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Post by garry on Dec 9, 2021 11:14:36 GMT
I was down at Porsche Preston specifying the GTS over the weekend(you'll just have to wait for it to be delivered for the reveal!). I expressed an interest in the Taycan which resulted in a Cross Turismo 4s being mine for the day yesterday.
It was in black with 21 inch wheels, privacy glass, pano roof, aluminium window trims. Looks are a personal preference and whilst it isn't my favourite colour I think it looked superb - sporty & practical. It is a really practical car too - plenty of room for four with a decent boot. My Son came along (back from 1st term at University already!) and he had plenty of room sat behind me. We're not a very tall family through - I'm 5'10" and he is a couple of inches taller.
Getting into it feels 'proper' Porsche - you're almost sports car low as you drop into the seat. The interior is decent, but stepping from the Audi to the Porsche I didn't feel I was stepping up in terms of quality or design.
Driving it and the first thing that struck me was how 'Porsche' it felt. This is no limo. There's a firmness to the ride and a weight to the steering. It's not uncomfortable by any stretch, but enough to let you know it's got a sports car intent. There's a lot of pretty narrow country roads around me. The 911 always excelled on these. Firstly by being small enough. The Taycan didn't feel big. From the drivers seat it felt very similar to a 911 in dimensions. Wind it up a little and it feels utterly capable. I don't know how they've hidden the weight, but they have. It feels connected, light, responsive. I was also struck by how flat it cornered. I guess the low slung batteries help. In Sport Plus mode it also produces a noise - like some sort of turbine noise. I thought I'd hate it, but it really added to the experience on a back road blast. The brakes are superb. Electric cars seem to have difficulty with progressive brake feel. The Taycan has a superb progressive brake feel. So, on a back road in sport plus it felt like a great car that happened electric rather than that being the overwhelming characteristic.
Performance wise, this was certainly all I need. Launch control is comically easy (press bake, press accelerator, wait for "launch control activated", lift brake, arrive at horizon!). I'd like to try a turbo S but this has enough go off-the-line for me. I really wonder if I have the reactions to keep up with a much quicker launch.
On a motorway it's very easy. switch it to normal, cruise in silence. It was a very wet & windy day, neither of which seemed to bother it.
Bad points for me:
1. Range. It's OK (circa 270 miles). But I'd like more.
2. Options. It had £25k of options and I couldn't see much frippery!
If you're an electric car doubter, drive one of these and you might well change your mind.
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Post by franki68 on Dec 9, 2021 11:57:44 GMT
A boxster/cayman gts or a 992 ?
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Post by garry on Dec 9, 2021 12:02:24 GMT
A boxster/cayman gts or a 992 ? Boxster gts |
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Post by PetrolEd on Dec 9, 2021 12:05:51 GMT
Sounds great, no doubt its all the car you'd need but paying that much for a car that you know will be obsolete in 10 years is a little painful. Of course if I had my own business I'd be first in the queue as its a no brainer. So when are you getting one?
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Post by chipbutty on Dec 9, 2021 12:39:07 GMT
Missus Chips has access to a salary sacrifice scheme at work and the Cross Turismo 4S works out at a not unreasonable monthly. It's still a good way off the RRS in terms of cost, but it's still great value considering the quality of the product and how much you would have to pay if you were purchasing normally.
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Post by garry on Dec 9, 2021 12:48:03 GMT
 The steering committee was also happy behind the wheel too. |
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Post by Martin on Dec 9, 2021 13:46:47 GMT
Sounds as good as I'd expect it to be. When is the order going in?
I don't like the extra plastic bits on the Cross Turismo, but I think I'd be happy with a GTS Sport Turismo. Not at £115-120k as a private buyer though, there are a lot of cars I'd choose ahead of an EV with that budget.
