2023 Porsche Taycan: How 5 Automotive Journalists Would Order Porsche's EV

We set them loose with the sales configurator — just for fun.

Capital One | 

Feb 27, 2023 | 8 min read

Porsche

Porsche leapt into the EV era with the four-door Taycan, which blends the automaker’s distinctive styling with the instant acceleration afforded by an electric powertrain. The lineup has nearly a dozen configurations, none of which is a slouch. The entry-level car (starting at $88,000) hits 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, while the top-of-the-line Turbo S (at $189,000) does the deed in just 2.6.

Porsche

But where’s the sweet spot in the range? And which options are worth the money? It’s easy to go overboard with the hundreds of customization options Porsche offers, particularly given how the automaker’s online configurator tantalizes with detailed, high-resolution photos of the interior and exterior and updates in real time to display the features you select. A person could spend hours (and loads of imaginary cash) building their perfect Porsche. We asked five automotive writers to do just that. Here’s how they would order their Taycans.

Porsche

Brett Berk

As well-versed on luxury goods and the luxury lifestyle as he is luxury cars, Brett is an automotive writer who knows his way around a high-end vehicle.

The Porsche Taycan is one of the handsomest electric cars on the market, but if I’m going to replace my beloved Golf Alltrack wagon with an EV, it needs to host the same kind of practicality. I’m willing to splurge for my favorite Cross Turismo model, which has an extended roof, turning the Taycan into a station wagon.

I’d sacrifice excessive power for a bit more range and a significantly lower price. The all-wheel-drive 4S Cross Turismo model, one trim up from the base, suits my needs. It makes 562 hp on overboost with launch control, can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and goes 230 miles between charges. That’s just enough to do a round trip from my apartment in New York City to my house upstate.

One has to be careful with the option boxes at Porsche lest one’s IRA empties, so I kept my choices in check. I’d shell out for a venomous Mamba Green Metallic paint job, because a green car should be unmistakably green (and it’s the best Porsche color and name). Instead of going full tilt on tech, I’d à-la-carte the features I use the most: a head-up display and adaptive cruise control. Then I’d up the wheel size one inch, to 20s, for a bit more grip and because the standard 19-inch rims aren’t available in black. The black wheels help hide the unfortunate cladding around the wheel wells.

I wouldn’t need a Porsche-branded home charging station because I’d have to sell my house in order to afford this car’s roughly $122,000 price. But the back seats recline. My partner and I can live in the back and look damn good doing it.

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Andrew Ganz

Andrew’s garage once housed a vintage Porsche 911 and an ultracheap Nissan Leaf — at the same time. He has served as an automotive journalist and editor for various print and online publications.

While some may be drawn to the long-roof Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo models, I don’t look to a Porsche Taycan for its day-to-day practicality. Instead, give me the slippery sedan shape but dress it up as the 670-hp Turbo. (The 750-hp Turbo S tempts, but I’ll never approach its performance envelope.)

Finished in Mahogany Metallic with optional 21-inch wheels, my dream-build Taycan looks the part. I’d wrap the interior — including the dashboard and sun visors — in Truffle Brown leather, which brings with it some ritzy matte-gold cabin accents. Then I'd select Paldao wood trim to round out the clubby atmosphere.

As far as features go, the Performance package with its rear-wheel steering and adaptive dampers means enhanced handling and improved highway tracking. Check. I’d pass on the nearly $6,000 Burmester audio system, but I’d add power-folding exterior mirrors. After all, the Taycan is the better part of 78 inches wide and takes up as much of a parking space as the chunky Jeep Grand Cherokee does. That puts this Taycan Turbo at about $170,500.

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Ronan Glon

With equal appreciation for classic and new models, Ronan has logged thousands of high-speed miles in high-performance Porsches throughout Europe, where he lives.

