Porsche Taycan News

Porsche Cars Australia has used the four points of the compass as inspiration for a quartet of one-off, uniquely-themed vehicles to celebrate the iconic German brand’s 75 years in the local market.The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, Macan 4S, Taycan 4S Cross Turismo and Cayenne S have been designed to reflect the country’s diverse colours and landscapes.The ‘Go North’ Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is finished in ‘Emerald Green Metallic’ to reflect the lush vegetation of Australia’s tropical north with 21-inch ‘Exclusive Design’ rims finished in ‘Neodyme’ (satin gold), and the car’s ‘Espresso’ leather interior representing the region’s contrasting earth tones.Next, the ‘Go East’ Taycan 4S Cross Turismo in ‘Ipanema Blue Metallic’ is a nod to the ocean and coastal surf culture, with 21-inch Exclusive Design wheels in ‘Crayon’ (soft grey) and two-tone black/Crayon leather interior (with ‘Speed Blue’ highlights) representing marine life, coral formations and sandy beaches.Then, the ‘Go South’ Macan 4S’ ‘Gold Bronze Metallic’ finish, 22-inch ‘Vesuvius Grey’ ‘RS Spyder Design’ wheels and black/Chalk extended leather interior reference South Australia’s Limestone Coast and the dolerite sea columns of Tasmania’s southern Tasman Peninsula.Finally, the ‘Go West Cayenne S’ in ‘Ipanema Brown’ with 22-inch ‘Black silk-gloss’ rims and ‘Bordeaux Red’ seat centres echo natural formations, indigenous artworks and the Outback’s deep red colours. Each commemorative car features bespoke items including a ‘75 Years of Porsche in Australia’ key painted to match its exterior colour, illuminated door sill guards customised with each vehicle’s directional theme as well as embossed floor mats. But these cars may not be unique for long because speaking at their unveiling during this year’s Australian Formula One Grand Prix weekend, Porsche Cars Australia CEO and Managing Director Daniel Schmollinger said: “These four cars align timeless Porsche design with regional identity, culture, lifestyle and purpose.“And best of all, they are available for any of our customers to replicate using the Porsche online car configurator.” In marking 75 years in Australia, Porsche references a “chance encounter” when Australian Norman Hamilton, in Europe to investigate pump technology for the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, was overtaken by a silver sports car while driving across Austria‘s famously twisting Grossglockner Pass. The car was a Porsche development prototype driven by German race ace Richard von Frankenberg. Stopped at the same inn in the next village he and Hamilton struck up a conversation, which led to Hamilton meeting Ferdinand Porsche. A vehicle distribution deal followed with the first two Australian-market Porsche 356s shipped to Melbourne in 1951, one of the earliest export arrangements in the brand’s 78 years as a carmaker.

Black is back in fashion.

After the launch of the Taycan facelift in August, Porsche has brought two more lower-spec variants into the fray in the Taycan GTS and Taycan 4. 

There’s a reason why McDonald’s sells Big Macs and cheeseburgers and not salads and protein shakes — that’s what people want.The car industry is learning this lesson now, but in a more expensive way with brands that had committed to electric futures forced to backpedal as internal combustion remains the overwhelming choice for consumers.In a recent conference call, Porsche chief financial officer Lutz Meschke explained why the company has completely rethought its future model line-up with plans to have all but the 911 electric by the end of the decade scrapped.Instead, the Cayenne and Panamera will carry on with petrol power for the foreseeable future in the wake of softening demand for the Taycan electric sports sedan and a seemingly disappointing reception for the new electric Macan.“A lot of customers in the premium and luxury segment are looking in the direction of combustion-engined cars, there’s a clear trend,” Meschke said.While plug-in hybrids will continue to be invested in, Meschke made it clear that Porsche will be keeping its options open to adjust to the preferences of the market. He also appeared to indicate that the Taycan and new Macan could be reverse engineered for an internal combustion engine. “As for our electrified line-up, we are very flexible when it comes to our production footprint,” he explained. “We can produce combustion engine, plug-in hybrids and electrified cars in one production line in Leipzig. When it comes to research and development, you’ll see more flexibility in the upcoming years. We will develop new combustion-engined derivatives in order to give the right answer to customer demand.”Porsche is hardly alone in this situation either. Mercedes-Benz has also said it will have what it’s calling ‘tactical flexibility’ with vehicle platforms, creating architectures that can accommodate both ICE and EV powertrains in order to give itself a better chance in these changing times.At the other end of the market, Fiat is re-engineering its 500e to take a hybrid engine as sales of the electric city car have been well below expectations.While EV sales continue to grow in Australia they still make up only a small portion of the market, so car makers operating here will likely remain focused on ICE, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models in order to balance consumer demand and in the incoming New Vehicle Efficiency Standards.

With Porsche soon to celebrate the fifth birthday of its ground-breaking Taycan performance EV sedan and wagon, the storied German carmaker is confident its future EV strategy is on track.

The instant success of Porsche’s first ever EV, the Taycan four-door sedan, has paved the way for a successful launch of the upcoming Macan electric in Australia, according to Porsche’s local boss.

Porsche says its new Taycan Turbo GT and lighter, track-focused Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package is the most powerful series-production model it has ever produced.

Porsche has unveiled the first significant update to the tech underneath its first full electric model, the Taycan, boasting more impressive charging times, faster acceleration and a few design tweaks.

When Porsche introduced the Cayenne SUV just over 20 years ago the world was knocked off its axis for many devotees of Zuffenhausen’s finest. But that was only a small tremor relative to the seismic disruption that accompanied the arrival of Porsche’s first pure electric vehicle, the Taycan, in 2019.

Mercedes-Benz announces a new EQS variant which comes in a whopping $107,175 cheaper than before.