Once upon a time, I called the Taycan Turbo one of the most luxurious cars money could buy. However, I’ve never looked at the platform as the basis for a do-everything ‘GTS’ car in typical Porsche fashion. Even though it’s far in a way the best driving EV on the road, it’s always leaned more toward ‘luxury’ than ‘sports car’ to me. Maybe it’s the weight, maybe it’s the silence, but has this model changed enough to garner the badge?
The packet says the Porsche Taycan GTS is asking your comfy, silent, nice place-to-sit electric vehicle to also be your playful, dialled-in, sports car. So has Porsche gone too far in search of a driver-focused experience in the Taycan GTS?
It might be down on power compared to the Taycan Turbo, but with more standard kit than the 4S and bespoke elements that help it stand out from the rest of the range, it certainly sounds like the sweet spot, doesn’t it?
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Check out my full walkaround video of the Porsche Taycan GTS above.
Where Does the Porsche Taycan GTS Sit in the Range?
| Porsche Taycan 4S | Porsche Taycan GTS | Porsche Taycan Turbo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor configuration | AWD | AWD | AWD |
| Transmission | Two speed | Two speed | Two speed |
| Maximum power | 420 kW (Overboost) | 440 kW (Overboost) | 500 kW (Overboost) |
| Maximum torque | 650 Nm (Launch control) | 850 Nm (Launch control) | 850 Nm (Launch control) |
| Top speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h | 260 km/h |
| Acceleration 0-100km/h | 4.0 seconds | 3.7 seconds | 3.2 seconds |
The Porsche Taycan Range in Australia now includes five models.
- Taycan – priced from $158,100 AUD plus on-road costs.
- Taycan 4S – priced from $197,200 AUD plus on-road costs.
- Taycan GTS – priced from $241,900 AUD plus on-road costs.
- Taycan Turbo – priced from $280,300 AUD plus on-road costs.
- Taycan Turbo S – priced from $351,000 AUD plus on-road costs.
Positioned above the Taycan 4S and below the Taycan Turbo derivatives, the Porsche Taycan GTS cleverly inserts itself into the all-electric Porsche range. This is the ‘sweet spot’ at least until the brand finally takes the covers off the Porsche Macan EV.
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What’s Under the Skin of the Porsche Taycan GTS?
Under the skin of the Porsche Taycan GTS sits the brand’s top-level Performance Battery Plus, 93.4 kWh in size and offering up to 485km of WLTP range. And while it’s far from the most efficient EV on the market, often going beyond 23kWh/100km in our testing, when you consider the amount of power and energy offered by the motors it’s an acceptable amount of energy consumption.
Speaking of which, energy is sent to dual motors on the front and rear axle with a combined power output of 380kW (or 440kW on over boost), alongside 850Nm of torque. The rear axle is fitted with a two-speed transmission that has an audible (albeit fake) gear change sound, while the front motor has the ability to switch off under normal driving conditions for extended-range purposes.
The resulting acceleration figure is very impressive, 0-100km/h takes just 3.7 seconds in the new Taycan GTS on over-boost before it goes on to a top speed of 250 km/h. Without beating a dead horse, nothing compares to the acceleration of a fast EV, and sadly, it makes everything else feel slow.
| Porsche Taycan 4S | Porsche Taycan GTS | Porsche Taycan Turbo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range (WLTP) | 413 km or 478 km | 485 km | 482 km |
| Energy consumption | 254.0 Wh/km | 259.0 Wh/km | 260.0 Wh/km |
| Capacity | 79.2 kWh or 93.4 kWh | 93.4 kWh | 93.4 kWh |
| Charging capacity (AC) | Up to 11kW | Up to 11kW | Up to 11kW |
| Charging capacity (DC) | Up to 350kW | Up to 350kW | Up to 350kW |
| Charging time (50kW DC) 5-80% | 93.0 min | 93.0 min | 93.0 min |
| Charging time (Max DC) 5-80% | 22.5 min | 22.5 min | 22.5 min |
Charging is a Strength of the Porsche Taycan
Like other Taycans, the ability to charge the GTS at up to 350 kW is a big bonus for the future-proofing of the car. It’s based on 800-volt architecture, which is good, and means that even with a lack of charging and energy infrastructure in Australia, the car will remain viable when an ultra-fast charging network becomes a reality.
Nonetheless, buyers of the Taycan receive a complimentary three-year subscription to Australia’s Chargefox Ultra-Rapid DC charging network (up to 350 kW), and complimentary charging at selected Chargefox-managed Fast DC charging sites (mostly 50 kW).
I believe home charging remains the only viable option for buyers, and Porsche can set you up with a home-charging system through the officially recommended charging installer, JET Charge.
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How Does the Porsche Taycan GTS Drive?
I’ll stand by the fact that there’s only a handful of EVs on the road today that really engage driving enthusiasts. At the lower end of the price range, my favourite is the Polestar 2, but if money was no option, the Porsche Taycan sits at the top of that list and the GTS takes the further.
Ride and Handling
The ride is comfortable thanks to the adaptive air suspension, including PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management), that’s been tuned for the Taycan GTS. Is it a little ‘stiffer’ than the Porsche Taycan Turbo and RWD we’ve driven previously? Yes, although it’s far from ‘stiff’ in the general sense of the word. It deals with bumps in the road in one smooth motion, it’s still exceptionally comfortable to sit in every day.
