Midlifecrisis
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Ian
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2021
- Threads
- 31
- Messages
- 1,056
- Reaction score
- 734
- Location
- Worcestershire
- Vehicles
- Taycan Turbo, Taycan 4S (sold). Macan SD (sold)
- Thread starter
- #1
TLDR – the Turbo is even more awesome that the 4S
Back in July 2021 I test drove and ordered a 4S. In November I heard that the wait had grown to >1 year for a 4S and about 1 year for a Turbo. Thinking that this would keep residuals high, I ordered a Turbo before the 4S had come. I collected the 4S in January 2022. The Turbo locked down in July 2022 and I collected it 3 weeks ago. On collection, the SE told me that it was a big upgrade.
I traded in the 4S and drove out in the Turbo. Very similar cars in spec – I had £15k extras on the 4S but only £5k on the Turbo as £10k of the extras were standard on the Turbo (bigger battery, Turbo Aero wheels, sport chrono, Matrix lights, 18 way seats, auto dimming mirrors, Bose, metallic paint).
So what is the difference? Exterior is similar but with some painted bits at the front, rear and on the sides. Inside there is leather on the dashboard and doors and Race Tex on the upper pillars and roof. There are heated seats in the back. Otherwise there isn’t much difference to see. I got privacy glass on the Turbo, but that is the only additional extra that I added. It is nice, but would cost about £4400 to add the leather and Race Tex to the 4S. Once I am in the car I don’t really notice it and if it wasn’t standard I wouldn’t bother with it. I had no complaints with the standard 4S interior.
But the real difference comes in the way it drives. The extra power might not seem much, given how fast the 4S goes, but it is quite impressive. The G-meter goes up to about 0.8 on the 4S. I haven’t launched the Turbo yet, but flooring it from about 20mph it goes up to 1g. It really flies. However the most noticeable thing is that in the 4S it sometimes kicks down to the lower gear for more power or you anticipate that and put it in sport mode – but with the Turbo there is no need for this. The power is there in the higher gear for most situations. And if it does kick down, you really know about it. So much so that I can’t help thinking that Porsche would have been better putting the larger motor in the 4S and doing away with the gear box that switches the ratios.
Obviously I can’t comment on the difference between some of the standard features of the Turbo vs the basic 4S features where I had specced something different (like the standard stereo).
Many of you will wonder about trade in values and I actually got the best deal trading in with the dealer (the opposite of when I sold my Macan). Depreciation was just under 5% for 10 months and would have been less if I had been able to do a sale or return with the dealer or if Liz Truss hadn’t sunk the economy a few weeks before. However I do feel that the dealers have us over a barrel with a newish car like that – let’s face it, would you buy it from a private seller, even with a warranty? I think they managed to get 5% over list for it.
So in summary there are quite a lot of extras but the real show stopper is the extra power. The 4S is a fantastic car and I had no real reason to change it but if you are unsure which to get, the extra power of the Turbo and other standard features are fantastic and you will enjoy them. Are they worth it? Well that is an individual decision but I have no regrets.
And finally, a bit of man maths... I am told there will be more depreciation on the Turbo, however because more of the spec is standard and less is added, it might not be too much more. And if I had kept the 4S its low depreciation would have caught up with it next year or the year after and I would be 1 year closer to a service. So it will hopefully turn out to be a cost-neutral decision in the long run. Too bad if it isn’t – but it really is fun to drive!
Back in July 2021 I test drove and ordered a 4S. In November I heard that the wait had grown to >1 year for a 4S and about 1 year for a Turbo. Thinking that this would keep residuals high, I ordered a Turbo before the 4S had come. I collected the 4S in January 2022. The Turbo locked down in July 2022 and I collected it 3 weeks ago. On collection, the SE told me that it was a big upgrade.
I traded in the 4S and drove out in the Turbo. Very similar cars in spec – I had £15k extras on the 4S but only £5k on the Turbo as £10k of the extras were standard on the Turbo (bigger battery, Turbo Aero wheels, sport chrono, Matrix lights, 18 way seats, auto dimming mirrors, Bose, metallic paint).
So what is the difference? Exterior is similar but with some painted bits at the front, rear and on the sides. Inside there is leather on the dashboard and doors and Race Tex on the upper pillars and roof. There are heated seats in the back. Otherwise there isn’t much difference to see. I got privacy glass on the Turbo, but that is the only additional extra that I added. It is nice, but would cost about £4400 to add the leather and Race Tex to the 4S. Once I am in the car I don’t really notice it and if it wasn’t standard I wouldn’t bother with it. I had no complaints with the standard 4S interior.
But the real difference comes in the way it drives. The extra power might not seem much, given how fast the 4S goes, but it is quite impressive. The G-meter goes up to about 0.8 on the 4S. I haven’t launched the Turbo yet, but flooring it from about 20mph it goes up to 1g. It really flies. However the most noticeable thing is that in the 4S it sometimes kicks down to the lower gear for more power or you anticipate that and put it in sport mode – but with the Turbo there is no need for this. The power is there in the higher gear for most situations. And if it does kick down, you really know about it. So much so that I can’t help thinking that Porsche would have been better putting the larger motor in the 4S and doing away with the gear box that switches the ratios.
Obviously I can’t comment on the difference between some of the standard features of the Turbo vs the basic 4S features where I had specced something different (like the standard stereo).
Many of you will wonder about trade in values and I actually got the best deal trading in with the dealer (the opposite of when I sold my Macan). Depreciation was just under 5% for 10 months and would have been less if I had been able to do a sale or return with the dealer or if Liz Truss hadn’t sunk the economy a few weeks before. However I do feel that the dealers have us over a barrel with a newish car like that – let’s face it, would you buy it from a private seller, even with a warranty? I think they managed to get 5% over list for it.
So in summary there are quite a lot of extras but the real show stopper is the extra power. The 4S is a fantastic car and I had no real reason to change it but if you are unsure which to get, the extra power of the Turbo and other standard features are fantastic and you will enjoy them. Are they worth it? Well that is an individual decision but I have no regrets.
And finally, a bit of man maths... I am told there will be more depreciation on the Turbo, however because more of the spec is standard and less is added, it might not be too much more. And if I had kept the 4S its low depreciation would have caught up with it next year or the year after and I would be 1 year closer to a service. So it will hopefully turn out to be a cost-neutral decision in the long run. Too bad if it isn’t – but it really is fun to drive!
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