Porsche now has a Taycan that you can probably afford

The entry-level Taycan doesn't look any different from its pricier siblings. PHOTO FROM PORSCHE

On account of its astounding performance and identity over other electric vehicles, the Porsche Taycan is regarded by some as a “halo” EV. However, the car’s prohibitive purchase price just puts it out of reach for mere mortals like us. However, that might change with the introduction of an entry-level variant that may be a little more fun to drive.

The most affordable Taycan loses its front motor, but that just makes it more fun. PHOTO FROM PORSCHE

Admittedly, the starting price (for the German market) of almost €84,000 (P4,915,000) is still a bit hard to swallow. But when you consider the difference compared to the more expensive Taycan 4S’s SRP of around €107,000 (P6,261,000), the base Taycan does make a bit more financial sense. And aside from the hefty price cut, what the budget variant lacks might just make it more enjoyable for keen drivers.

This is one of those rare times where base variant doesn't mean bare. PHOTOS FROM PORSCHE

That’s because Porsche has simply thrown away the front motor, making the Taycan rear-wheel drive. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if your idea of fun is getting the rear end loose and smoking the rear tires. Do that regularly, however, and you might just throw away the money you’ve saved into shopping for premium rubber.

We wonder if drifts in an EV are easier than in a gasoline-powered car. PHOTOS FROM PORSCHE

The base Taycan comes with a choice of battery sizes. The 79.2kWh pack is good for 407hp and 431km of endurance. Those are pretty good numbers, but if they’re still underwhelming, a 93.4kWh Performance Battery Plus pack can be had as an optional extra. That bumps up output to 468hp (thanks to an overboost function) and range of up to 484km. Acceleration to 100km/h for both configurations is a brisk 5.4 seconds with a top speed of 230km/h.

Miss the rear-wheel-drive shenanigans of the 911? This Taycan is for you. PHOTO FROM PORSCHE

Other than that, everything else pretty much remains the same across the board, meaning you can go crazy with Porsche’s online car configurator and spec your rear-wheel-drive Taycan as you would the all-wheel-drive variants. Of course, prices here in the Philippines are much higher due to taxes. But at least this Taycan is more affordable.


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