[Top-Gear] Porsche - Taycan

 

Top Gear - Porsche Taycan Review

 

As men who are obsessed with cars, so never became mature, grew older, 
they continued to do their job and they contacted me, saying that their latest product made it into this world.

Then they invited me to Germany. Now I'm here.

Prosche provided me with this vast amount of documents and asked me to Power Test this car.

To be honest, I'm not really a paper-oriented guy, so I couldn't make much out of the data, even when I tried.

So. let's go and take a ride.

One lesson that we learned from years of Power Tests is this.

The brand that makes all data obsolete is Porsche, and that simply means just drive it.

 

obsessed : 집착 mature : 성숙한 vast amount of : 방대한 양 obsolete : 퇴화한/시대에 뒤떨어진...

 

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But, I'm lost. I don't know what to touch. This is really cool.

And there is anouther display over here.

I'm assuming that it is the display for the passenger.

The latest 911s also have this steering wheel. Here's the rotary knob to select the drive mode.

Anyway, I should start driving. Is this thing on?

The exact name of this car is Taycan Turbo S.

This is an electric car, so it doesn't have an engine.

Despite this, the reason "Turbo"was added is because, Turbo is an adjective for Porsche.

The fastest one, and having S attached to it means the faster one than the fastest one.

In other words, this is the fastest Taycan model.

If i did not know this car was Porsche's latest electric car and got in it.

I would simply think "Wow, it's the latest Porsche"

There is nothing special that makes it stand out as an electric car.

But once you start to drive and put your foot on the accelerator pedal,
you get a clear idea of the fact that this car does not run of fuel.

 

assuming(형) : 가정 stand out : 눈에 띄다

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The world changed and even Porsche became quiet. But don't be sad.

Because one of the things Porsche will never give up is this.

This is exactly the sound. If I close my eyes and listen to the sound. it sounds like you're taking off from the ground and flying.
This should be turned on at all times.

Then let's take a look at the electric car element of this car.

I've set the car to Range mode.

Range mode, as the name suggests, is a mode that only focuses on the best efficiency.

The reason why I am so focused on Range mode is because it's just not Porsche-like.

Once in Range mode, the airflap, the air intake area closes shut And the spoiler, suspension, A/C, steering, and even the headlights change to use minimum power.

For extreme efficiencey, the rear motor is not used and the car only runs with the front motor. It is basically a front-wheel drive car.

If you change the mode to Normal, Over 90% of the power immediately goes to the rear axle.

You want Normal? No more Range mode? Okay, if you want Normal, it will make your driving a little more comfortable rather than more efficient.

I'm at 180 km/h, I'm not at full-speed right now, Just a little press on the pedal. It's surprisingly quiet.

I'm not sure if this is good or bad. buf it feels like I'm in a vacuum pack.

It's awkward and I'm still not getting used to it. But the car itself is really really fast. and it's calm, making it feel like a space ship.

I've experienced many cars that rush around with powerful growls, but the sensation this one gives me is something I've never experienced before.

But what is certain is that this is the most silent Porsche in its history, and it is the Porsche with the most powerful presence. Maybe in the future, like the 911 of today.
We may be talking about Porsche models with this Taycan as the standard.

 

exactly : 정확하게 taking off : 벗어나다(이륙하다) efficiency : 능률(효율성) axle : 차축 surprisingly : 놀랍게도 awkward : 어색한

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The Porsche Taycan is 8 cm shorter than the Porsche Panamera, and it's 2.9 cm wider and 5cm lower.

Despite the difference in size between the two which can be measured with my hand the stances these two have are completely different.

While this one is a heavy, big 4-door saloon this one feels like a proper sports car. It looks sharp and light.
But the truth is this one is heavier than the Panamera Turbo by an astonishing 300 kg.
That's a significant difference.

However, despite being heavy, the time it takes to reach 100 km/h is a full second faster than the Panamera Turbo at a mind-blowing time of 2.8 seconds.

What is more important is that In order to gain that performance, the Porsche Panamera Turbo spews out 238g of carbon dioxide for every 1 km, while this one, despite being faster, generates no exhaust gas at all. Absolutely none. Zero.

 

Despite : 그럼에도 불구하고 astonishing : 놀라운 significant : 유의 mind-blowing : 가슴이 터질것 같은 exhaust : 배기가스

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Porsche engineers have always pursued the 0.0001 second. and I'm certain that they did what they were doing.

And it's our turn to check their achievement.

Let me test the performance of this one. 2.8 seconds to 100 km/h. It's time to experience it.

Let's go start.

It was so nerve-wracking.

I wasn't able to actually see how long it took.

I couldn't because it was just overwhelmingly qucik.

I was determined before launch 'that I wouldn't blurt out a "whoa" kind of thing and just stay cool.
But out of everything with four wheels I've driven, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the fastest.

In fact, time doesn't really matter. I don't mind if it's not 2.8 seconds.

Regardless of what car you drive, there is no way you would've experienced this.
Because it feels like you are literally being sucked into a vacuum.

 

pursued : 추구하다/밀고나가다/뒤쫒다 nerve-wracking :  overwhelmingly : 압도적으로/너무나도 강력한/저항하기 힘든 blurt : 불쑥 내뱉다 doubt : 의심/의혹/의문 Regardless of: ~에 상관없이 literally: 문자그대로/그야말로/정말로

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When something completely new makes its debut, people normally express wariness, doubt and rejection.

I'm sure this one will receive a great deal of criticism that rivals the vast amount of interest it garners.

