Spy shots of the 2024 Porsche Taikan.
The Porsche Taycan is due for an update, as evidenced by camouflaged prototypes spotted in the wild.
A fully electric vehicle, the Taycan first appeared as a sedan for the 2020 model year, spawning a soft-roader Cross Turismo body style for 2021 and a wagon Sport Turismo body style for 2022.
A fully updated range should be available for the 2024 model year, with a likely market launch later this year, but the launch could be delayed to early 2024.
The prototypes reveal subtle changes at both ends. The front and rear fascias have been changed, and the wheel patterns appear to have been modified. We also know that the updated Taycan will have new matrix LED headlights inside, with four individual LED elements. Porsche unveiled the new headlights last month, confirming that they will provide a more precise light pattern and be twice as bright as the current version.
It is not clear if any powertrain changes are planned, but the new battery chemistry could result in improved range or power discharge capability, or both. Software tweaks are also likely, as Porsche has added minor software updates every year since the launch of the Taycan.
Performance of the Taycan currently tops out at 616 hp (provisionally 750 hp) in the Turbo S grade, which equates to a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 2.6 seconds and a top speed of about 162 mph.
Depending on the grade, Taycan buyers also have two battery options: 79.2 kwh and 93.4 kwh.
Rumors suggest that a new range-topping option may be on the horizon, and a prototype of what appears to be just such a model has been spotted, with close to 1,000 hp, or enough to outperform the Tesla Model S Plaid at the drag strip A Taycan Turbo GT grade is a possibility. The current Turbo S dethroned the Tesla from its position as the fastest production EV last summer with a lap time of 7:33.35. This is more than two seconds faster than Tesla's time.