Thinking of upgrading the 4S to a Turbo or Turbo S

[RGBArgee]

Whoops!

in my experience the biggest difference with handling is wheel size .

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[tigerbalm]

Any feedback about difference in driving the car as yet?

Looking forward to the trip reports and your thought in comparison to the 4s.

feel the Turbo drives better than the 4S but wondered if you had the same impression.

Lovely looking car. How are you finding the performance differential between the 4S and Turbo S?

Initial impressions after first 500 km.

Drive – and back – from Dublin to Ashford Castle in Mayo.

https://ashfordcastle.com/

Appearance

I'm happy with how the car turned out. I'm used to Neptune and went full Blackberry interior having had the Blackberry and Slate in the 4S.

This is the first car I've ever owned that has had any carbon fiber trim – so that is something which I am enjoying. I fully understand @f1eng's thoughts on carbon fiber that is just for cosmetic purposes – but in my case I feel it makes this car feel different from my previous.

As its also part of the standard Turbo S package – it fits the theme of keeping the car as stock as possible: I didn't add carbon package to the car – I just didn't delete it either!

The Yellow callipers of the Carbon Ceramic Brake system just go so well with Neptune Blue.



Performance

As mentioned in the opening post on this thread – I came from a V8 4.0 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid to the Taycan 4S and did notice the step down in performance. The Taycan Turbo S restores this and does so in spades. I'm not very interested in 0-100km/h times – that feels like something for YouTube.

I am interested in an engaging drive within the speed limits on twisty mountain roads in remote rural Ireland. I haven't yet had much time on these roads – thats next weekend – but already, I am appreciating the sense of immediacy and urgency in the acceleration with the Turbo S.

Having driven 50,850km in the 4S – almost every spirited km in the Turbo S feels different – and some of it isn't even subtle – its like there are two 4S's under you. Overtaking a tractor on a narrow road with oncoming traffic – while the 4S is no slouch – in the Turbo S you get over the line – and accelerate from 25 km/h to 80 km/h in the blink of an eye – and back over to the safety of your side of the road – I'd say close to 50% faster then I did in the 4S.

The air temperature in Ireland this weekend was between 4C and 7C – with heavy rain – constant wet road – slippy in places. Accelerating in Sport Drive Mode would cause the rear tyres to break traction and on one or two occasions – traction control kicked in to keep things in line. This would never happen in the 4S – and tells me that for the current conditions – the car probably has too much torque when pushed. Normal Mode is more appropriate and well behaved.

Efficency

Eeek!

Got average of 30.1 kWh/100km for first 500 km. Granted, zero re-gen active at this stage, its cold out, standing water on roads, mostly on motorway, etc.

Really hope it improves by one or two kWh at least. Not worried yet.

Update: Re-gen suddenly kicked in right after a few purposefully hard braking sessions at 650 km. Hopefully the beginning of gaining back some kilowatts.

Wheels

While I have ordered 20" Winter Wheel pack (the same as @f1eng's – and choose because of his pics of them) – they got delayed in transport and so I collected the car with the 21" Spyder's with Pirelli PZero PZ4 NF0 on the car. Which was great – as I get to experience them before the winters.

The wider summer tyres – 265 on front and 305 on rear – in winter here – is triggering the Ackerman Effect – something not experienced since our Panamera.

Audio

Our 4S had the Burmeister – but again – keeping the Turbo S as stock as possible – has the BOSE audio option. Clearly its less capable – but spending 5+ hours with it – I remain happy with it and have no regrets not digging deep and optioning the Burmeister again.

Audio is so subjective – but like the BOSE in our Panamera – I am starting to form the opinion that this BOSE also likes high-quality source inputs – more so then the Burmeister. Streaming the same songs on in-built Apple Music player and Apple Music Lossless via wired CarPlay produced a noticeably better sound in some non-blind tests that I did.

I'm not a big fan of CarPlay – preferring to keep the PCM interface. I need to do a few more tests but this might push me to using Apple Lossless via wired CarPlay. One thing I hadn't appreciated is that even when using CarPlay – you can control the audio via the PCM player – its CarPlay aware – so that will help with not having the jarring experience of flipping between the PCM and CarPlay UI interfaces.

