4s vs Turbo

Bluebeauty

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Ponomo, your answer may be in your own words: you’re “not a speed junky“ nor do you plan to take it to the track. It so happens I was able to have a long test drive with the Turbo version and a second weekend-long test drive with a 4S. I wound up going with the 4S for a simple reason: the price difference, even after a +40k custom-spec of my 4S, was about 100k. For that extra money, I could have had a car that will go zero-to-illegal in about 2.8 seconds, as opposed to my 4S doing the same in about 3.8 seconds. For some folks, that expensive extra second faster off a jackrabbit start will be worth every penny. But I couldn’t justify the cost. I have 20,000k on my 4S now after 7 months and about to put it away for the winter :( and have never once regretted not getting the Turbo.
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So, I've put a deposit on a turbo, but I'm thinking that I'd be fine with a base model or 4S with the sport design package and mission e wheels.

I absolutely hate to waste money on things that won't bring me a sufficient upgrade in pleasure or function. My previous love was a 911, so I'm going to be a bit disappointed with the handling regardless of what I choose.

Is there anyone out there who went with a base model or 4S, but is regretting their decision now? Cost is not really a factor, I just don't want to be wasteful. I'm not a speed junky nor do I plan to take it to the track, although I do like to hit the on ramps with a bit of juice :)
I owned a Tesla Model S P100D, (faster than my 4S in acceleration from 0-60 and 1/4-mile), and I test drove and initially ordered a Taycan Turbo S, because I usually just went for the highest performing "fully loaded" spec. I am so happy I have a Taycan 4S, it is plenty fast enough for all the urban and highway driving I do, and it is not a track car that I race against others with a Turbo or Turbo S. It has slightly more trunk space and longer range than the Turbo, and is only slightly slower in acceleration, which for all daily purposes is not noticeable. It is noticeable in the Turbo S vs Taycan 4S/Taycan base, but the performance of the Turbo S is virtually unusable safely on city streets. I drive my 4S daily and it never feels slow compared to other cars on the street and in traffic, it is the "Alpha male" on the road 99.9% of the time. Get the Turbo S if you have money to throw away/ burn, the 4S is the wise choice if you want to get the best Taycan for the money.
 

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Ponomo, your answer may be in your own words: you’re “not a speed junky“ nor do you plan to take it to the track. It so happens I was able to have a long test drive with the Turbo version and a second weekend-long test drive with a 4S. I wound up going with the 4S for a simple reason: the price difference, even after a +40k custom-spec of my 4S, was about 100k. For that extra money, I could have had a car that will go zero-to-illegal in about 2.8 seconds, as opposed to my 4S doing the same in about 3.8 seconds. For some folks, that expensive extra second faster off a jackrabbit start will be worth every penny. But I couldn’t justify the cost. I have 20,000k on my 4S now after 7 months and about to put it away for the winter :( and have never once regretted not getting the Turbo.
I feel the same. I ordered my 4S in October 2020 and went back and forth numerous times before my lock-in date thinking about 'upgrading' to a Turbo. I tried to price the Turbo with the same options that my 4S had and the difference in price was over $20,000 if I remember correctly, maybe $25,000. Money was not the issue. I just could not find $25,000 of extra value in the Turbo over the 4S. Yes, the Turbo is a tiny tiny bit quicker but the handling has to be the same if not identical to the 4S. Thinking this through all over again (as a result of this post) I would once again opt for the 4S, but that's just me. One thing that I do know...............don't make a purchase that you will be sorry for. If the Turbo is calling your name - buy it and forget about the extra dollars that it costs. It is no fun owning something, especially a car, when every time you look at it you wish that you would have bought something else. Life is just too short to have a bunch of regrets in your pocket.
 

anoobis

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I owned a Tesla Model S P100D, (faster than my 4S in acceleration from 0-60 and 1/4-mile), and I test drove and initially ordered a Taycan Turbo S, because I usually just went for the highest performing "fully loaded" spec. I am so happy I have a Taycan 4S, it is plenty fast enough for all the urban and highway driving I do, and it is not a track car that I race against others with a Turbo or Turbo S. It has slightly more trunk space and longer range than the Turbo, and is only slightly slower in acceleration, which for all daily purposes is not noticeable. It is noticeable in the Turbo S vs Taycan 4S/Taycan base, but the performance of the Turbo S is virtually unusable safely on city streets. I drive my 4S daily and it never feels slow compared to other cars on the street and in traffic, it is the "Alpha male" on the road 99.9% of the time. Get the Turbo S if you have money to throw away/ burn, the 4S is the wise choice if you want to get the best Taycan for the money.
I owned a Model S Performance (P100D successor) and I agree with everything you said. The acceleration was merely a novelty at some point. I barely ever used it and when I drove the 4s I thought, "this is fast enough" and I went with the 4s. For me the Taycan and Model S were luxury cruisers not race cars. I have a BMW M2 for that right now and I love it, but I hate driving it to work everyday.
 

