PORSCHE’S ELECTRIFYING ���� TAYCAN

OHLALA is a fan of all things Porsche and we always relish the chance to get behind the wheel of any model we can get our hands on. This month, thanks to the team at Porsche Centre Doha, we got the opportunity to test drive the new, fully-electric 2023 Porsche Taycan.

Exterior

Our first impression of the four-door sports saloon was that it carries the unmistakable Porsche design DNA. At the front end, the low and wide stance of the vehicle is particularly obvious. As a result of the compact drive components, the bonnet slopes down at a flat angle between two highly pronounced wings. The LED matrix headlights and the air curtains combine to form a visual unit that seems to float. The unique light signature with three-dimensional glass elements is further enhanced by the presence of four-point daytime running lights – both flatter and wider than those of any previous Porsche model.

From the sides, we admired the sculpted contours of the new Taycan, along with the steeply sloping panoramic roofline. The short overhangs at the front and rear emphasise the car’s sporty proportions, whilst the sleekly designed cabin sits on a wide body and 21-inch Mission E design wheels, both reinforcing the car’s lean and muscular look.

At the back, the drawn-in C-pillar and pronounced shoulders of the wings enhance the width of the rear. A narrow, illuminated bar stretches from one side of the back end to the other and contains the Porsche logo made of three-dimensional-shaped glass letters. Further notable rear design features include an aerodynamically efficient diffuser and a spoiler that extends in three phases depending on speed.

Interior

Slipping into the 18-way electric adaptive front sport seats, the driverorientated nature of the tech-laden cockpit was immediately apparent. The cleanly styled dashboard is a modernised version of the one fitted in the original 1963 911. The wing-shaped upper and lower sections of the dash stretch across the entire width of the car, where they effortlessly blend into the door trims.

The instrument panel also features a clean, minimalist and ultracontemporary design, whilst the curved instrument cluster forms the highest point on the dash. All components are positioned to ensure the driver has everything in easy view required for driving the Taycan.