Acceleration potential means you can hardly explore the true driving limits of the car without doubling the legal speed limit on most twisty roads. However, it’s easy to see how the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) with ABS and extended brake functions could save you should you dive bomb a corner at Mach 3.
You can’t really feel the Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) working through corners, although the optionally available Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) does a great job of dealing with excessive body roll and rapid changes in direction on uneven road surfaces.
Both high-speed and low-speed corners are tackled with ease thanks to rear-axle steering that’s adapted for the Taycan GTS (optionally available). It makes light work of hairpins while maintaining stability at high speed by turning the wheels in the same direction as the front. It’s a very similar system to that found on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT I drove last year and helps the car feel much smaller than it is.
Braking
As you would expect from just about any Porsche model, braking performance is top-tier. You have 390mm cast-iron discs (internally vented) up front with 6-piston aluminium calipers (in red). And at the rear, 358mm cast-iron discs (internally vented) with 4-piston aluminium calipers (also in red). The wheels are 20-inch Taycan Turbo S Aero Design wheels finished in satin black, but I’d option the 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels.
I’ve said it before, but I wish Porsche would look into their regenerative braking technology as it’s outclassed by brands like BMW. I can’t emphasise how important a smart regenerative braking system is to the overall electric vehicle ownership experience. In short, Porsche’s PRM system isn’t strong enough to one-pedal drive, something that you’ll struggle to live without once you do it once.
Driving Modes
The backbone of the entire driving experience is the standard fit Porsche Sport Chrono package with a specifically tuned ‘Sport’ mode for the Taycan GTS. Five modes are included; Range, Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual. In most cases, you’ll find yourself switching between Normal and Sport Plus and we’re pleased to say that it isn’t too harsh for street use.
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What’s the Porsche Taycan GTS Like on the Inside?
Beyond the sporty driving experience, I’d choose the GTS over the 4S model for the interior outfit alone. I love the use of black Race-Tex (Porsche’s version of Alcantara) while the addition of ‘GTS’ badges on the doorsills, headrests, and further brushed aluminium highlights certainly add to the occasion.
In terms of hardware, there are 2 USB charging and connectivity ports in the front centre console, 2 USB charging ports in the rear passenger area, and E-mobility services including charge management, control of vehicle parking pre-climatisation, and range management.
I’ve included a complete list of standard equipment at the end of the article.
How Big are the Screens?
The Porsche Taycan GTS has a total of four screens, one for the driver that hovers beautifully above the dashboard, one in the centre console area for controlling climate functions, one central media unit, and a second media and infotainment unit for the passenger with bespoke readouts.
Screen overload? No, not really. They all talk to each other and having your passenger play around with the music and check out the G-Force under acceleration is always fun, albeit a little ‘gimmicky.
As an Android user, I was pleasantly surprised to find Porsche Communication Management (PCM 6.0) in the new Taycan GTS. This was the first time I’ve had the chance to use wireless Android Auto in a Porsche! Hallelujah. Of course, wireless Apple CarPlay is also present, which is displayed on a 10.9-inch HD touch display with online navigation, audio interfaces and voice control.
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Man of Many’s Verdict on the Porsche Taycan GTS
It’s true, the Porsche Taycan GTS is the sweet spot in the Taycan lineup in Australia and it’s my pick of the bunch.
At a glance, I love the way it looks, but driving it involves the senses, more so than any electric vehicle I’ve driven before it. The peripherals lean this Taycan towards the true meaning of the GTS badge, it starts with the feel of the Race Tex steering wheel in hand, but also the feedback from the pedals, the bespoke electric soundtrack, and the balance of the car’s weight on turn-in and mid-corner.
Since the first GTS badge was attached to the Porsche 904 GTS back in November 1963, the brand has been direct in its intention. Create a driver-focused experience that often means changes to suspension, powertrain, and appearance. They’ve executed the design brief to perfection with the Taycan GTS.
On one end, if they gave the Taycan GTS the same power as the Taycan Turbo S and named it “Taycan Turbo GT” it might be better suited to the characteristics of the car, but creating a GTS is a challenge Porsche couldn’t resist. They succeeded.
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Porsche Taycan GTS Standard Equipment in Australia
The Porsche Taycan GTS comes with the following as standard in Australia.
- Tyre sealant and electric air compressor
- Privacy glazing
- Windscreen with Grey top tint
- Automatic dimming mirrors
- Electrically folding exterior mirrors
- Metallic paint
- Power steering Plus
- ParkAssist including Surround View
- Adaptive Cruise Control incl. Active Lane Keeping and Traffic Jam Assist,
- Head-Up Display
- Lane Change Assist
- Porsche Entry (Comfort access)
- Seat heating (front)
- Seat ventilation as a No-Cost Option (NCO)
- Side airbags in the rear compartment
- BOSE Surround Sound system (14 speakers including sub-woofer and 710 Watts of power)
- Digital radio
- 150 kW on-board DC-Charger for 400-volt public charging stations
- Home Energy Manager
- 22 kW Mobile Charger Connect
- Public charging cable (Mode 3)
- Porsche Charging Dock
- A three-year subscription to the Chargefox network, which includes free charging on the Chargefox Ultra-Rapid charging network (350 kW)
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