nischalr

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Are there any issues switching wheels? I’m thinking of switching from 21” spiders to 19” for practical reasons. Is just a question of changing wheels or does the software need updating ?
No issues as long as you use the OEM tire sizes for the 19" wheels, the overall diameter will be the same between all the wheel size options.
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tchavei

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I increasingly see people moving away from 21 to 20 or even 19 on this forum.

It's starting to make me feel unease looking at my unmounted, new in box 21 set... Did I make a mistake?
 

mcdermottm

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I increasingly see people moving away from 21 to 20 or even 19 on this forum.

It's starting to make me feel unease looking at my unmounted, new in box 21 set... Did I make a mistake?
From a "form over function" standpoint, it's hard to make a mistake. 😁 IMO, it's hard to go wrong if something makes the car look better.
 

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I’m not sure what you’re getting at here. You claimed that the Taycan RWD isn’t fast, and are now backing that claim up by comparing it to what is - by almost any measure - a very quick car and perhaps the fastest hot hatch you can buy. And even that comparison falls flat because, as I said, the base Taycan is in another league.

You say nothing about the trap speed - the measure that captures how hard a car actually pulls at speed (as distinct from launches, which is the one thing that we can all agree the RWD Taycan doesn’t do well). At the quarter, the RWD is pulling significantly harder - showing, to my point - that, yes, the base Taycan is a quick car.

In the real world, when you put your foot down anywhere other than in a dig, the RWD Taycan will leave that Golf R for dead. 30-50 (1.9 vs. 2.7), 50-70 (2.6 vs. 3.6). As I said, not in the same universe. The Taycan will be gone before the Golf has finished downshifting and will be pulling harder all the way to the quarter mile. And, remember, that Golf is bloody fast.

You seem preoccupied with launch . If you’ve read this thread, you’ll see many people explain that the RWD comes to life after 30 mph when the power comes on. I love that.

Maybe you haven’t driven the RWD. Unless you’re coming from something obscenely powerful, it’s hard to imagine how one can describe it as not fast. I drive my GT3 as often as I can - a car that’s another level of speed. Even coming from that, I felt that the RWD is surprisingly quick.

Honestly, a lot of people get an entirely misleading impression of the base Taycan because they see that 5.1 to 60 stat and think slow. But it’s truly misleading. It is slow, but only below 30. Everywhere else - i.e., where you spend your time actually driving - it’s blazes fast. And that’s why quoting 0-60 stats, hot hatches or otherwise, misses the point entirely.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a37853137/2021-porsche-taycan-pbp-by-the-numbers/
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a37200521/2022-volkswagen-golf-r-us-drive/
Really interesting description of RWD Taycan performance and exactly my experience.
No issues as long as you use the OEM tire sizes for the 19" wheels, the overall diameter will be the same between all the wheel size options.
Most interesting, dealer just told me that the car is configured in factory for 21” wheels so can’t change to 19” wheels - my BS sensor went off hence the question
 

f1eng

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Are there any issues switching wheels? I’m thinking of switching from 21” spiders to 19” for practical reasons. Is just a question of changing wheels or does the software need updating ?
The only thing you should also do is change the wheel/tyre spec in the PCM as well. I went from 21" summers to 20" winters and all that was required was changing the wheels themselves then going into PCM setup and changing the selected wheel/tyre combination to what I just fitted.

I don't know whether it changes just the tyre pressure reporting or things like the stability control settings to suit or whatever but worth doing IMHO.
 


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Most interesting, dealer just told me that the car is configured in factory for 21” wheels so can’t change to 19” wheels - my BS sensor went off hence the question
I did not see if you had configured the car or the dealer?

normally when you use the Porsche configurator and specify any 21 inch wheels, they also upgrade the brakes to at least the PSCB brakes. And in such a case the 19 inch wheels do not fit. The brake discs are too large. At least it was that way on my MY20. Discs were 410 mm then and I believe are the same now.

in that case the 20 inch wheels are the smallest that will fit.
 

f1eng

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normally when you use the Porsche configurator and specify any 21 inch wheels
Not in the UK configurator.
The only one requiring the plated discs here are the Mission E and presumably for cosmetic reasons since the spoke detail is very open leaving the discs in full view.

All other 21” wheels don’t require a brake change here - I have 21” Cross Turismo wheels on my CT4S and kept the cast iron discs I prefer.
 

tchavei

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Really interesting description of RWD Taycan performance and exactly my experience.

Most interesting, dealer just told me that the car is configured in factory for 21” wheels so can’t change to 19” wheels - my BS sensor went off hence the question
He's totally right. The tyre pressure plate is uniquely and randomly generated for each car. How can you fit 19'' wheels on a car that has a tyre pressure plate for 21''? Impossible!










