Doug DeMuro Left Speechless by 2020 Porsche Taycan
YouTuber praises Taycan for its great interior and driving dynamics. But can Porsche actually dethrone Tesla’s Model S?
The full-size luxury sedan segment just got more exciting. With the initial rollout of the 2020 Porsche Taycan currently underway, reviews are starting to trickle in. And so far they’ve been very positive. The Model S may have finally met its match. But is that really the case?
YouTuber Doug DeMuro recently reviewed the Porsche Taycan and came away extremely impressed. He thinks the Taycan is now the best new Porsche on the market. Beyond the blistering performance, DeMuro felt that the Porsche can be considered a credible Tesla Model S competitor. Is that actually the case though? It’s worth discussing.
A True Porsche, But is That Enough?
It’s worth noting that DeMuro unambiguously concluded that the Taycan is an authentic Porsche. “It’s not just that the steering is good, the car also handles tremendously well. Mid-corner, coming out of the corners, it feels like a Porsche sports car. It feels like a 911,” says DeMuro. He had the opportunity to test drive a Turbo S, which can run 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds. The Taycan succeeds on the merits, and not just because it goes fast.
It’s also got Tesla beat when it comes to interior quality. “What Tesla doesn’t offer is the ability to do track lap after track lap without overheating, the ability to have a really, really top quality, upscale interior,” says DeMuro. There’s no evidence of cost-cutting in the Taycan’s interior. However, if Tesla Model S buyers disliked its interior, the company would have probably switched things up by now. Minimalist design is an ongoing trend and it’s one that Tesla embraced long ago. Tesla also has some intangible features that make their products noteworthy, like “Dog Mode,” which the car will automatically install because every Tesla comes with the capability to receive over-the-air software updates. The Taycan will also feature the same technology, but it remains to be seen if they will utilize it as effectively as Tesla.
An Unstoppable Force vs. an Immovable Object?
It’s hard to talk about value when discussing luxury sedans. That being said, the Model S is significantly cheaper while also sporting a battery with significantly more range. For about $3,000 less than the cheapest Taycan, buyers can purchase the Tesla Model S Performance. That model boasts a 348 mile range and a claimed 0-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds. The closest Taycan equivalent cannot match either of those figures. It’s something that DeMuro notes in his review. “Tesla provides an excellent vehicle in terms of value. They’re able to pack an enormous amount of range and tech into a car that’s not that expensive compared to its rivals,” says DeMuro. Tesla also has their Supercharger network, which is by far the most extensive and technologically advanced network in the industry. That’s a compelling aspect of Tesla ownership that will prove hard to beat.
The truth is that both vehicles are probably fine in the short term. The Tesla Model S will continue do well. And Porsche already has a substantial amount of pre-orders for the Taycan. In terms of sales, they should succeed. However, it’s the long term reputation that Porsche needs to cultivate. What’s remarkable about Tesla is how quickly people latched onto the brand. It took much longer for Porsche to obtain that type of cachet. That’s not a bad thing, and Porsche can draw on its extensive heritage for future electric vehicles. But they need to be careful if they want to taken seriously as a legitimate EV automaker.
Fortunately, Porsche seems to have successfully introduced a credible threat to Tesla. The Taycan really shines as a Porsche, and the company appears to be headed towards a bright future. That doesn’t mean it’s entirely smooth sailing though. The company cannot rest on their laurels. In any event, DeMuro’s review is a clear indicator that Porsche properly distilled the essence of their brand into the Taycan. And enthusiasts now have another superlative performance sedan to choose from if they’re in the market. DeMuro’s review is long but absolutely worth it.