MOTORS Porsche electric Taycan

Estate of THE ART

As the indomitable rise of the SUV causes sales of executive saloons, estate cars and sports cars to plummet, Porsche is fighting back with a shooting-brake style version of its Taycan sports coupé. It’s the electric sports car with four seats, a decent boot, and lots of style and performance...

BEFORE THE RISE OF THE SUV, estate cars provided extra space and practicality, and typically more headroom in the rear, making them a practical bet for families whose boots are always heaving with clutter. Today, 4x4 bodystyles are dominating the motoring world, and the poor old estate car looks comparatively unloved. But if you’re looking for a car that blends the ‘four seats and big boot’ practicality of an estate car with the low-slung style of a sporty coupé, Porsche’s new Taycan Cross Turismo should be right at the top of your motoring shortlist. Five models are available, a 362ps entry model, a 4S version with 435ps and all-wheel drive, plus a GTS version and two Turbo versions with 517 and 625ps. We reckon the best bet is the all-wheel drive 4S. In the boot there’s 446 litres or storage, and with the rear seats folded, this increases to 1,212 litres. For reference, that’s comparable with a Ford Focus... and there’s a front boot with an extra 84 litres of storage, too. The all-electric Taycan in 4S form reaches 60mph in four seconds and tops out at 155mph where legal. It’ll go for 274 miles before charging which, with an 80kWh battery and an AC charger, takes 4.5 hours. Four seats are standard, but a fifth seat is one of the very many optional extras. Out of the box the 4S is a snip under £85,000, but save money for leather, adaptive cruise control and a 360° camera.

There’s a phenomenal scope for customising your Taycan, too, with eight wheels, 17 paint colours – plus the option to have the car painted to your bespoke shade – and myriad options for seat stitching, dashboard finishers and so on.

Naturally, for a company which majors on handling, the Taycan is phenomenal to drive, handling like it’s on rails. And thanks to its electric drivetrain, power deliver is absolutely immediate. A car that can appeal to your heart and satisfy your head, the Taycan really is all the car you’ll ever need... or want. n

THE DETAILS Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo

Price: £ 85,604 (4S Sport). Powertrain: 320kW/435PS all electric, 79.2kWh battery. Performance: 0-60mph: 4.0 secs. Top speed 155mph. WLTP range 274mpg. Equipment: Partial leather interior, 19” alloy wheels, heated seats, two-zone climate control, electric windows. Porsche PASM climate and infotainment system with navigation. n