Porsche Taycan Testing
According to Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, no one will be talking about Tesla after the electric Porsche Taycan arrives in September.
Promising 911 levels of dynamics and up to 600bhp of electric power, the Taycan promises to eclipse anything Tesla has done to date, and with prices starting at, probably, around £70k (admittedly for the lower power versions) it looks to be a hugely appealing electric supercar. And Porsche boss Oliver Blume certainly thinks so.
Talking to Handelsblatt, Blume was asked if he thought anyone would still be talking about Tesla when the Taycan launches. He said:
To be honest, we did not think so.
I have absolute respect for the courage of Elon Musk and also for his innovation and pioneering spirit. I like that. Pioneering spirit is a characteristic that also shapes us at Porsche. However, Tesla has taken a different approach in many places. When we set up a new Porsche, we always set the standard for ourselves: the Taycan has to drive like the 911.
Blume went on to say that he’d driven the Taycan on track in Italy and was still excited by how it drove, with its low centre of gravity (lower than a 911) and chassis delivering exceptional driving dynamics, and a gearbox which delivers even more thrust when you get north of 100mph.
We already know more than 20,000 reservations have been received by Porsche for the Taycan, and although Blume wouldn’t give a current figure he did say annual production will now exceed 20,000, although only 10,000 in the first year.
hannes beukes says
10000 a year, so basically what tesla makes in a week ?
Christian S says
Porsche’s CEO didn’t say that!!! The translation used in this article is wrong.
The interviewer asks a fairly offensive question and Porsche’s CEO answers, that they haven’t thought about that ( Porsche CEO:”Da haben wir uns, ehrlich gesagt, keine Gedanken gemacht.” ). Completely different meaning.
This article is really embarrassing for Cars UK. Any native speaker of German who read the original interview will agree with me.
Carl Knott says
Tesla’s Model S already got 370 mile EPA range and rumored to be getting 400 mile with refreshing later this year. Even the “cheap” Model 3 gets 310 mile range. What the Taycan has? 225? 200? Lol…
Peter says
As if Tesla didn’t and doesn*t take customer’s money years in advance.
Charging infrastructure is developing, there are standards every EV in Europe has to follow. Also you can charge your car 100%, not only 80% like at Teslas infrastructure.
For a Porsche limited quantities is never a problem. This doesn*t aim to be Average Joe’s daily car at 35.000$ and lower. Which you-know-how unfortunately cancelled.
I like Tesla, for a start-up it got many things almost perfectly given the odds. But when buying an expensive car I do not tolerate things that I would tolerate on a cheap but shiny phone full of nice gadgets. Tesla tries to compensate lack of car experience with plenty of gadgets, but for me that’s the wrong way.
Able Lawrence says
I would be surprised if they reach 2012 Tesla standards let alone 2019 April version. By the time Taycan arrives Tesla would have set new standards include 400 miles+ range.
jimmy says
Has he seen the Model S refresh? Somebody might want to show him…it’s out in 2019 before the TayCan’t and can be produced up to 50, 75, 100k per year so.
Javier Rykerfield says
Surely you realize that in the US, Electrify America is building out and one can drive across the US in an EV without it being a Tesla. Plus we know Porsche will be in business in the future, We are not sure about Tesla and their bizarre CEO.
Henry says
The big difference is that you can actually buy a Tesla, and the have a charging infrastructure!
Taycan’s will only available in limited quantities!