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Porsche Taycan prototype’s massive brakes hint at serious track performance

(Photo: Tye/taycanforum.com)

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A new set of clear, detailed spy photos have revealed the closest look yet at the upcoming Porsche Taycan, including some details of the vehicle that have never been glimpsed before. The most prominent hint from the photos was the electric car’s large carbon ceramic brakes, which suggest the vehicle has some impressive track capabilities.

The new images of the Taycan prototypes, which were shared on TaycanForum.com, were taken while the vehicles were winter testing. As could be seen from the spy photos, the wheels of the prototype with the large ceramic brakes were set up in a pretty interesting manner, considering that its rear wheels were fitted with what appears to be aero covers. Considering the size of the vehicle’s brakes, Porsche seems to be dead set on ensuring that the Taycan could be driven as hard around a closed circuit as possible.

The Porsche Taycan is equipped with large, carbon ceramic brakes. (Photo: Tye/taycanforum.com)

Electric cars in general don’t use brakes a lot due to their regenerative braking capabilities. In regular driving conditions, regen braking is usually sufficient to slow down the vehicle. Thus, if an all-electric car is spotted with large performance brakes, it seems safe to speculate that the vehicle in question is being designed for intensive driving, which may require heavy braking. This is in line with Porsche’s previous statements about the Taycan, when the company ensured that the electric car would be able to handle a track session, adding it could sustain optimal performance even after multiple laps.

Being spy shots, the recent pictures of the Taycan prototypes were not explained by the carmaker. Nevertheless, the performance brakes fitted on the vehicle suggest that it was built for speed and handling. With this in mind, there is a pretty good chance that the prototype in question is a test unit of the electric car’s top-tier version — the Taycan Turbo — which is expected to start at around $130,000 before options.

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A glimpse at the Porsche Taycan prototype’s trunk. (Photo: Tye/taycanforum.com)

Apart from the Taycan’s large ceramic brakes, the recent spy photos also provided a look at the upcoming vehicle’s trunk. Based on the pictures, the Taycan’s rear storage space appears to have a decent size. Combined with the vehicle’s relatively deep frunk, the Taycan’s trunk should allow drivers to carry a fair amount of cargo in the car during trips.

Porsche expects to start the Taycan’s production sometime this year. To prepare for this, the experienced carmaker is augmenting its Zuffenhausen site to accommodate new facilities for the electric car’s manufacturing. In a press release, the established carmaker revealed that it is investing over €700 million (over $797 million) to ensure that the production ramp of the upcoming vehicle is smooth and painless. Porsche is also expecting to hire 1,500 more employees for the production of the Taycan and its derivative, the Taycan Cross Turismo.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Holiday Update is incoming, and the wishlist is Merry and Bright

There are a handful of big wishes, and we’ve seen a lot of different requests out there based on what owners are saying on social media. Nevertheless, what Tesla should bring and what Tesla will bring are two different things.

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Tesla’s Holiday Update is going to be on its way soon, and although we have no idea what the company is planning to implement into vehicles with the 2025 iteration.

However, the wishlist is extensive, and owners are hoping to get a vast array of new features, both useful and artificial. That’s the fun thing about owning a Tesla — not everything is necessary, and it’s okay for your car to be fun.

There are a handful of big wishes, and we’ve seen a lot of different requests out there based on what owners are saying on social media. Nevertheless, what Tesla should bring and what Tesla will bring are two different things.

In past years, Tesla has brought both useful things and fun things with the Holiday Update. The Custom Lock Sound, new Light Shows, and even High Fidelity Park Assist have all come in past updates, among many other things. But for 2025, people want even more, and here’s what we have seen most frequently thus far:

More Streaming Platforms

This is a personal request of ours, and it’s something that we feel is long overdue.

Sure, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu are all great — but there’s a lot of meat left on that bone. HBOMax, Paramount+, and even YouTube TV would be a great option for those of us who have subscriptions and want to watch Live Events while Supercharging or eating in our cars.

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The fact that Tesla has not added more platforms to its in-car Theater in a few years has been, dare I say, disappointing?

Full Self-Driving for Europe

This is something not even Santa can help with. Although his Elves are known for their high productivity, we’re not even sure they could convince European regulators to open the door for FSD’s entrance into the market.

Tesla deploys Unsupervised FSD in Europe for the first time—with a twist

FSD is definitely capable of handling European driving conditions, but regulators are truly dragging their feet through the mud with the approval process. Tesla has tested FSD in several countries in Europe, but nothing has been set in stone yet.

Deeper Grok Integration

Many owners have said something about how Grok is truly not super in-tune with the vehicles. This is something any owner will experience.

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It seems Grok should be capable of handling all in-car requests; everything from changing the A/C to a specific temperature to adding a stop within the Navigation should be handled by Grok.

Instead, Grok cannot handle those things currently. You have to speak to the car itself using the microphone button on the steering wheel.

Interestingly, some vehicles already have the Grok logo replacing the microphone. It is likely the most realistic request of all.