I'd start with the GTS, which occupies a nice middle ground between the 4S and Turbo variants. I'd add the $5,300 Technology package to get a head-up display and adaptive cruise control, which are great features to have on longer trips, but I'd save $5,200 by not ticking the Premium package box. A fixed glass roof and power-folding door mirrors aren't must-haves for me.

The $500 rear 2+1 seats would be useful for those times when I need to carry four passengers, and the $1,600 rear-wheel-steering system would make a significant difference in handling and maneuverability both around town and on twisty roads. I'd steer clear of the ceramic brakes, which cost more than $9,000. They're overkill in a car that will never see track use in my hands, and the car’s regenerative braking function ensures the standard brakes will be more than enough.

I wouldn't go crazy with the design-related options. Ordering extras like carbon-fiber exterior trim, "electric" decals on the front doors, and Porsche crests in the front headrests is a quick way to end up with options worth as much as a Nissan Versa and a car that's so stylized, it’s difficult to sell when the time comes. The only exception to this rule would be Paldao wood interior trim, priced at $500. I think it adds an elegant touch to the cabin, and the interior should look elegant when the car costs $149,000.

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Benjamin Hunting

Few automotive writers have the breadth of experience Benjamin can boast. He’s co-authored graphic novels and slotted a modern V8 under the hood of a classic Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

The Taycan 4S Cross Turismo scratches my itch for both all-wheel drive (I live in an area where winter is cruel in tooth and claw) and a wagon body style, which I find flattering on the Taycan as well as practical. The 4S also features 562 hp and offers 230 miles of driving range on a single charge. That dual-motor output is enough to overcome the Taycan's significant curb weight and keep performance quick, and owners often beat that range figure in the real world.

To the basic package, I would add Mahogany Metallic paint, because I'm a sucker for brown, but I’d keep the standard 19-inch S Aero wheels. Compared with the available 20- and 21-inch options, the 19s have a taller sidewall so they’ll ride better and I’ll have an easier time finding winter tires in that size. I’d select the Truffle Brown Olea Club leather to expand the build's brown palette, then I’d install the Performance package with all the handling goodies, the LED headlights (I try to snag the best lighting on any vehicle build), and the Technology package (a head-up display and adaptive cruise control).

To keep things on theme in the cabin, I’d go with color-matched seat belts and then add a few amenities, including a heated steering wheel and ventilated seats. I’d top things off with the Burmester sound system. I'm not interested in surround-sound audio given that music is recorded in two-track, but it does guarantee me the best speakers and amps. Porsche would charge me $144,000 or so for this Taycan.

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Annie White

Annie has almost a decade of experience as a car writer and a particular interest in how the automotive industry will adapt in a more sustainability-focused future.

Even the least expensive Taycan would set me back almost $90,000, and since we’re playing with Monopoly money, I see no reason to moderate my pick. I’d choose the 750-hp Turbo S. The Cross Turismo’s bulbous back end is a taste I haven’t acquired yet, so it’s the sedan for me. The Turbo S’s 222 miles of range should be enough to keep me out of trouble, but I’d throw in the 150-kW onboard DC charger to make stops at a fast-charging station quicker.

Mamba Green Metallic is the only sensible paint choice. All Turbo Ss have 21-inch wheels, and I’m happy with the standard five-spoke design. I’d keep things simple inside, too, with the no-cost black leather interior and comfort-oriented 14-way adjustable front seats. The Turbo S’s two available options packages, Premium and Technology, include items I could happily live without. I’d tick adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring from the à-la-carte menu instead, then add the active anti-roll bars. I almost want the panoramic sunroof, but this beast is heavy enough without it. Insulated glass, on the other hand, seems a judicious choice. With no purring Porsche engine to drown out wind and road noise, the thicker glass will help maintain a sense of isolation from the rest of the roadgoing public. All told, Porsche would ask around $197,000 for this Taycan.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Capital One

Banking should leave you with the same great feeling you get when you drive casually on a weekend afternoon. And that’s how I feel when writing helpful tips and reviews – passionate about cars and passionate about financing and everything in between when buying a new ride.