Thinking about eco-friendliness and fuel efficiency which are elements that are not really connected to a sports car brand
will only lead to the question, "Why would Porsche do this?"

So people's thoughts about the Taycan would naturally be Can Porsche make an electric car?
Do they even have such know-how? like that.

In fact....

in 2010, Porsche build a race car called the GT3R Hybrid, This race car with two electric motors took park in the 24-hour VLN race at Nurburgring.

While it retired due to engine trouble after 20 hours of racing, people who are familiar with racing heritages knew what was coming next. The next stage in Porsche's plan.

And Porsche in 2014, in my opinion, will remain as a legend.

The 919 Hybrid was introduced. It was a prototype car.

A prototype car only to take part in the 24 Hours at LeMans LMP1 class, and it completely dominated between 2015 and 2017.

Driver championship and team championship all together.
Then in 2017, Porsche declares "We're done" after dominating all championships, In a way, it is really really cool.
And also a bit mean to a degree.

After three consecutive championships, it leaves racing behind. and 2 years later, the Taycan was born.

What I want to say is that Porsche's experiment with plug-in hybrids through racing starting in 2010 became a solid foundation to build the Taycan.

This is where the difference with Tesla is apparent.

Porsche was a brand that build cars through racing. and this electric car was build with technology accumulated by racing.

So I personally think that this is where the difference in stability and durability is significantly bigger than the car build in Silicon Vally.
From this perspective, even when building the same electric car.

Porsche will definitely gain more trust.

 

debut : 출현하다, 데뷔하다 criticism : 비난/비판/평론 rivals: 경쟁자/경쟁상대 garners: (정보/지지 등을)얻다 heritages: 유산 dominated: (특히 불쾌한 방식으로)지배하다/~의 가장 중요한 특징이 되다. consecutive : 연이은 apparent : 분명한/누가봐도 알 수 있는/~인 것처럼 보이는 accumulated : 모으다/축적하다/서서히 늘어나다 stability : 안정성 durability ;  내구성이 있는/오래가는 perspective : 관점/시각/(문제 해결을 위한 사고에서의)균형감

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This one, which went through extreme tempering, it actually not a second runner in electric cars but is the front runner of electirc sports cars.

An electirc car with a clear difference since it's birth. Now let's look into its core instincts.

Stepping on the accelerator of this car right now makes my adrenaline take off.

With the constant torque band the power you feel at beginning continues.
and about 90% of the power is sent to the rear as we are cruising at high speed.

Let's try to accelerate in Sport Mode...

In this one, there're two drive motors. One up front and one in the rear.
And rear motor features a transmissin, which is generally missing in electric cars.

So in normal driving, it does not kick into first gear, But when you want extreme thrills in your driving then first gear kicks in in Sport or Sport Plus.

I don't want to call  this gear the first gear. I just want to call as Porsche gear.
It's a gear that only Porsche can have.

 

tempering : 불리어지다, 완화하다 instincts : 본능 constant : 상수, 충실한, 끊임없이 계속하는, cruising : 항속 kick into : 시작하다

 

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But before I go all-in on its performance, I remembered something I must do.

I'm trying out the super-fast charge.

You literally just need to plug it in.

This is the plug for the Quick DC Charger. Then you place your card here and then that place turns blue. indicating that it's being charged.

With ultra-fast charging at 270 kw, it says it should take 22.5 minutes to charge from 5% to 80%.

I think that's about right to have a meal and a cup of coffee.

Preparations are complete.

 

Preparations : 준비

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Now I'm used to it.

Once in Sport Mode, well, the sense of speed is still felt as it brakes, but the uneasy feeling is completely gone.

The air suspension truly draws out different characteristics of the car accoring to the mode. It's really gone.

Now we're at 250 km/h.
The top speed of this car is 260 km/h. or so it says on the official spec sheet, but it goes even higher.

That's just like Porsche.

It continues to make me happy.

I think it suits my style better in Sport Mode.

Normal Mode is like a difficult-to-digest Porsche and Sport Mode is like clearing out your stomach with digestive medicine.

Porsche's engineers made their first electric car, but they knew exactly what is most Porsche-like.

Porsche will continue on its path as it did in the past, in the present and in the future.

I can definitely tell you this If you are considering buying a Taycan, you must add Electric Sport Sound.
It's a must-have option.

It's the solution offered by Porsche engineers to an electric car, which is naturally dull.

"It feels like a "How about this?" kind of thing. but I am completely sold. I applaud Porsche.

 

dull : 단조롭고 지루한 applaud : 박수 갈채하다

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In conclusion, as a Porsche made by the sports car brand Porsche, it must drive like this.

it must sound like this, like transforming into a spaceship.

In Sport Plus Mode, you don't need to change anything, Simply turn the dial two notches.

Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

The message delivered by this new electric car was absolutely clear and it surely made me happy.

In fact, I felt the thirst and drive of the engineers who develop Porsches by driving this car.

The thirst to build something we truly want to build, it a world with no boundaries or regulations.

I feel like that thirst is fully quenched by building the Taycan.

Because of this feelling, I really love the Taycan.

While driving the Taycan I thought to myself regardless of what our future will be Porsche will never give up its value.

No matter the circumstances Porsche will continue to be the Porsche we know of today.

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Now it's really the time to say good bye.

The sun is setting.

It's been a while since I did a car review and maybe it's because it's been so long or may be it's because of the Porsche Taycan.

I feel sad looking at the sunset.