‘Learn’ Mode for Full Self-Driving Arrival Options

Although it is great for public destinations, FSD still does not allow you to choose a set parking spot at your residence. It also does not allow you to choose preferences for parking in large parking lots.

Renters, and even those who live in purchased townhomes, often have assigned parking spots. Full Self-Driving v14 has done a great job of doing half the work, but there have been too many times when I’ve arrived home, the car pulls me into a spot, and I’m forced to manually back out and park in my assigned space.

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Many people also do not like to park toward the entrance of a store, me included. Parking away from the front of a store eliminates parking congestion and usually is a safer bet for your vehicle to keep from being dinged by careless drivers who swing their doors open.

Navigation Adjustments

Sometimes you don’t want to turn left on the street the navigation chooses. Maybe you want to go a block down and check out that new Portuguese restaurant that just opened on the way to your next destination.

This is only possible currently by inputting a waypoint that would take you that way. Instead, the center screen could be opened, and the driver should be able to select an alternative route by simply touching a street they’d rather travel on.

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Investor's Corner

Tesla wins $508 price target from Stifel as Robotaxi rollout gains speed

The firm cited meaningful progress in Tesla’s robotaxi roadmap, ongoing Full Self-Driving enhancements, and the company’s long-term growth initiatives.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer/X

Tesla received another round of bullish analyst updates this week, led by Stifel, raising its price target to $508 from $483 while reaffirming a “Buy” rating. The firm cited meaningful progress in Tesla’s robotaxi roadmap, ongoing Full Self-Driving enhancements, and the company’s long-term growth initiatives. 

Robotaxi rollout, FSD updates, and new affordable cars

Stifel expects Tesla’s robotaxi fleet to expand into 8–10 major metropolitan areas by the end of 2025, including Austin, where early deployments without safety drivers are targeted before year-end. Additional markets under evaluation include Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, as noted in an Investing.com report. The firm also highlighted strong early performance for FSD Version 14, with upcoming releases adding new “reasoning capabilities” designed to improve complex decision-making using full 360-degree vision.

Tesla has also taken steps to offset the loss of U.S. EV tax credits by launching the Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard at $39,990 and $36,990, Stifel noted. Both vehicles deliver more than 300 miles of range and are positioned to sustain demand despite shifting incentives. Stifel raised its EBITDA forecasts to $14.9 billion for 2025 and $19.5 billion for 2026, assigning partial valuation weightings to Tesla’s FSD, robotaxi, and Optimus initiatives.

TD Cowen also places an optimistic price target

TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating with a $509 price target after a research tour of Giga Texas, citing production scale and operational execution as key strengths. The firm posted its optimistic price target following a recent Mobility Bus tour in Austin. The tour included a visit to Giga Texas, which offered fresh insights into the company’s operations and prospects. 

Additional analyst movements include Truist Securities maintaining its Hold rating following shareholder approval of Elon Musk’s compensation plan, viewing the vote as reducing leadership uncertainty.

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@teslarati Tesla Full Self-Driving yields for pedestrians while human drivers do not…the future is here! #tesla #teslafsd #fullselfdriving ♬ 2 Little 2 Late – Levi & Mario
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Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk teases autobiography following fallout with Isaacson

“I need to tell my story myself and highlight lessons that I learned along the way that would be useful to others.”

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Credit: xAI

Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased the potential for an autobiography following his fallout with author Walter Isaacson, who wrote a book on the serial entrepreneur in the past.

Isaacson met with C-SPAN’s American’s Book Club on November 13, and went into detail as to why he disagreed with Musk’s place in politics, especially with how he handled Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE):

“It’s a shame because had he gone into government and focused on what he’s good at…He could have changed the government for good, but instead…he started, you know, let’s get rid of this part of USAID and firing people.”

It’s sort of a shame to see Isaacson cast stones in the direction of Musk, whom he spent a significant amount of time with, aiming to put forth an accurate and realistic depiction of perhaps the greatest entrepreneur in the modern era.

However, Musk did not come back at Isaacson. Instead, he highlighted the need for what could potentially be his autobiography, aiming to “highlight lessons that [he] learned along the way that would be useful to others.”

Musk’s time in government was met with harsh criticisms from many, but there was a lot of support for the work that he did during his time with DOGE as well. Eventually, Musk’s responsibilities with DOGE started to wind down, and he pledged to step back from government to focus on his companies.

A Musk-written biography would potentially be a great book for those who are interested in his story, but also those who plan to enter entrepreneurism, tech, or the sciences, as there truly could be some excellent lessons within.

However, Musk’s recently approved compensation package and the tranches that could pay him $1 trillion in shares will likely take up most of his time. Tesla also has a lofty goal of launching Robotaxi and expanding the ride-hailing service to other areas of the country in the coming months.

@teslarati With a pedestrian in the crosswalk, Tesla Full Self-Driving shows off its courtesy. Human drivers? Not so much. #tesla #teslafsd #fullselfdriving ♬ AMERICAN HEART – Maxwell Luke

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