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As for Teslas I school even the performance models in my 4S for mid range acceleration and i have owned both
If you are referring to the Model S Performance (so Ludicrous, not even Plaid), they let you, or were running on very low state of charge. I test drove a couple of 4S and the mid range acceleration (as compared to the Ludicrous mode Model S) was very noticeably lower to me, which is why I went with the Turbo. I suspect the low end acceleration is the same though, as that is mostly traction limited. Personally I almost never floor my Model S from dead stop because my car is not tidy enough and I don't want to be collecting items which fly from the front to the back seat, but I floor it all the time on highways and would be happy to have even more power there.
 


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I've come from an i8 and a 996 C2 coupe. I ordered a 4S and have switched to a turbo without even driving it. Everyone is talking about performance, but let's not forget, extra powder is NOT the only difference between 4S and Turbo.

The 4S I drove on test was great. Similar to the i8 in lots of ways, but heavier, so the performance felt about similar overall. Not raw and crazy like an old manual 911 though. So the turbo will make it feel more special to me performance-wise.

BUT the real reason I went turbo, is that by the time I'd specced the 4S with the options I wanted it was over £100k:

Free on Turbo and not 4S
Metallic
Performance battery+
Turbo S wheels and Turbo brakes (you have to have the brakes with the wheels, it's a forced option)
Full leather
Sport chrono
other bits.....

now, the Turbo comes with all that and more as Standard AND you're going to get a better residual.
The turbo brakes are standard but you have to pay a bit to upgrade for the mission E wheels, although not as much as in the 4S.

You also get included as standard on the Turbo:
Porsche Torque Vectoring
racetex roof lining (good for me as I don't want the pan roof)
different body kit
BOSE
and loads of other things too

I don't think Porsche are very good at telling you the differences between the cars other than pure performance. But spend enough time racking your brain choosing as I have and you can see it's not as crazy as you think going for turbo over 4S. Overall cost of ownership will be similar unless you go nots on the configurator.

Now GTS is another story...
 

Chamo74

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So, I've put a deposit on a turbo, but I'm thinking that I'd be fine with a base model or 4S with the sport design package and mission e wheels.

I absolutely hate to waste money on things that won't bring me a sufficient upgrade in pleasure or function. My previous love was a 911, so I'm going to be a bit disappointed with the handling regardless of what I choose.

Is there anyone out there who went with a base model or 4S, but is regretting their decision now? Cost is not really a factor, I just don't want to be wasteful. I'm not a speed junky nor do I plan to take it to the track, although I do like to hit the on ramps with a bit of juice :)
[/QUOTE

The 4S is great so long as you have the rear wheel steering - you wont be disappointed with the handling....
 

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But spend enough time racking your brain choosing as I have and you can see it's not as crazy as you think going for turbo over 4S. Overall cost of ownership will be similar unless you go nots on the configurator.
I recently did a detailed analysis against the 4S I've specced and it was certainly closer than I'd assumed- around £22k more to get a Turbo with the same features. At an estimated 50% residual value after 3 years, that's £11k difference in depreciated asset value (perhaps even closer as the Turbo would need less added in options to the base price). In my case I don't need half of the extra stuff that comes as standard on the Turbo, but I'd still want to add £8k of options- others may find they need to add a lot less.
But what stopped me considering it further was my impatience- I guess that lead times are at least 6 months longer for a Turbo.
That said, the more people that drop out of the 4S queue to go for a Turbo, the better for me :D
 


WuffvonTrips

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In addition to the extra power output, here’s what comes as standard on a UK Turbo CT but not on a 4S CT (items in italics are the 4S version):

Metallic Paint
Exterior mirror lower trims painted in exterior colour including mirror base in black (Exterior mirror lower trims including mirror base in black)
Brake calipers in black (Brake calipers painted in red)
Porsche Surface Coated Brake (PSCB). Internally vented brake discs with 410 mm at front and 365 mm at rear (Internally vented brake cast iron discs with 360 mm at front and 358 mm at rear)
20-inch Taycan Turbo Design wheels (19-inch Taycan S Aero wheels)
Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus)
Matrix LED headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus) (LED headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus))
Automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors
Roof lining in Race-Tex (Fabric roof lining)
Comfort front seats (14-way electric) with memory package including steering wheel height and fore/aft adjustment (Comfort front seats (8-way electric))
Seat heating (front and rear) (Heated front seats)
Leather interior, smooth-finish leather (Partial leather interior)
'turbo' logo on the front and rear headrests
Pedal pad edges in stainless steel
BOSE® Surround Sound System with 14 speakers including subwoofer and a total output of 710 Watts (Sound Package Plus with 10 Speakers and a total output of 150 watts)

...
which in total would cost approx. £15k to add to a 4S. (Personally, I don't need £8k worth of that list so it's worth less to me.)
 