I need more time to firm up my thoughts on this.

BOSE settings that work for me:

1. Surround Mode ON (surprisingly)
2. Liner Mode OFF (BOSE midrange is bad enough – why would you want to make it worse?)
3. Base/Treble (+1 on each. Always had it neutral with Burmeister)
4. Fader Position: Neutral Default.
5. SoundTrue Mode OFF
6. AudioPilot Mode ON

The amplifier has approximately half of the watts of the Burmeister and it took me a few hours to appreciate the impact of this. You have to turn the BOSE way up in volume to achieve the same level of sound. I guess this makes sense if you think about it – but muscle memory had me setting the volume at my "usual" levels and it was harder to hear the sound.

• Burmeister Volume Level 10 is BOSE Volume Level 16
• Burmeister Volume Level 12 is BOSE Volume Level 19
• Burmeister Volume Level 15 (very loud for me) is BOSE Volume Level 22-ish

I don't like very high volume when driving – its too distracting. I just need to learn new volume integers and that is okay. The BOSE is well able to power the speakers when you ask it too.

The best thing about the BOSE is the worst thing about the Burmeister: I do not get any speaker door vibrations when playing music up at what was Burmeister Volume 15. Either Porsche has added vibration dampening material since my 4S was manufactured or the lower power and construction of the BOSE speakers is preventing vibrations.

It was pretty bad on the Burmeister – you didn't even need to be playing music loudly to have it happen. I always thought its amplifier was too powerful for the realities of the Taycan interior construction. Perhaps that was true or maybe this is fixed in all MY23 cars?

In a way the BOSE seems to be a "better fit" for the car – and as an engineer that is making me very happy.

Noise

Our 4S had the acoustic glass option – and as it was difficult to know how impactful it was – we left it off the Turbo S. Not sure if its larger/wider wheels or the non-acoustic glass – but initial thoughts is the interior of the car is noisier. I'll be better able to understand the impact of the wheels – when we change to our winters – as we had those also on the 4S.

My current suspicion is the acoustic glass does work and makes a noticeable difference. This is not a deal breaker for us – but am mildly concerned that I should have ticked this option again.

Tech

This car has the new Remote ParkAssist option – and OMG – it really works! Moving the car around while you are standing outside with a mobile app – is just so much fun. It really feels like you have a full size remote control Porsche.

It works well enough – that I already know I will use it when in tricky tight parking spots in European underground garages – instead of squeezing out the doors. Might make a video of this feature when I have some more experience with it.

I didn't option InnoDrive or Active Lane Keep – but have just purchased (outright) ALK as a FoD option and look forward to restoring that feature. Think I'll give InnoDrive a miss this time – having had both of these options from factory on the 4S.

 

[tigerbalm]

Where are you taking it next month?

Another arctic circle trip to Norway - taking a different route than last time.

 

[PorscheCH]

Big congrats and amazing specs. You should be able to get down to ca 25 kWh/100km once (if ever) the excitement fades out a bit and you no longer do 250 km/h on Irish highways leaving behind disgruntled A6 S6 wannabe diesel torque drivers Be careful on the twisty alpine roads as the lower center of gravity (and hinterachslenkung?) give you extra confidence but weight shifting can be tricky…

 

[WuffvonTrips]

I am interested in an engaging drive within the speed limits on twisty mountain roads in remote rural Ireland. I haven't yet had much time on these roads – thats next weekend – but already, I am appreciating the sense of immediacy and urgency in the acceleration with the Turbo S.

Having driven 50,850km in the 4S – almost every spirited km in the Turbo S feels different – and some of it isn't even subtle – its like there are two 4S's under you. Overtaking a tractor on a narrow road with oncoming traffic – while the 4S is no slouch – in the Turbo S you get over the line – and accelerate from 25 km/h to 80 km/h in the blink of an eye – and back over to the safety of your side of the road – I'd say close to 50% faster then I did in the 4S.

