Western Europe Taycan road-trip report

[Swissbob]

Certainly easier in the Taycan than on the bike!

Traffic was shocking…

 

[tigerbalm]

Features and Options in the car we valued

After spending two weeks travelling over 5000 km with our car, its a good opportunity to assess the features and options that our car has and that we valued.

Invaluable features

Adaptive Cruise Control: On long stretches of motorway driving, this feature genuinely reduces driver fatigue by reducing the need for your brain to be constantly and subconsciously calculating the speeds of vehicles ahead. It's of particular use when the vehicle ahead is travelling just under the posted speed limit, where regular cruise control would have to be manually disengaged.

Vehicle Ahead Speed Marker: A feature of ACC – its incredibly useful when coming up on a vehicle ahead to be able to see its exact speed posted (as a little triangle) on your own speedometer. This provides you with the info ahead of time, that you can stay behind it or better off pulling out and overtake them immediately.

Lane Change Assist: When driving on "the wrong side of the road" like we did on this trip, you need to use your passenger side mirror more than your driver side mirror – a reversal of your normal habits when driving at home. The lights in the mirror with this feature give you an additional reassurance that you haven't missed a car when changing lanes to overtake. This is also helpful when navigating roads like those you'd find around Lake Garda in terms of not missing cyclists in your passenger side blind spot.

Traffic Sign Recognition: In Ireland, speed limits are always posted. There is always the specific speed posted. For example, you are on a normal road and the speed sign will show 100 km/h. Then as you approach a town, it will show 50 km/h. After you are the other side of the town and back onto a normal road, the speed sign will show 100 km/h again. It is easy to know what the posted speed limit is. This is not the case in various continental European countries. You are on a road, and you are expected to know what "type of road" it is and what the posted limits are on that road type. Then you'll approach a town, and the speed limit sign will show the town's name. The sign with the town's name implies that a certain (usually 50 km/h) speed is now in place. When at the other side of the town, there will be a sign with the town's name crossed out, this implies that the speed of the road type is now the limit for the road type you are on. This is fine for residents to figure out, but when you've been in five different countries that week – you risk making a mistake. The Porsche Traffic Sign Recognition can read all this and tell you the correct speed limit at any stage. It is looking at things like town signs, it knows to ignore speed limit signs that apply to cars towing caravans, etc.

Cross traffic assist: Part of the set of parking Park Assist option. When reversing out of car parking spaces – a little blind usually from a SUV parked beside you blocking your view – this feature will warn you that a person, bicycle or other vehicle is approaching from either side behind you and warns you. It is not infallible and like all assist options requires driver vigilance – but we valued this feature every day. It's the best aspect to this expensive Park Assist "package", with the useless auto/remote parking feature getting all the attention. It greatly reduces the risk of parking garage dings – and remember parking garages in Europe are tight.

Options that enhanced the trip

Passenger Display: With my co-driver playing an active role with route planning, charging stop, parking garage and lunch stop planning the additional screen got constant use. It allowed them to explore options and take their time using it to consider options without interfering with the driver. My co-driver who wasn't using the screen for turn-by-turn guidance – thats the job of the other screen – enjoyed the satellite view showing the relief and detail of the area around the car's immediate area. They went with the range set manually to 150 meters.

Burmeister Audio & Apple Music Player: With both of us valuing a good quality stereo sound – and already being Apple Music users – we enjoyed listening to our playlists most days – and especially on long trips. One of the things that isn't always appreciated, is that the Burmeister is really good at low volumes – which are safer – with all the detail in the music apparent at volume our average volume level of around 9 to 14. We had Bose in a loaner Taycan for a 3000 km trip and it is also very good, but has a more "processed sound" – and lacks the sound definition at the lower volumes. We run our Burmeister using the "Pure" sound processor option.

Lane Keeping Assist: This feature was helpful for one aspect – it gives a buzz-buzz sound when you near or accidentally cross over a lane marker. Very helpful when you are driving on "the wrong side" in normal road with oncoming vehicles on the other side of the road.. Normally, when we are driving at home, we need to keep towards the left part of our lane. When taking a sharp left turn – we keep near the verge on the left – to allow for truck or other oncoming vehicles. When we're in continental Europe and taking the same left turn, we need to override that instinct, and keep to the right side of our lane – the driver side being near the verge. If we got too close to the road dividing lane marker – this feature gives a subtle buzz reminder. It is just another part of the car's overall sensor fusion that helps the driver.

Matrix Lighting: We had two night driving segments – usually the end of a long day. This feature works incredibly well – flawlessly for us – and makes driving in a foreign country on unknown roads – as easy as if it was the day time. With the combination of Night View Assist – which didn't trigger on this trip – and the Matrix Lighting – we were not ever trying to reach our destination before nightfall. Just another set of sensors on the car that make driving the car enjoyable and reduces the stress/pressure on the driver and the trip schedule overall.