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tchavei

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From a "form over function" standpoint, it's hard to make a mistake. 😁 IMO, it's hard to go wrong if something makes the car look better.
Well, it definitely would look better with 21'' when on a breakdown lorry with a couple of flat tyres due to potholes 😂
 

Jagu

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Hi, all - I drove the base Taycan today, and was blown away. I didn’t expect to be. If anyone worries whether it’s enough car, fear not: It’s exceptional.

The Taycan impressed me in ways that I didn’t expect, despite having read (and watched) a host of reviews. I suspect that the base is the one to have. And I say that having driven both the Taycan Turbo and 4S in years past.

Some relevant background: I’ve been into Porsche since I was a kid. I’m lucky to have a 992 GT3 manual, as well as a 2022 Panamera GTS. I love cars, but have had mixed reactions to EVs thus far. They offer attributes with which everyone on this forum is familiar: immediate punch, unparalleled silence, and no emissions. Fabulous stuff. But for those who love driving, the EV revolution is not all upside. It comes with real drawbacks.

Sure, the sound - everyone brings that up. Nothing in EV land will ever touch a naturally aspirated engine shrieking to redline. But that’s not what’s bothered me. The source of EV fun is also its limitation - it’s the binary nature of power delivery. Immediate, full torque from zero RPM is brilliant fun, but it’s a limited experience. Stay in it - with the throttle pinned - and there’s nothing more to be found. The sensation is of constant torque. There isn’t anything to chase. The power, sound, and feel of the car don’t change as it does with a good ICE engine. (True, the ubiquity of turbocharging has robbed most ICE cars of character in much the same way - one ends up riding a wave of constant torque.) But, on the the long trip to redline with an excellent ICE engine, you encounter a broad spectrum of unique experiences - different pickup, response, power, torque, sound, and vibration at each part of the tach. It’s organic, and it makes you want to chase the top end. Speeding tickets ensue.

By contrast, many EVs are on/off. Perhaps like a powerboat vs sailing, the speed is fun and immediate, but it comes up short in larger experience. There’s not much left to explore and learn after a fun-filled initiation. And, to that, I’d add weight. Down low as it may be in an EV, it’s a real problem. I drove a Taycan Turbo two years ago, after jumping right out of my 2018 Carrera T (a car that I planned to keep forever until a GT3 suddenly materialized after a long wait on a list). Although having literally twice the power of the Carrera - and despite reacting to full throttle on corner exit in a way that can only be compared to a detonation - it was nowhere near as much fun. It was heavy and felt it every time you turned the wheel. To be clear, I loved the TT. It was a technological marvel, handled magnificently for a car weighing over 5,000 pounds, and was explosively fast in a way that I’d never experienced before. But it was crazy expensive and - marketing claims aside - no sports car. I previously drove the 4S, too. It was fast and fun, but again uninteresting relative to an excellent ICE car.

Enter the base Taycan. Despite my reservations, I’ve found it hard to stop thinking about Porsche’s first EV. The car is simply gorgeous. And if you enjoy the arc of a good back road, no other EV brand offers an experience like the Taycan. The handling is a world beyond that of any other EV, and the speed of a Plaid and the like offers little in compensation (for me). And despite the drawbacks of an EV as a unitary solution, there’s no denying that it provides the perfect commuter car.

Being in DC, with gridlock on the daily commute, a 4-liter engine is far from the ideal solution. I average 11 mpg on a good day in either the GT3 or GTS to and from work. They’re not the right tool for the job. I want to keep both, the former for obvious reasons and the latter for the many long-distance drives with kids and for the love of a charismatic V8. The more I’ve thought about it, though, the more sense an EV makes for daily use.

Taycans cost a pretty penny, though, and I’ve struggled to justify putting down serious coin on one of the fancier models given my recent car purchases. But maybe a lightly optioned base?

I didn’t have high hopes. 263 ft-lbs of torque in a car heavier than my Panamera GTS? 5.1 seconds to 60 compared to 3.2? There’s more to fun than speed, but I set my expectations accordingly.

But then I drove the Taycan. Wow! It’s swift and effortless off the line, though far from explosive. But stay in it, and around 30 mph the power grows and then surges. It hauls ass from 40 to highway speeds - properly fast. The ramp up in power isn’t sudden - it blends in. I can’t believe I’m writing this, but the power delivery reminded me of a naturally aspirated engine. In this car, the base, you don’t hit the accelerator and get pinned to the seat. Rather, there’s an experience to be found - the power starts low and then builds, builds, builds. Suddenly you’re flying. And when you want “right now” passing power, you absolutely get it at the real-life cruising speeds of 30-70. This car is so much more interesting than other EVs I’ve driven!