I'll be interested to hear your thoughts after getting more time on twisty mountain roads, especially if you didn't have PTV+ on the 4S. After the power differential, I felt that was the next biggest differentiator between the Turbo and the 4S I've experienced, though perhaps I was just more adventurous once in my own car (the Turbo) than with the 4S demonstrators (which didn't have it optioned).
I find the extra 27% non-launch power of the Turbos v the 4S PB+ is a significant benefit in real-world overtaking situations, though at times I get frustrated by not using it when I could if it's likely to scare an oncoming vehicle in to doing something dangerous.

 

[tigerbalm]

I'll be interested to hear your thoughts after getting more time on twisty mountain roads, especially if you didn't have PTV+ on the 4S.

Will do. My 4S did have RWS, PTV+, PDCC and PB+ (the full suite). Which actually might make the comparison even more interesting and valid.

 

[kempez]

Good write up thanks. I agree that the power of the Turbo (S in your case), is a usable difference when overtaking cars. Push the accelerator and it's just so instant. You are past and back on the right (left in my case ), side of the road. The 4S is certainly fast, but the extra with the Turbo/S is stunningly fast.

 

[andb]

Not sure if its larger/wider wheels or the non-acoustic glass – but initial thoughts is the interior of the car is noisier. I'll be better able to understand the impact of the wheels – when we change to our winters – as we had those also on the 4S.

Really good review and it looks great, enjoy it!

Larger wheels obviously generate more road noise and that makes the TS noisier overall, only way to feel a difference is to use same wheels/tires and check also the tire pressure.

I'm really interested to find out because I'm planning to buy a Taycan soon and on used market many don't have the acoustic glass. My current car is same as your ex Panamera and yeah I think if I get a 4S it will feel not that agile on acceleration.

 

[f1eng]

Really good review and it looks great, enjoy it!

Larger wheels obviously generate more road noise and that makes the TS noisier overall, only way to feel a difference is to use same wheels/tires and check also the tire pressure.

I'm really interested to find out because I'm planning to buy a Taycan soon and on used market many don't have the acoustic glass. My current car is same as your ex Panamera and yeah I think if I get a 4S it will feel not that agile on acceleration.

IME it is the tyre design which influences road noise most. I have low rolling resistance summer tyres on our Prius and it is very noisy on some tarmac, there are very big changes driving along the motorway with surface changes.
The winter tyres are both quieter and notably less difference from one road surface to another.

it did seem to me looking at the Porsche tyre choices for both the summer (Goodyear Eagle F1) and winter (Pirelli P zero winter) wheels they supplied are both tyres with good noise rating.

I am pleased I chose the sound reduction glass on my Taycan. I often, usually even, travel in silence - I don't like background noise even if it is music - and the serene progress of the Taycan on a long journey was very much less tiring than other cars I have used on the same run.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

My Turbo is definitely quieter than my 4S. I presume this is down to the tyres rather than the leather interior or larger rear motor. The 4S had Michelin PS4 and the Turbo has Pirelli Cinturato 7. Both on 20in wheels. I don’t think the Pirelli’s grip quite as well although the roads have been pretty damp and slippery since I had the car.

 

[Brian IRL]

Well your 4s didn’t hang around, it‘s sold already!

 

[tigerbalm]

Well your 4s didn’t hang around, it‘s sold already!

That was quick! Whomever is the new owner they are getting a car that really settled down into a flawless car.

And I think – for a 4S – probably, almost too over optioned – which is great for the second owner.

I've made Neptune Blue just a little less rare on the island!

 

[cityhpper]

Another arctic circle trip to Norway - taking a different route than last time.

Welcome back, already looking forward to read your upcoming trip report!

 

[tigerbalm]

Giving parallel auto-park a go in a hotel car park. Feels like its working better in MY23 than it did when it was first introduced.




I was impressed with how well it handled the rainy evening and its position from the curb after it had finished.

I wanted to try it with no car behind first – to build confidence in it.

 

[Raphie]

I’m scared to death for my Spyders bring scraped. You are a brave brave man!

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