Data Service: We travelled between seven countries on this trip. As we crossed into each – sometimes multiple times on the same day – the Porsche GSM/3G/4G connection switched over to an appropriate cellular provider in each country seamlessly. We relied on our data connection to provide mapping, PRIM charge planning, streaming Apple Music audio and satellite imagery to the Passenger Display. Its impossible to determine with any accuracy how much data our car consumed on this trip but certainly it was in the 10s of gigabytes.

 

[tigerbalm]

I always enjoy that cow's in Switzerland (& Austria) actually do have bells on them.

We've plenty of similar "tourist friendly" animals walking on the road scenes here in Ireland – there isn't a Hollywood movie set in Ireland that doesn't feature it – but our cow's do not have bells on them.

 

[Swissbob]

I guess this is what it feels like in LA in the rush hour ?

 

[f1eng]

Features and Options in the car we valued

After spending two weeks travelling over 5000 km with our car, its a good opportunity to assess the features and options that our car has and that we valued.

Invaluable features



Lane Change Assist: When driving on "the wrong side of the road" like we did on this trip, you need to use your passenger side mirror more than your driver side mirror – a reversal of your normal habits when driving at home. The lights in the mirror with this feature give you an additional reassurance that you haven't missed a car when changing lanes to overtake. This is also helpful when navigating roads like those you'd find around Lake Garda in terms of not missing cyclists in your passenger side blind spot.



Cross traffic assist: Part of the set of parking Park Assist option. When reversing out of car parking spaces – a little blind usually from a SUV parked beside you blocking your view – this feature will warn you that a person, bicycle or other vehicle is approaching from either side behind you and warns you. It is not infallible and like all assist options requires driver vigilance – but we valued this feature every day. It's the best aspect to this expensive Park Assist "package", with the useless auto/remote parking feature getting all the attention. It greatly reduces the risk of parking garage dings – and remember parking garages in Europe are tight.

Thanks for these tips.
I must say I had hoped the cross traffic assist was part of lane change assist.
In my Prius PEV the same audio warning and lights in the mirror shows both and I appreciate both.
I am still struggling with the options price on the Porsche which has kept me away for many years...

 

[Swissbob]

Features and Options in the car we valued

After spending two weeks travelling over 5000 km with our car, its a good opportunity to assess the features and options that our car has and that we valued.

Invaluable features

Adaptive Cruise Control: On long stretches of motorway driving, this feature genuinely reduces driver fatigue by reducing the need for your brain to be constantly and subconsciously calculating the speeds of vehicles ahead. It's of particular use when the vehicle ahead is travelling just under the posted speed limit, where regular cruise control would have to be manually disengaged.

Vehicle Ahead Speed Marker: A feature of ACC – its incredibly useful when coming up on a vehicle ahead to be able to see its exact speed posted (as a little triangle) on your own speedometer. This provides you with the info ahead of time, that you can stay behind it or better off pulling out and overtake them immediately.

Lane Change Assist: When driving on "the wrong side of the road" like we did on this trip, you need to use your passenger side mirror more than your driver side mirror – a reversal of your normal habits when driving at home. The lights in the mirror with this feature give you an additional reassurance that you haven't missed a car when changing lanes to overtake. This is also helpful when navigating roads like those you'd find around Lake Garda in terms of not missing cyclists in your passenger side blind spot.

Traffic Sign Recognition: In Ireland, speed limits are always posted. There is always the specific speed posted. For example, you are on a normal road and the speed sign will show 100 km/h. Then as you approach a town, it will show 50 km/h. After you are the other side of the town and back onto a normal road, the speed sign will show 100 km/h again. It is easy to know what the posted speed limit is. This is not the case in various continental European countries. You are on a road, and you are expected to know what "type of road" it is and what the posted limits are on that road type. Then you'll approach a town, and the speed limit sign will show the town's name. The sign with the town's name implies that a certain (usually 50 km/h) speed is now in place. When at the other side of the town, there will be a sign with the town's name crossed out, this implies that the speed of the road type is now the limit for the road type you are on. This is fine for residents to figure out, but when you've been in five different countries that week – you risk making a mistake. The Porsche Traffic Sign Recognition can read all this and tell you the correct speed limit at any stage. It is looking at things like town signs, it knows to ignore speed limit signs that apply to cars towing caravans, etc.

Cross traffic assist: Part of the set of parking Park Assist option. When reversing out of car parking spaces – a little blind usually from a SUV parked beside you blocking your view – this feature will warn you that a person, bicycle or other vehicle is approaching from either side behind you and warns you. It is not infallible and like all assist options requires driver vigilance – but we valued this feature every day. It's the best aspect to this expensive Park Assist "package", with the useless auto/remote parking feature getting all the attention. It greatly reduces the risk of parking garage dings – and remember parking garages in Europe are tight.

