Skip advert
Advertisement

Porsche Taycan 4S revealed with up to 563bhp

The mid-range Porsche Taycan 4S expands the brand’s all-electric saloon line-up

Just over a month after the reveal of the range-topping Turbo and Turbo S variants, Porsche has unveiled the Taycan 4S. Designed to sit in the middle of the range, below the Turbos and above upcoming, lesser variants, it boasts an impressive balance of performance and value. 

As the name suggests, the 4S puts power to all four wheels, as do both the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S, just with marginally smaller permanently excited synchronous electric motors – one each on the front and rear axles. Also carried across is the two-speed gearbox at the rear for improved acceleration. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

> New Porsche Taycan review - Stuttgart puts its stamp on the electric car era

Overboost power still comes in at a respectable 522bhp, or 563bhp with the optional Performance Battery Plus option. This is around 100bhp less than the Turbo, and while the 4S can’t match the 2.8sec 0-62mph time of the Turbo S, it can still cover that benchmark in 4sec, with top speed at 155mph. 

Thanks to the laws of physics, less demand from the motors makes for better range, giving the Performance Battery Plus-equipped 4S 287 miles of range (252 miles with the standard battery), the most of any current Taycan. For comparison, the range-topping Turbo S claims up to 256 miles of range on the WLTP cycle. 

Separating the 4S from its Turbo counterparts are a few subtle design tweaks, ranging from new 19-inch Turbo S Aero wheels, red brake calipers, marginally less aggressive front and rear bumper designs and slightly raised suspension. Six-piston caliper brakes with 360mm discs are fitted at the front, with four-piston, 358mm units at the rear. Porsche’s 4D Chassis Control can also be found, alongside the same three-chamber adaptive air suspension as on the Turbo and Turbo S. 

Being a 4S, there’s plenty of kit as standard, including the Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus LED headlights, the 10.9-inch wraparound cockpit, a partial leather interior and much more. A leather-free interior can be had at extra cost, as can the passenger display seen in the Turbo. 

Perhaps the biggest draw of the Taycan 4S will be its price. Starting from £83,367, it seems no less than a bargain when stacked up against the Turbo and Turbo S, with £32,491 sitting between it and the Turbo, and a staggering £55,459 with the Turbo S. Order books open today, and first deliveries are expected in January 2020. 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

​Volkswagen ID.3 review: a more subtle, more expensive Cupra Born
Volkswagen ID.3 – front
Reviews

​Volkswagen ID.3 review: a more subtle, more expensive Cupra Born

The ID.3 has been updated to address some of its key weak points, but better-value rivals have caught up
26 Mar 2024
2025 Audi e-tron GT to get 1000bhp RS model
2025 Audi e-tron GT
News

2025 Audi e-tron GT to get 1000bhp RS model

The all-electric Audi e-tron GT will benefit from the upgrades its Porsche Taycan relative has just received, including a 1000bhp RS model
22 Mar 2024
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 2024 review – the most engaging EV yet
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Reviews

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 2024 review – the most engaging EV yet

Hyundai has used every trick in the book – and written a few new ones – to make the Ioniq 5 N fun to drive. The results are truly impressive
20 Mar 2024
Kia EV9 2024 review – a Range Rover on a budget?
Kia EV9 – front
Reviews

Kia EV9 2024 review – a Range Rover on a budget?

Need an electric seven-seater with a 300+ mile range? Right now, the answer is Kia's EV9.
20 Mar 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024