Porsche Taycan In The Flesh: It Will Sell Simply Because Of Its Stunning Design

Summary

• In person, the design of the Porsche Taycan is even more impressive than you would have seen in the photos.
• It is simply a new level of car design, distinctly Porsche, but at the same time taking advantage of what an all-electric architecture has to offer.
• I don’t think people will buy the Porsche Taycan because of its spec sheet or how it drives at the edge of the performance envelope.
• Rather, I think its main selling point will be the first and most obvious one: Design.
• Often, if a car is simply a most desirable object in terms of design, it will sell well.

I just had the opportunity to spend time with three Porsche Taycans -- one white, one red and one blue. The Taycan looked good in pictures, which we all saw last Wednesday.

As so often is the case with almost all cars, the object in question looks better in person. I like how the design of the new Porsche Panamera, which came out little over a year ago, was much-improved compared to the first-generation Panamera. It looks like it has lost a lot of weight, among other things.

In a similar manner, the Taycan looks like a 2019 Panamera “2.0” that has lost even more weight. Obviously, the actual weight hasn’t been lost -- but the Taycan *looks* as if it has. It’s lower, and the fronts and rears contain less volume.

It’s definitely more of a “coupe” than a sedan. The rear is very long and tapers down right after the top of the B-pillar. If it weren’t for the rear doors and the presence of a back seat, it might might have caused you to believe there was a V-16 midship engine that needed a lot of space. However goofy that sounds, it works in giving the Taycan a very unique look and presence.

It is definitely a car that sets a new standard for exterior design. The Taycan’s design is definitely purposeful. It is not meant to maximize interior space -- whether for people or their luggage. It’s meant to look intimidating in a race-car sort of way.

That would be a race-car that can fit four adults, and a modest amount of luggage. The Taycan is “practical enough” for someone to use it as a daily driver, but it’s not a car in which most people would like to transport drooling and otherwise dirty kids to and from school and other activities. That would be another car. A Tesla would be more appropriate for that, as would almost any other car in the market.

I don’t think it matters exactly how well the Porsche Taycan will drive at the edges of the performance envelope. It simply looks like a whole new level of premium for an electric car. It makes a Tesla look cheap, old and weak.

I don’t know how well the Taycan will do in terms of unit sales. However, I think that whatever number of sales it will generate, will primarily happen because of its very charismatic exterior design. Forget the lap times and the spec sheet. This one is in the eye of the beholder, and I think many eyes will want to behold the Taycan -- which makes it possible to sell it at a premium price.