Variable light roof

[W1NGE]

I think the insulated is different, it’s a different colour especially when wet. The standard has a brown/purple hue the insulated remains black.

Pano roof is already insulated and doesn't change when insulated glass is chosen as this relates to all other windows - check the full description of the option and it should be clear from that.

Sponsored

 

[Boss Hogg]

I also have the dark tinted option, maybe that's what makes the roof look different.

 

[W1NGE]

I also have the dark tinted option, maybe that's what makes the roof look different.

Dark tinted - you mean Privacy Glass or something else?

I have Privacy Glass and Pano Roof - no additional insulated glass (front, rear, side windows) which looks obvious when installed - front screen light reflection gives the game away and looks 'odd' on most cars with this option. The Pano Roof will reflect light differently too due to the insulation - rainbow colours when wet / slight purplish hue depending on the light etc.

With insulated glass option

 

[W1NGE]

This is also interesting - - there is always better I guess but not really an issue in UK given our summers suck and rarely that hot (especially up north)!

 

[f1eng]

In the UK thermally insulated glass is standard.
Whether the level of insulation varies by market I have no idea.

The option is for “acoustically insulated” laminated glass, the graphic on the information screen does show less radiation transfer and mentions better UV protection.

 

[W1NGE]

In the UK thermally insulated glass is standard.
Whether the level of insulation varies by market I have no idea.

The option is for “acoustically insulated” laminated glass, the graphic on the information screen does show less radiation transfer and mentions better UV protection.

Yep - same glass everywhere The upgrade is for thicker glass with a film in the centre ('double glazed' you might say) and so you get a bit of heat reduction as well as noise reduction.

 

[f1eng]

Yep - same glass everywhere The upgrade is for thicker glass with a film in the centre ('double glazed' you might say) and so you get a bit of heat reduction as well as noise reduction.

Being pedantic I believe the construction is two considerably thinner layers of glass with a polymer damping layer between and the overall thickness is about the same as the single thick pane of glass fitted as standard.
Porsche's graphic shows much less noise transfer, the same heat transfer and slightly less radiation transfer.

 

[W1NGE]

Being pedantic I believe the construction is two considerably thinner layers of glass with a polymer damping layer between and the overall thickness is about the same as the single thick pane of glass fitted as standard.
Porsche's graphic shows much less noise transfer, the same heat transfer and slightly less radiation transfer.

Yes - a glass & polymer sandwich!

When I physically looked last the overall impression was that the "glass" was thicker but possibly not given the implications of that.

 

[Jhenson29]

Being pedantic I believe the construction is two considerably thinner layers of glass with a polymer damping layer between and the overall thickness is about the same as the single thick pane of glass fitted as standard.

That’s correct.

I’m not sure that the thermal and noise insulated glass isn’t slightly thicker (it appears to be just a little thicker than the glass in my Macan, as an example), but if so, it isn’t much.

I don’t have a micrometer at home to get a good measurement though.

 

[Clod Reed]

Porsche offers Thermal and noise-insulated glass

For drivers, outside noise is most noticeable when entering a highway tunnel, where the concrete walls reflect sound into the car’s interior. Those in the car have to speak more loudly, and occasionally the sound system turns up the volume of the music and voice prompts. “These differences reveal the impact that outside noise can have on driving comfort,” says Jürgen Ochs, Head of Sound Quality, Car Bodies, at Porsche. “The type of glass in the vehicle plays a key role in acoustic comfort. And its effect can be precisely measured – whether on an exposed stretch of road or in a tunnel,” he explains. Porsche offers sophisticated thermally and noise-insulated glass for all of their four-door Porsche models.

Unlike the conventional single-layer safety glass used for the sides and rear, this glass features five layers: glass, three layers of film, and then glass again. The middle layer of the three polyvinyl butyral (PVB) films has special acoustic properties that absorb much of the oscillation of the surrounding glass. This reduces outside noise by up to 7.3 per cent in a frequency range of 630 hertz to 6.3 kilohertz. “That doesn’t sound like much, but everyone who’s ever tested the difference in driving conditions is impressed,” continues Ochs. It effectively covers the range that the human ear is most sensitive to, which is approximately 3.5 to 4.0 kilohertz. Police, fire engine, and ambulance sirens remain just as loud as always, as they fall within the frequencies between 360 and 630 hertz virtually all over the world.

Noise-insulated glass in all windows

Porsche installs the noise-insulated glass throughout, including in the tiny triangular panes and, of course, the rear window. A secondary effect is that the acoustic glass weighs a little less than the standard vehicle offering. In the case of the Panamera, the weight reduction is around two kilograms. In addition, the extra layer of film makes the glass more resistant to break-ins.

 

[LDT]

Does anyone have any hands on experience with the variable panorama roof? I’m I Florida and the standard panoram roof is getting pretty hot. The questions are is the optional roof cooler when closed and does really let in less ligHt?

I just took delivery of a new Taycan GTS 2 weeks ago. My car has thermally & noise reduction glass and variable light control option. I live in Virginia. I parked the under the sun for 1 hour and the temperature was about 90F. The shade was closed. When I got back in and the heat was bearable. It was a lot cooler than my MB GL450. When using the shade, the shady part can block the sun completely. I set the default to "Semi" with pattern. My wife does not like the sun on her skin and she is very happy with this "Semi" setting. It does get less light when I close the shade in full. I don't like the heat when I get into the car during the summer. So I consider this option is the one of the best that I got. I had to wait for over a month until this option was available on 04/04/22. This is my first Porsche so I cannot compare with other models. Sorry!