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Post by Martin on Dec 9, 2021 13:54:57 GMT
<button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button> The steering committee was also happy behind the wheel too. Only just behind the wheel.....  |
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Post by garry on Dec 9, 2021 14:42:29 GMT
<button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button> The steering committee was also happy behind the wheel too. Only just behind the wheel..... She's 5 feet tall on a good day. Her driving position is comical - as high as the seat will go and inches from the wheel. I can't physically get in the car when it's set to her driving position. Memory seats are a non negotiable. |
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Post by Martin on Dec 9, 2021 14:54:04 GMT
Only just behind the wheel..... She's 5 feet tall on a good day. Her driving position is comical - as high as the seat will go and inches from the wheel. I can't physically get in the car when it's set to her driving position. Memory seats are a non negotiable. Lindsay is only a few inches taller, which is why I wouldn't buy a car without memory seats either, but she has the wheel most of the way in and doesn't need to sit that close. I've seen people even closer to the wheel, which would give them a huge shock if the airbag went off. |
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Post by garry on Dec 9, 2021 14:59:32 GMT
Sounds as good as I'd expect it to be. When is the order going in? I don't like the extra plastic bits on the Cross Turismo, but I think I'd be happy with a GTS Sport Turismo. Not at £115-120k as a private buyer though, there are a lot of cars I'd choose ahead of an EV with that budget. Re the private buyer; the sales guy told me that every Taycan buyer he'd dealt with was buying through their business. Johnc can correct/refine this, but my rough rule of thumb is that an EV is half price through the business vs buying privately - it is out of pre taxed income so that's 45%, it reduces corporation tax, then there's vat and running costs. I too wouldn't look at a taycan as a private buyer. |
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Post by franki68 on Dec 9, 2021 15:57:07 GMT
I was down at Porsche Preston specifying the GTS over the weekend(you'll just have to wait for it to be delivered for the reveal!). I expressed an interest in the Taycan which resulted in a Cross Turismo 4s being mine for the day yesterday. It was in black with 21 inch wheels, privacy glass, pano roof, aluminium window trims. Looks are a personal preference and whilst it isn't my favourite colour I think it looked superb - sporty & practical. It is a really practical car too - plenty of room for four with a decent boot. My Son came along (back from 1st term at University already!) and he had plenty of room sat behind me. We're not a very tall family through - I'm 5'10" and he is a couple of inches taller. Getting into it feels 'proper' Porsche - you're almost sports car low as you drop into the seat. The interior is decent, but stepping from the Audi to the Porsche I didn't feel I was stepping up in terms of quality or design. Driving it and the first thing that struck me was how 'Porsche' it felt. This is no limo. There's a firmness to the ride and a weight to the steering. It's not uncomfortable by any stretch, but enough to let you know it's got a sports car intent. There's a lot of pretty narrow country roads around me. The 911 always excelled on these. Firstly by being small enough. The Taycan didn't feel big. From the drivers seat it felt very similar to a 911 in dimensions. Wind it up a little and it feels utterly capable. I don't know how they've hidden the weight, but they have. It feels connected, light, responsive. I was also struck by how flat it cornered. I guess the low slung batteries help. In Sport Plus mode it also produces a noise - like some sort of turbine noise. I thought I'd hate it, but it really added to the experience on a back road blast. The brakes are superb. Electric cars seem to have difficulty with progressive brake feel. The Taycan has a superb progressive brake feel. So, on a back road in sport plus it felt like a great car that happened electric rather than that being the overwhelming characteristic. Performance wise, this was certainly all I need. Launch control is comically easy (press bake, press accelerator, wait for "launch control activated", lift brake, arrive at horizon!). I'd like to try a turbo S but this has enough go off-the-line for me. I really wonder if I have the reactions to keep up with a much quicker launch. On a motorway it's very easy. switch it to normal, cruise in silence. It was a very wet & windy day, neither of which seemed to bother it. Bad points for me: 1. Range. It's OK (circa 270 miles). But I'd like more. 2. Options. It had £25k of options and I couldn't see much frippery! If you're an electric car doubter, drive one of these and you might well change your mind. Porsche have a distinct driving feel.I think you could put me blindfold behind the wheel of hundreds of vehicles and I would be able to tell you if it was a porsche from the way it drove (let's not dwell on how I would drive blindfolded). |
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Post by garry on Dec 9, 2021 16:26:22 GMT
Porsche have a distinct driving feel.I think you could put me blindfold behind the wheel of hundreds of vehicles and I would be able to tell you if it was a porsche from the way it drove (let's not dwell on how I would drive blindfolded). Yep. Electric cars can feel a bit anonymous. Porsche has managed to inject the Porsche DNA into an EV. I guess I was surprised by how much of that DNA they'd managed to capture. |
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Post by Tim on Dec 9, 2021 16:49:50 GMT
She's 5 feet tall on a good day. Her driving position is comical - as high as the seat will go and inches from the wheel. I can't physically get in the car when it's set to her driving position. Memory seats are a non negotiable. Lindsay is only a few inches taller, which is why I wouldn't buy a car without memory seats either, but she has the wheel most of the way in and doesn't need to sit that close. I've seen people even closer to the wheel, which would give them a huge shock if the airbag went off. Mrs Tim is under 5 feet tall on a good day and she manages to sit further away than that! |
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Post by johnc on Dec 9, 2021 16:56:52 GMT
Sounds as good as I'd expect it to be. When is the order going in? I don't like the extra plastic bits on the Cross Turismo, but I think I'd be happy with a GTS Sport Turismo. Not at £115-120k as a private buyer though, there are a lot of cars I'd choose ahead of an EV with that budget. Re the private buyer; the sales guy told me that every Taycan buyer he'd dealt with was buying through their business. Johnc can correct/refine this, but my rough rule of thumb is that an EV is half price through the business vs buying privately - it is out of pre taxed income so that's 45%, it reduces corporation tax, then there's vat and running costs. I too wouldn't look at a taycan as a private buyer. Buying through a business is a complete no brainer. Synergy car leasing have a 4S Cross Turismo for c£7.3K + VAT up front and £813.92/mth + VAT for 48 mths on an 8,000 miles deal. The VAT saving alone from buying through a company is over £4,600 and the Corporation Tax relief (at the soon to be rate of 25%) is c£11,600, making it cheaper by £16,200 over 4 years. Throw in the insurance, repairs and servicing and the gap widens. The BIK this year is 1% of the list price, so c£1,000 at 45% is a cost of £450 to the driver. Next tax year this doubles to £900 and there are rumours that it might jump to 5% in the year after which is then a cost of £2,250 to the 45% taxpayer. If the employer is a 40% higher rate taxpayer who is a sole trader or partnership providing a car to a member of staff, the savings are c£24,000 over the 48mth lease. |
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Post by garry on Dec 17, 2021 11:20:13 GMT
I’ve been thinking about this and I’m not sure the Taycan Cross is for me. It’s a great piece of kit but I’ll have the GTS for kicks and I’d prefer my other car to focus on pure comfort. Whilst it’s decent on that front, it ain’t the last word in cosseting. The Etron is a pudding, but it’s extremely comfy. I like the difference between it and the GTS. What I’d really like is a very tax efficient Range Rover. I see rumours of a p440e but no details. It would need to get into the 7% bik tax bracket to make me interested. There is BMW X5 that fits the bill that I need to take a closer look at.