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im85288

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Now GTS is another story...
For all the reasons you mention this is why I am hoping the GTS (rumoured to be on the configurator a week today) will have more of the “essential“ goodies I would spec on a 4S…the extra power is a bonus but for me it’s more about not having to bolt on 20K worth of options which when it comes to residuals is not a great plan.
 

whitex

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I recently did a detailed analysis against the 4S I've specced and it was certainly closer than I'd assumed- around £22k more to get a Turbo with the same features. At an estimated 50% residual value after 3 years, that's £11k difference in depreciated asset value (perhaps even closer as the Turbo would need less added in options to the base price). In my case I don't need half of the extra stuff that comes as standard on the Turbo, but I'd still want to add £8k of options- others may find they need to add a lot less.
But what stopped me considering it further was my impatience- I guess that lead times are at least 6 months longer for a Turbo.
That said, the more people that drop out of the 4S queue to go for a Turbo, the better for me :D
Similar path here in the USA, the same featured 4S vs Turbo for me was ~$29K different. I did however stick with the Turbo because I want the performance.
 

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I’ll be taking it on a more mundane commute to London next week so it’ll be interesting to see if I find it lacking when on the M25 with Innodrive to take up the slack of avoiding the slack-jawed (not wholly convinced by this feature thus far, hopefully motorways will bring it into focus).
Apologies for replying to myself (can’t put my finger on it but it seems like narcissism or poor etiquette somehow) but I thought I’d feed back on the above, at least in the context of UK driving. Equally, if this doesn’t belong here or detracts from the thread please let me know and either move it or I’ll bin it.

I came back from west London during rush hour last night so a good 40-50 miles on the typically sclerotic M25. Innodrive engaged and, overall, it took a lot of the workload away from me. A few things sprang to mind, more to be aware of than to complain about.

1) If you’ve got Innodrive observing the variable speed limits, you’re not going to make a lot of friends as it lurches from one speed to another and totally fails to keep up with the flow of traffic causing confusion and annoyance to other drivers. If your car is Mamba green, you may not want this additional level of attention over the high baseline you’ve already set yourself. On the plus side Mamba looks utterly alien under UK street/road lighting.

2) It takes a line through corners that I, personally, wouldn’t always have taken. There’s a vague sense it’s having a think mid-corner and adjusts a bit more than I felt wholly comfortable with. On the other hand, it was absolutely rock solid through a fair few long sweepers.

3) It maybe brakes a little later than would be considered courteous for other road users.

4) It’s worth getting familiarised with the symbology on the display so you know what it is and isn’t actually doing for you. These will change quite frequently, presumably based on the level of sensor input the car is receiving and is able to then apply with confidence.

5) If you succumb to your urge to deploy muscle memory when it brakes too late for you, don’t forget to re-engage it. There’s no greater demonstration of my decline into middle-aged senescence than watching me swear at my steering wheel in the fast lane of the M25 when the car didn’t pull away again. As UK drivers will know how suffused with goodwill and bonhomie our fellow motorists are, let alone their admirable ability to appreciate a nice car without sinking into splenetic envy, this is not a good look. See above re choosing Mamba.

Overall Innodrive is pretty good, not great, but I’m glad I specced it and it definitely made for a more relaxing segment of the drive. Still, I far more enjoyed getting into the quieter roads in the east later on and popping it in Sport Plus and driving it.

Few other points.

1) IONITY at Baldock good but weird layout and you’ve got multiple EV owners playing charge port Jenga to make all the cables meet all the cars. Also it seems that IONITY used an Austin A35 for the size template when laying out the spaces. The CT was hanging out into the lane by a country mile. I couldn’t get it over 150kw charge speed but, equally, it didn’t invoice me for the charge on the way down to London so, swings and roundabouts, as they say.

2) Our multi-storey car park where I leave the car when I travel for work. Oh boy, that car is wide in a car park designed for vehicles with 1970s dimensions. Very slow and 360 surround/RWS were an absolute godsend. Even then I just didn’t know if I’d pinged the wheel until I got out.

3) The b@@@@y interior downlight from just aft of the rear-view mirror. Why so bright and why can’t I turn it off? Overall the minimum brightness of the interior at night for me is far too high. I’ll adjust I’m sure but it’s annoying for now (also reflection of sport chrono compass in windscreen).

