is the least bonkers. All of that power and torque is available instantly.

But if they're too slow for you, please be careful not to buy one by mistake.
Wow, it appears I touched a nerve with a simple question. Hopefully you have a better day tomorrow pal

findtomdotcom

712 posts

247 months

Friday 26th November 2021
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I am fairly sure it's all marketing and in truth they are all far closer to each other in terms of performance.

I am sure our 4S Cross Turismo is 3.5 to 60... (no timing gear just me and a stop watch).

CloudStuff

3,844 posts

111 months

Friday 26th November 2021
quotequote all
sxmwht said:
CloudStuff said:
Define 'slow'.

You've picked the base model, and are going by the official stats.

All Taycans are too fast for the road, the base one is the least bonkers. All of that power and torque is available instantly.

But if they're too slow for you, please be careful not to buy one by mistake.
Wow, it appears I touched a nerve with a simple question. Hopefully you have a better day tomorrow pal
Not really son. What gives?

nickpan

601 posts

196 months

Friday 26th November 2021
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0-60 means nothing in EV world.

Our Renault Zoe GT Line with a 135bhp and a 0-60 of 8 something feels properly quick between 10-40mph. My i3 prior to that with a 0-60 of 7 something felt faster than my I8 at points as despite the torque fill, the ICE needs to be wound up first.

I imagine the base Taycan is all you need on our roads.

ds666

2,795 posts

186 months

Saturday 27th November 2021
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nickpan said:
.

I imagine the base Taycan is all you need on our roads.
But not all that you want smile

dgswk

912 posts

101 months

Saturday 27th November 2021
quotequote all
nickpan said:
0-60 means nothing in EV world.

Our Renault Zoe GT Line with a 135bhp and a 0-60 of 8 something feels properly quick between 10-40mph. My i3 prior to that with a 0-60 of 7 something felt faster than my I8 at points as despite the torque fill, the ICE needs to be wound up first.

I imagine the base Taycan is all you need on our roads.
Mrs dgswk has the same Zoe, it’s properly nippy up to 40-50mph. Embarrasses plenty of stuff off the lights. It’s what led me to the Polestar to be honest.

Up to 60-70mph I’m in no doubt that the Polestar would certainly have the upper hand over my old 992 C2S and that was definitely not a slow car.

70mph plus and it’s a different story, the Polestar wouldn’t see which way it went…. But where can you really do that in the UK?

Taycan Turbo S must be nuts.

Haribo Lecter

949 posts

234 months

Sunday 28th November 2021
quotequote all
troc said:
Porsche seriously understate the 0-60 times of their cars, especially the models lower in the range to distance them from the faster ones.

Also, as stated, the Taycan weighs all the tonnes.
I drove a base Taycan and the only thing that felt faster than my 991.1S was the throttle response. Felt very heavy, too low to the ground and uneventful. I just drove everywhere flat out because I could, but that very quickly got boring.

Grantstown

1,089 posts

94 months

Sunday 28th November 2021
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It’s a bit of a perspective situation. The RWD Taycan is your nice day to day drive, but misses out on the magic trick of EVs, which is the instantaneous ability to shuffle power between front and back. This is a double edged sword as it makes it ridiculously easy to drive quickly, but also reduces the rewards. The RWD is also significantly down on power with only 1 motor. Things get serious with the 4S and then the Turbos are amongst the quickest road cars you’ll ever come across. Even heading relatively slowly into corners, the ridiculous torque can be applied so early on exit. The advantages of EVs can actually be applied within the speed limits, which isn’t always the case for super cars. If you indulge in a traffic light Grand Prix with a Golf R in a 4S, well the golf will very quickly be a little dot in the rear view mirror. It’s basically cheating.
The Taycan is seriously heavy though. You feel it in your body on cornering. It took me around 3 months to reset my senses and realise that it will still go round that corner, despite the accelerometer in my stomach saying no. The bigger problem is actually those tight turns around mini roundabouts, where it’s not too difficult to find all four wheels sliding on some of those very polished concrete like surfaces that you find.

Is a 911 better? A 992 4S PDK - IMO this is a little dull. Something RWD Manual - yes, more involving. This is only my opinion of course.

DMZ

1,558 posts

167 months

Monday 29th November 2021
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Are there actually any mechanical differences between the dual motor versions or is it the same OEM motors and batteries in all of them? I know you get more of the chassis tech as standard as you go up the range but I wouldn’t be surprised if a laptop could fix Porsche’s careful positioning of the models.

Flying machine

1,132 posts

183 months

Monday 29th November 2021
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DMZ said:
Are there actually any mechanical differences between the dual motor versions or is it the same OEM motors and batteries in all of them? I know you get more of the chassis tech as standard as you go up the range but I wouldn’t be surprised if a laptop could fix Porsche’s careful positioning of the models.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that the turbo and turbo s have different (i.e. more powerful) motors and inverters?

What are you used to driving OP? Must be pretty rapid if the Taycan's are slow cars

DMZ

1,558 posts

167 months

Monday 29th November 2021
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Right, I think I read something like it also now that I think about it. Turbo and Turbo S are very similar and a step above the others.

garystoybox

808 posts

124 months

Monday 29th November 2021
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DMZ said:
Right, I think I read something like it also now that I think about it. Turbo and Turbo S are very similar and a step above the others.
Got a CT 4s on order but also deposited on a GTS as likely to get this earlier (late spring 2021).
The GTS has the advantage of having the same motors as the Turbo/s, but slightly de tuned power- but importantly same torque as the turbo.