 

[Pmsl]

I just took delivery of a new Taycan GTS 2 weeks ago. My car has thermally & noise reduction glass and variable light control option.

Could you please post some pictures of how the variable light control roof looks from the outside (both with power off and on)? Does it have an impact on the almost even gloss black look of the roof compared to the standard pano roof?

 

[LDT]

Could you please post some pictures of how the variable light control roof looks from the outside (both with power off and on)? Does it have an impact on the almost even gloss black look of the roof compared to the standard pano roof?

I will try to take the pictures when the sun comes out. The forecast is not too good until Friday.

 

[LDT]

I took a couple of pictures of the Variable Light option

Matte from outside/Clear from outside/Matte from inside/Clear from inside/Semi from inside/Bold from inside.

I took the pictures at 3PM EST. It was hazy and the temperature was 90F.

As you can see, from the outside, the Clear and the Matte selections are not different. At least to my eyes.

Hope this helps your decision. Good luck!

 

[Clod Reed]

• Porsche Newsroom
• 2022
• Innovation
• How Variable Light Control shields against the sun

How Variable Light Control shields against the sun
17/10/2022
An innovative system creates an ambience of well-being in the Taycan: electrically adjustable liquid crystals offer shade and pleasant coolness. How does it work?

• 
  

Available for all model versions, the optional panoramic roof with Variable Light Control is matte white in its default state and without power, keeping the summer heat outside. But when the Taycan starts up, the roof comes to life again, activating the last setting selected via the memory function, and then awaits new commands. The touch panel allows you to set the roof to semitransparent in the Semi and Bold modes or to 100 percent transparent in Clear mode.

Depending on your needs: the panoramic roof with Variable Light Control is matte in its default state. You can choose between completely transparent and the intermediate stages Bold (60 percent matte) and Semi (40 percent matte).

Depending on your needs: the panoramic roof with Variable Light Control is matte in its default state. You can choose between completely transparent and the intermediate stages Bold (60 percent matte) and Semi (40 percent matte).

Depending on your needs: the panoramic roof with Variable Light Control is matte in its default state. You can choose between completely transparent and the intermediate stages Bold (60 percent matte) and Semi (40 percent matte).

Depending on your needs: the panoramic roof with Variable Light Control is matte in its default state. You can choose between completely transparent and the intermediate stages Bold (60 percent matte) and Semi (40 percent matte).

Depending on your needs: the panoramic roof with Variable Light Control is matte in its default state. You can choose between completely transparent and the intermediate stages Bold (60 percent matte) and Semi (40 percent matte).


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In addition, you can use the slider function to shield the light from front to back as if with a roller shade – with immediate effect: the perceived and actual temperature at head height drops significantly despite the sunshine. In the winter, the low-e coating on the underside eliminates the unpleasant layer of cold just below the glass surface much like a knit cap, demonstrating that this feature is capable of more than the name might suggest: versatile and more effective than a roller shade, with energy consumption below 20 watts.
Ten years of research for perfect function
These are the amazing results of an exciting development. “In architecture, layers of liquid crystals have long been used in windowpanes to manage temperature,” explains Stephan Wetzel, specialist in automotive glazing at Porsche. For a good ten years now, he’s been conducting research in this field and searching for and developing solutions to prepare smart technology for special demands in the automotive sector. The challenges: “Quick changes in light, many different climatic conditions, vibrations, and exposure to intense UV radiation.” But the impressive results are now here – and Porsche has assumed a pioneering role in the development of this smart option.

Touch panel: in addition to selecting various degrees of clarity, you can also use the slider to adjust the nine segments from front to back, alternating between matte and clear.

The panoramic roof with Variable Light Control not only eliminates the need for headroom-reducing sunshades, but also offers effective heat protection. With a high-precision test setup that simulates 45 minutes of heat comparable to that under the South African sun on a summer day, the headroom remains nine degrees Celsius cooler than with the best roller shade available. And in Clear mode, the Taycan glass roof allows much more light into the interior than all previous tinted panoramic roofs.
The secret: a layered design
The climatic wonder requires seven layers. The core features a polymer matrix with a wafer-thin conductive layer on both sides, referred to as indium tin oxide. If no voltage is present between these layers, the matrix is matte. If the alternating voltage is active, the liquid crystals rearrange themselves and provide a clear view. A safety film and layer of glass appear on each side of this innovative core. Thanks to a silver coating, the outer layer reflects the heat of the sun and the inner layer has an insulating effect. The conductive layers are divided into nine segments with lasered seams that are almost invisible.
The result is 40 percent matte in Semi mode and 60 percent matte in Bold mode. “We originally planned simple, straight stripes,” says Stephan Wetzel. “But it looked a little awkward. My colleague Markus Schulzki from Predevelopment worked with the Design department to develop a whole new look.” The shape of the third brake light served as inspiration for the unmistakable pattern. “And that was it! It was a huge hit.” And that’s how a suitable shape was selected for the extraordinary function.
Positive secondary effects
And two secondary effects that are small, but characteristic of Porsche, illustrate the innovative nature of the component: the composite glass is much lighter than a comparable roof made of a single layer of glass and offers exceptional insulation in the frequency ranges of music and human voices. Noises remain outside – for added comfort inside. Now that we’ve mastered the technology, additional fine-tuning and customization are an option. Stephan Wetzel smiles. “We’re never done at Porsche. There’s more to come – mark my words.”