4) Finally, and back on thread topic! 4S vs Turbo? I’ll be honest as I slingshotted out of roundabouts and corners later on last night, I felt I had every ounce of performance I could need without needing to visit a hospital with a police officer ensuring I didn’t flee from my bed. It’s indecently rapid and you’d soon be past speeds where a quick wit and an apology will see you let off with a minor chiding from the constabulary.

Another ramble from me, sorry.

For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever I absolutely adore this car. Unequivocally.
 
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Swissbob

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Apologies for replying to myself (can’t put my finger on it but it seems like narcissism or poor etiquette somehow) but I thought I’d feed back on the above, at least in the context of UK driving. Equally, if this doesn’t belong here or detracts from the thread please let me know and either move it or I’ll bin it.

I came back from west London during rush hour last night so a good 40-50 miles on the typically sclerotic M25. Innodrive engaged and, overall, it took a lot of the workload away from me. A few things sprang to mind, more to be aware of than to complain about.

1) If you’ve got Innodrive observing the variable speed limits, you’re not going to make a lot of friends as it lurches from one speed to another and totally fails to keep up with the flow of traffic causing confusion and annoyance to other drivers. If your car is Mamba green, you may not want this additional level of attention over the high baseline you’ve already set yourself. On the plus side Mamba looks utterly alien under UK street/road lighting.

2) It takes a line through corners that I, personally, wouldn’t always have taken. There’s a vague sense it’s having a think mid-corner and adjusts a bit more than I felt wholly comfortable with. On the other hand, it was absolutely rock solid through a fair few long sweepers.

3) It maybe brakes a little later than would be considered courteous for other road users.

4) It’s worth getting familiarised with the symbology on the display so you know what it is and isn’t actually doing for you. These will change quite frequently, presumably based on the level of sensor input the car is receiving and is able to then apply with confidence.

5) If you succumb to your urge to deploy muscle memory when it brakes too late for you, don’t forget to re-engage it. There’s no greater demonstration of my decline into middle-aged senescence than watching me swear at my steering wheel in the fast lane of the M25 when the car didn’t pull away again. As UK drivers will know how suffused with goodwill and bonhomie our fellow motorists are, let alone their admirable ability to appreciate a nice car without sinking into splenetic envy, this is not a good look. See above re choosing Mamba.

Overall Innodrive is pretty good, not great, but I’m glad I specced it and it definitely made for a more relaxing segment of the drive. Still, I far more enjoyed getting into the quieter roads in the east later on and popping it in Sport Plus and driving it.

Few other points.

1) IONITY at Baldock good but weird layout and you’ve got multiple EV owners playing charge port Jenga to make all the cables meet all the cars. Also it seems that IONITY used an Austin A35 for the size template when laying out the spaces. The CT was hanging out into the lane by a country mile. I couldn’t get it over 150kw charge speed but, equally, it didn’t invoice me for the charge on the way down to London so, swings and roundabouts, as they say.

2) Our multi-storey car park where I leave the car when I travel for work. Oh boy, that car is wide in a car park designed for vehicles with 1970s dimensions. Very slow and 360 surround/RWS were an absolute godsend. Even then I just didn’t know if I’d pinged the wheel until I got out.

3) The b@@@@y interior downlight from just aft of the rear-view mirror. Why so bright and why can’t I turn it off? Overall the minimum brightness of the interior at night for me is far too high. I’ll adjust I’m sure but it’s annoying for now (also reflection of sport chrono compass in windscreen).

4) Finally, and back on thread topic! 4S vs Turbo? I’ll be honest as I slingshotted out of roundabouts and corners later on last night, I felt I had every ounce of performance I could need without needing to visit a hospital with a police officer ensuring I didn’t flee from my bed. It’s indecently rapid and you’d soon be past speeds where a quick wit and an apology will see you let off with a minor chiding from the constabulary.

Another ramble from me, sorry.

For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever I absolutely adore this car. Unequivocally.
Nice summary! The CT must be a nice upgrade from your previous motor…

Porsche Taycan 4s vs Turbo DCAD83D0-71B9-47C6-B0CC-D8B277E7F0AF
 

SushiStu

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I recently did a detailed analysis against the 4S I've specced and it was certainly closer than I'd assumed- around £22k more to get a Turbo with the same features. At an estimated 50% residual value after 3 years, that's £11k difference in depreciated asset value (perhaps even closer as the Turbo would need less added in options to the base price). In my case I don't need half of the extra stuff that comes as standard on the Turbo, but I'd still want to add £8k of options- others may find they need to add a lot less.
But what stopped me considering it further was my impatience- I guess that lead times are at least 6 months longer for a Turbo.
That said, the more people that drop out of the 4S queue to go for a Turbo, the better for me :D
I totally get this. The Turbo and TTS were essentially launch cars. But I don't need a car till May 22 and I ordered in July 21 so I have the luxury of time on my side.
 
 




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