Porsche clearly software-limited the power on the base Taycan to protect the 4S and above. But in doing so they’ve actually made this a better car (IMO). It’s way faster than the 5.1 spec would suggest. It makes that leisurely time only because it’s held back through 30. Once unleashed, it’s seriously quick. No doubt the 4S is faster 30-50 (it’s a lot faster 0-30), but from memory the base felt similar once it was unbridled.

Then there’s the rest of the car, which is just spectacular. The brakes were much better than the 2020 4S I’d previously driven. Maybe they’ve improved them? On the older models, the brakes felt flimsy. On this one, they bit hard and felt natural (no, this didn’t have PCCBs or ceramic-coated option).

So the brakes are fabulous and the power ample once in the zone. Couple that with a turn, and the Taycan comes into its own. You can put full power down - deep into a curve - and the car dances. This is pure Porsche. There’s delicacy here. The Taycan is a joy to build a rhythm with as you fly down the road.

Porsche had done a magnificent job here. Perhaps too good. It isn’t just a good Taycan - for some people, it may be the best. Lightly optioned, it’s a steal.

I’m going to buy one. The only lingering question is whether the GTS - which I have not driven - has some magic that’s worth the significant jump in cost. But picking up a lightly optioned base for ~ 105 feels like one hell of a deal. The only thing that bothers me is the base stereo. You can’t option Bose right now, and spending 7 grand on Burmester seems inconsistent with the base ethos. But we shall see. I may ask this forum for input on specific options in the near future.

Notably, the base I drove today lacked PASM, PTV, sports chrono, and RWS. I’d surely tick the boxes for those options. The fact that the car drove as well as it did without those attributes speaks to its innate quality. It did have 21s, though, which likely helped with grip (the car was still, extremely comfortable, even on steel suspension).

I hope this is obvious, but I don’t mean to impugn anyone lucky enough to own other models in the range. The 4S and Turbo models are spectacular, and I can see why one couldn’t look past the lack of immediate punch at low speeds in the base. But I’m incredulous at how good the regular Taycan is.

Final thought: I’m at a loss to understand how people compare Taycans to Panameras. They’re different cars, with distinct use cases. Dimensions notwithstanding, the Taycan is significantly more restrictive inside, particularly in the back, and has less trunk space. I’m 6’1, and could barely squeeze in behind the driver’s seat with it set for me. To be sure, the Taycan brings a hefty dose of practicality, but the Panamera feels more spacious and luxurious. And it’s definitely the better long-distance cruiser. I’m going to keep my GTS. But the Taycan brings its own exceptional benefits, and I think it’ll be a brilliant stablemate to the old-fashioned V8 model. :)

Thank you, all, for the tremendous knowledge and entertainment in this forum. And specially warm congratulations to those of you with a Taycan in the garage. I hope to join that fortunate group soon!
Yes I agree. I rented a car on Turo which was presented to me as. 4s. But I later discovered that it was a base car when I realized that it did not have the air suspension. Up until that point I was very impressed with the power and handling. I was going to buy a turbo but now I think the 4s will be enough for me.
 

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Not in the UK configurator.
The only one requiring the plated discs here are the Mission E and presumably for cosmetic reasons since the spoke detail is very open leaving the discs in full view.

All other 21” wheels don’t require a brake change here - I have 21” Cross Turismo wheels on my CT4S and kept the cast iron discs I prefer.
You are right, that is the same in France.

I have seen most of the upgraded wheels in the 3 showrooms around me having the Mission E wheels. It is an upsell that most of the sales guys try. At least on the sedans here.

That is why I wondered if he had specified the car or the dealer had done so?
I should have stated Mission E wheels more clearly.
 

Chas1

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I did not see if you had configured the car or the dealer?

normally when you use the Porsche configurator and specify any 21 inch wheels, they also upgrade the brakes to at least the PSCB brakes. And in such a case the 19 inch wheels do not fit. The brake discs are too large. At least it was that way on my MY20. Discs were 410 mm then and I believe are the same now.

in that case the 20 inch wheels are the smallest that will fit.
The car has standard brakes and 21” spyder wheels but would like the option to get 19” wheels for increased range in winter particularly and dealing with uk potholes better.the current uk configurator allows spyder wheels without any brake upgrade btw
 

Chas1

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The only thing you should also do is change the wheel/tyre spec in the PCM as well. I went from 21" summers to 20" winters and all that was required was changing the wheels themselves then going into PCM setup and changing the selected wheel/tyre combination to what I just fitted.

I don't know whether it changes just the tyre pressure reporting or things like the stability control settings to suit or whatever but worth doing IMHO.
Ok that’s useful information. Did you do this for winter grip? Did you notice any change in range? Other anecdotal evidence for Taycan and other makes of ev is that narrower tyres and taller profile helps range significantly ie swapping 19” for 21” wheels.
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