I'm curious as to why you bought, or are considering buying, a Porsche Taycan.

Personally, I think "we" enthusiasts are in a strange place. Much of what appeals to many enthusiasts [of my kind] seems to be disappearing.
1. Driving dynamics are decreasingly relevant as performance cars have made ordinary speeds "boring"
2. Electric cars are without much of the drama associated with ICE-powered cars - exhaust note, manual shifting, modding, etc.

What appeals about the Taycan?

 

Stunning great looks. Lower CO2's. Quiet.

 

Haven’t bought a Taycan but contemplating it. What I like about it over Tesla (the current gold standard for EV comparisons):

1. Driving dynamics do matter to me. Steering feel, suspension design and tuning, chassis stiffness, they all make a big difference, even in modern cars. I just drove a friend’s Mustang Convertible right after driving my 718 Spyder, and the Mustang felt like it was from a different planet with its lack of steering feel and precision, subpar body control, and chassis flex. I’ve driven a Model 3, and the steering and suspension didn’t feel sports car like to me; they felt very ordinary. Teslas don’t have the steering feel and precision, or the combination of superb body control with supple ride, that Porsche provides.
2. Build quality: Porsches feel much better put together than Teslas. Nicer interior materials, better panel gaps, more rigidity, less road noise.
3. Interior layout: I don’t like the centre screen with no gauges of the Model 3, or crazy interior with a weird steering wheel of the new Model S. Taycan has a much more sensible layout.
4. Seating position: I like to sit low to the ground. Taycan allows that, while Tesla does not.
5. Styling: The Taycan looks striking, modern, distinctive, and Porsche like. The Tesla Model 3 looks like an egg, and Model Y looks like a bloated hunchback egg thing. Model S has a decent shape but is getting long in the tooth, and nowhere near as distinctive as the Taycan.
6. Customizability: Porsche gives lots of options with interior materials, colours, and features to make the car unique and exactly the way I’d want. Teslas are a lot more homogenous/cookie cutter.

 

For me the decision was an easy one:

1. Free $$$$:
   • $7,500 Federal Tax Credit
   • $6,800 NJ Sales Tax Credit
   • No more gasoline tax at the state and federal level
   • Utility incentive and Federal incentive to install a home EV Charger (making it virtually free). I am sick and tired of paying a fortune in taxes, now its my turn to some "free" stuff.
   • Free EA charging, when needed
   • Reasonable discounting -
2. I like the way it looks, especially as I have mine configured and now locked.
3. Looking for a sport ride that does not have to be blazing fast, but must handle well.
4. Don't have the need for another fast car in the garage. My Durango RT with a 5.7L Hemi is plenty fast enough!

 

OP I suggest you drive one. My first drive in one was a Turbo and I was blown away. Porsche really knocked it out of the park. Not sure if the one I drove had PDCC but it handled incredible just as you expect from a Porsche and is comfortable even for me a 6' 3".

FWIW: I daily drive a 2020 Tesla Model 3 LR

 

So far the Taycan specific "reasons" are:
- styling
- drive/handling
- build quality
- Porsche customization

I'm curious because I assumed I would buy one then looking at Ford Mustang Mach E – really what the Mach E GT promises – it isn't clear to me what would make the Taycan "worth" $50K more. Of course this is all subjective. The reviews of the Mustang are pretty compelling.

 

Mach-e is ugly IMO & for the masses. For that price point it's Tesla for me. They're way ahead on the tech front + vast supercharging network. Also - 8-year | 120,000 mile powertrain warranty.

 

Opinions about aesthetics and orifices - everyone has one.
Regarding the "masses" that is a reason. Like aesthetics it is quite subjective. Personally, I never bought a Porsche because of exclusivity.

 

Im ordering a Tacyan Wagon. The build quality and driving experience is the winning combo for me. Tesla is transportation - like driving an iphone, Taycan is a sports car first - you cant really compare the performance driving experience (cornering is priority - i dont care if one goes 2 seconds quicker). My wife loved the guilt free acceleration, thought the design was pretty crazzy\aggressive but knows its a dream come true for me. She will daily the Taycan replacing our Cayenne S until the ID Buzz comes out and we will get that. 993 will move out of daily mode, but its staying.

phil.

 

Thanks. My fear is that all the electric cars are transportation. The sound of my since departed 2.7L flat-six still gets me going. So too the lift/off-throttle oversteer.
I'll wait to drive the Taycan and Mach E GT back to back.

 

Just like every porsche - they make you lean in and drive like a porsche. Taycan handling is super flat and planted - my wifes first comment was how planted it was and then i pushed her not to slow down for a corner and got a "woah!" + big smile.. then she stepped on the GO button and laughed at leaving all the cars around us in the dust.

Amazing what they engineered and not surprised - it's a porsche!

phil.

 

4.0L Porsche flat 6 @ 9000rpm is glorious - zero doubt. I do however dislike the Taycan fake engine sound option. Definitely would not order a car with - and turn it off in a car that had it.

 

My wife removed the fake noise from our build list - "we dont need more noise, that's silly.. and it makes a cool electric noise without it"

phil.

 

They're not. Good ones, like the Taycan, are fun. But in their own way.

I wouldn't want my 911 out of my life though. But I appreciate not all of those sensations for 2 hours a day.

 

Nothing will replace a light weight sports car with a high revving naturally aspirated flat 6 and a manual transmission, but most of the new cars for sale today don't have those features. If you drive a 992 Turbo S for example, it's muffled, computer controlled, and has packed on the pounds. I would argue that the Taycan is much more exciting. Same goes with cars like the Audi RS4/5/6 and turbo charged Ferrari's. It's hard to find a manual transmission let alone a naturally aspirated car.

Then you have the problem that cars with manual transmissions and naturally aspirated engines are slow compared to turbo charged cars with dual clutch gearboxes or electric cars. So the fastest cars have become dull, and the slowest are the most fun to drive. At that point I would rather have a new electric car and an older 911. There are a few exceptions like the GT3, but then you compromise so much in terms of usability and comfort. The Taycan offers something different, exciting, leading edge, and unbelievable performance for the street. It's really hard to compete with the complete package.