Options that enhanced the trip

Passenger Display: With my co-driver playing an active role with route planning, charging stop, parking garage and lunch stop planning the additional screen got constant use. It allowed them to explore options and take their time using it to consider options without interfering with the driver. My co-driver who wasn't using the screen for turn-by-turn guidance – thats the job of the other screen – enjoyed the satellite view showing the relief and detail of the area around the car's immediate area. They went with the range set manually to 150 meters.

Burmeister Audio & Apple Music Player: With both of us valuing a good quality stereo sound – and already being Apple Music users – we enjoyed listening to our playlists most days – and especially on long trips. One of the things that isn't always appreciated, is that the Burmeister is really good at low volumes – which are safer – with all the detail in the music apparent at volume our average volume level of around 9 to 14. We had Bose in a loaner Taycan for a 3000 km trip and it is also very good, but has a more "processed sound" – and lacks the sound definition at the lower volumes. We run our Burmeister using the "Pure" sound processor option.

Lane Keeping Assist: This feature was helpful for one aspect – it gives a buzz-buzz sound when you near or accidentally cross over a lane marker. Very helpful when you are driving on "the wrong side" in normal road with oncoming vehicles on the other side of the road.. Normally, when we are driving at home, we need to keep towards the left part of our lane. When taking a sharp left turn – we keep near the verge on the left – to allow for truck or other oncoming vehicles. When we're in continental Europe and taking the same left turn, we need to override that instinct, and keep to the right side of our lane – the driver side being near the verge. If we got too close to the road dividing lane marker – this feature gives a subtle buzz reminder. It is just another part of the car's overall sensor fusion that helps the driver.

Matrix Lighting: We had two night driving segments – usually the end of a long day. This feature works incredibly well – flawlessly for us – and makes driving in a foreign country on unknown roads – as easy as if it was the day time. With the combination of Night View Assist – which didn't trigger on this trip – and the Matrix Lighting – we were not ever trying to reach our destination before nightfall. Just another set of sensors on the car that make driving the car enjoyable and reduces the stress/pressure on the driver and the trip schedule overall.

Data Service: We travelled between seven countries on this trip. As we crossed into each – sometimes multiple times on the same day – the Porsche GSM/3G/4G connection switched over to an appropriate cellular provider in each country seamlessly. We relied on our data connection to provide mapping, PRIM charge planning, streaming Apple Music audio and satellite imagery to the Passenger Display. Its impossible to determine with any accuracy how much data our car consumed on this trip but certainly it was in the 10s of gigabytes.

I have the Innodrive. The lane keep assist part is far from perfect but IMO the overall feature set is still a must have option if you use the Taycan as a daily driver. Driving back at night after a long day it was priceless for me last night. I see people here going without it and lusting after full leather which is lunacy IMO.

 

[2P168S]

Day 11: Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Austria)

Today we drove around the Grossglockner High Alpine Road which is at the heart of High Tauren National Park. The mountain pass road has a total of 48 km with 36 turns that leads deep into the centre of Austria’s largest national park.

They are well setup for EV's – with multiple chargers along the route – and a €10 discount for entry to the park – bringing the ticket down to €29. They even have a page dedicated to EV's on their website at https://www.grossglockner.at/gg/en/motorsandtyres/emobility. All the chargers along the route are free to use.

As we were only 50 km from the park, we didn't need them – but wanted to experience the impressive setup – we did get some top-ups. Before we purchased our ticket, we got a quick DC top-up.

The DC charger was unusual, in that the UI gave a lot more info than a charger would typically - including what the car's BMS was "demanding". I thought it interesting:

The last time I was here was in 2007 when I was driving my then two month old Volvo S40 D5 Diesel. This is the car that I traded in 13 years later in 2020 for my first Porsche – a Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid – a significant upgrade!

The roads here are sweeping, wide and steep – in a nutshell they are brilliant.

Until we reached the glacier.

We did the tourist thing and went on the funicular.

We saw this beautiful 911 parked in the multi-story car park. Anyone know what colour blue this is?

At lunch we grabbed another free charging top-up – this time AC.

The charger wasn't on PlugShare so I added it – https://www.plugshare.com/location/338247

And then a pleasant evenings drive back down to Lienz.

The days charging stats:

Location	Start SOC %	End SOC %	kWh added	Cost	Duration	Ambient Temp	Battery Temp	Charger Type	Network
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrass, Austria	83%	96%	10.051	€0.00	23 mins	22.5	30	DC 50kW	Unknown
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrass, Austria	71%	90%	16.587	€0.00	1 hour 15 mins	23.0	35	AC 22kW	Unknown

Today we did 165 km over 4:39 hours, with an average speed of 36km/h, consuming 27.7 kWh/100km.

Pretty sure the 993 is in Mexico Blue

 

[EGGY41]

3 years late, but .... not sure my wife would be that impressed with a trip to Colchester to celebrate out anniversary They do have a Porsche dealer though ...

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