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Post by johnc on Dec 17, 2021 11:56:07 GMT
There is BMW X5 that fits the bill that I need to take a closer look at. I have a client who has just bought his 3rd and loves it. Prior to that he had two XC90's and before that a RRS which crippled him with BIK because he bought it and then asked the question! |
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Post by Martin on Dec 17, 2021 11:59:13 GMT
I’ve been thinking about this and I’m not sure the Taycan Cross is for me. It’s a great piece of kit but I’ll have the GTS for kicks and I’d prefer my other car to focus on pure comfort. Whilst it’s decent on that front, it ain’t the last word in cosseting. The Etron is a pudding, but it’s extremely comfy. I like the difference between it and the GTS. What I’d really like is a very tax efficient Range Rover. I see rumours of a p440e but no details. It would need to get into the 7% bik tax bracket to make me interested. There is BMW X5 that fits the bill that I need to take a closer look at. There will be two plug in RR hybrids, a 440e and 510e, both with a 3.0 petrol 6 cylinder. I’ve read that the official electric range will be 60 miles and they will be under 30g co2. |
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Post by franki68 on Mar 24, 2022 12:59:33 GMT
Well the cayenne has had a recall and todays courtesy car is a bog standard Taycan.
Underwhelmed by my first experience of an electric car.
Acceleration is initially neck breaking but then it just sort of fades away .
Good stuff...it handles very well,the low centre of gravity really does help.The steering is quite good as is the ride and the brakes are brilliant.
Bad stuff..the interior looks nice from afar but it is plastic everything,I am sure an expensive ticking of certain options can improve it but it feels a step down quality wise form any Porsche I have owned.
Overall very unimpressed and that is without mentioning the lack of a proper engine makes it completely souless.
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Post by johnc on Mar 31, 2022 11:51:05 GMT
One of my Taycan owning clients turned up this morning in a Macan S. I asked him if his car was in for a service and he didn't look too pleased. His 6mth old car has been in the garage for 6 weeks now because the heater doesn't work and they are waiting on parts. He's not too fussed with the Macan either which isn't particularly well specced and is fairly thirsty for a 2 litre. His first Porsche ownership experience hasn't started too well.
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 31, 2022 20:22:42 GMT
A Macan S would be a 3.0 if a Gen II, or a 2.9 if a Gen III (the current one).
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Post by johnc on Apr 1, 2022 7:45:43 GMT
A Macan S would be a 3.0 if a Gen II, or a 2.9 if a Gen III (the current one). He thought it was a 2 litre but I will ask him to check if it is an S. I only saw it drive past the window into the carpark so I didn't get to inspect it but I wouldn't know the difference between a Gen II and a Gen III. |
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 1, 2022 9:39:20 GMT
A Macan S would be a 3.0 if a Gen II, or a 2.9 if a Gen III (the current one). He thought it was a 2 litre but I will ask him to check if it is an S. I only saw it drive past the window into the carpark so I didn't get to inspect it but I wouldn't know the difference between a Gen II and a Gen III. Normally a 2litre had a single square pipe each side at the back and just says "Macan" on the back, whereas the S has "Macan S" written on the back and four tailpipes. Best way to tell Gen II from Gen III is the numberplate - 71 or newer is likely a Gen III. 19-21 plate will be Gen II. |
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Post by PetrolEd on Apr 1, 2022 14:31:25 GMT
Surely he's having the best of both worlds. Enjoying zero BIK and full writting down allowances whilst not actually having to drive an electric car.
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