Porsche Just Saved You 47 Grand on the Price of a 2020 Taycan
In September, Porsche unveiled the first two models of its all-electric Taycan sedan and wowed us with the performance — and the prices. Now it has followed up with the announcement of a new entry-level Taycan 4S that’s still priced in the six figures, but is a lot cheaper and offers all the style with only slightly dialed back performance.
U.S. prices for the new base model will start at $105,150 with the new models’ standard 79.2-kilowatt-hour battery (all prices include a $1,350 destination charge) and $111,730 with the optional 93.4-kwh battery from the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S models unveiled earlier. The Taycan Turbo starts at a lofty $152,250 and the Turbo S starts at $186,350. The 4S can be ordered now and is expected at dealers in the spring, after hitting the streets in Europe in January. The Turbo and Turbo S are expected to be at U.S. dealers late this year.
The 4S also is all-wheel drive and has two slightly smaller and lighter motors, one on each axle. They put out a combined 522 horsepower with the standard battery and 563 hp with the upgraded battery. Porsche estimates both, however, as being capable of zero-to-60 mph in 3.8 seconds and specifies a top speed of 155 mph. That compares with output of 616 hp in the Taycan Turbo and 670 hp in Turbo S. Their zero-to-60 mph times are 3.0 seconds and 2.6 seconds, respectively, and they get top speeds of 161 mph. EPA range ratings for the Taycan models have not yet been posted; Porsche has said it expects the first two models to have a rated range of 256 to 279 miles.
The electronically controlled 4S chassis is mostly the same technically as the other models and includes a two-speed transmission on the rear axle. And an adaptive air suspension is standard. Maximum charging capacity at an 800-volt DC fast-charging station is 225 kilowatts for the standard battery and 270 for the upgrade. That would allow charging from 5 percent to 80 percent in 22.5 minutes in ideal circumstances. At a more common 400-volt DC fast-charging station, charging is at 50 kW or 150 with an optional booster.
The look of the 4S is distinguished by a slightly different front end, lower side trim and rear bumper, as well as by its own 19-inch wheels and red brake calipers. Adaptive LED headlights are standard. Inside, partial leather upholstery is standard and, as with the other models, a leather-free interior is offered. The dashboard features a free-standing, curved instrument cluster 10.9-inch multimedia display.
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The lower pricing of the 4S makes it a more direct rival to the 2019 Tesla Model S Performance model, which currently starts at $99,990, though the S with Ludicrous Mode boasts a faster zero-to-60 mph of 2.4 seconds and a rated range of 345 miles. The S also is available in a base model starting at $79,990, and it has a much longer rated range of 370 miles. The Porsches, however, still qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax subsidy, whereas the Teslas do not.
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