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Porsche Taycan Turbo vs Turbo S: Price, performance, and specs compared
The Porsche Taycan Turbo and Turbo S are arguably the best non-Tesla electric cars on the market today. With their distinctly Mission E-esque design, their clean lines, and classic Porsche performance, the two vehicles have a very good chance of becoming one of the German carmaker’s most successful vehicles in its lineup today.
The Taycan Turbo and Turbo S represent the top end of Porsche’s electric vehicle line. While both are quick on their feet, the Turbo and Turbo S have their differences. Here is a quick look at a number of them.
Power and Torque
Both the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S are dual-motor AWD, and both are fitted with Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM) at the rear. The Turbo S boasts 750 hp with Launch Control, while the Turbo features 670 hp. Total maximum torque for the Turbo S also stands at 774 lb-ft, while the Turbo has 626 lb-ft of torque. The power-to-weight ratio for the Taycan Turbo S is 6.8 lbs/hp, while the non-S variant features 7.6 lbs/hp.
Brakes and Wheels
The differences between the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S are quite prominent in the vehicles’ wheels and brakes. The Taycan Turbo is equipped with Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB), while the Turbo S is fitted with Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB). Rotors for the Turbo is made of internally vented steel with tungsten carbide coating, while the Turbo S uses internally vented ceramic composite.
Calipers for the Taycan Turbo are white, while the Turbo S features yellow calipers. The Taycan Turbo S features 21″ Mission-E Design Wheels paired with large 420/410 rotors as well. In comparison, the Taycan Turbo features 20″ Taycan Turbo Aero Wheels as standard with 415/365 rotors. Interestingly, the colors of the Taycan Turbo S’s Mission E wheels could be matched with the color of the car.
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Dimensions and Weight
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- September 4, 2019: World Premiere of all-electric Porsche Taycan with Niagra Falls as the backdrop (Photo: Sean Mitchell/Teslarati)
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- The Porsche Taycan. (Photo: Sean Mitchell/Teslarati)
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- Photography: Christoph Bauer Postproduction: Wagnerchic – www.wagnerchic.com
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- Photography: Christoph Bauer Postproduction: Wagnerchic – www.wagnerchic.com
The two vehicles look identical, and for the most part, they are. That being said, the Taycan Turbo S is wider at 84.4 inches, compared to the Turbo’s 77.4 inches. The Turbo is also a hair taller at 54.4 inches compared to the Turbo S’ 54.3 inches. The 6,327-lb Taycan Turbo S is lighter than the Turbo, which has a gross vehicle weight of 6,349 lbs.
Performance
Both the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S are incredibly quick vehicles, with the latter capable of sprinting from 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds compared to the former’s 3.0 seconds with Launch Control. Quarter-mile times for the Turbo is estimated at 11.1 seconds and 10.8 seconds for the Taycan Turbo S with Launch Control. Top speed for both vehicles stand at 161 mph.
Range
So far, Porsche has only shared the range estimates of the Taycan from the WLTP. The Taycan Turbo S has a 388–412 km (241-256 miles) range under the WLTP standard, while the Taycan Turbo has an estimated range of 381-450 km (236.74-279.61 miles) per charge under the WLTP. EPA range estimates are yet to be released.
Price
The Porsche Taycan is a premium electric car, and it is priced as such. The Taycan Turbo has an MSRP of $150,900 ($153,310 at launch), while the Taycan Turbo S commands a $185,000 MSRP ($187,610 at launch). These prices are notably high, though considering Porsche’s usual demographic, the Taycan has a very good chance of finding good traction among the crowd that embraces vehicles like the Panamera and the 911.
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Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise for its smoother performance and smarter decision-making.
Videos and firsthand accounts from Tesla owners highlight V14.2.1 as an update that improves navigation responsiveness, sign recognition, and overall fluidity, among other things. Some drivers have even described it as “more alive than ever,” hinting at the system eventually feeling “sentient,” as Elon Musk has predicted.
FSD V14.2.1 first impressions
Early adopters are buzzing about how V14.2.1 feels less intrusive while staying vigilant. In a post shared on X, Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic described the update as a “huge leap forward,” adding that the system remains “incredibly assertive but still safe.”
Another Tesla driver, Devin Olsenn, who logged ~600 km on V14.2.1, reported no safety disengagements, with the car feeling “more alive than ever.” The Tesla owner noted that his wife now defaults to using FSD V14, as the system is already very smooth and refined.
Adverse weather and regulatory zones are testing grounds where V14.2.1 shines, at least according to testers in snow areas. Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt shared a video of his first snowy drive on unplowed rural roads in New Hampshire, where FSD did great and erred on the side of caution. As per Merritt, FSD V14.2.1 was “extra cautious” but it performed well overall.
-->Sign recognition and freeway prowess
Sign recognition also seemed to show improvements with FSD V14.2.1. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted a clip from his upcoming first-impressions video, showcasing improved school zone behavior. “I think it read the signs better,” he observed, though in standard mode, it didn’t fully drop to 15 mph within the short timeframe. This nuance points to V14.2.1’s growing awareness of temporal rules, a step toward fewer false positives in dynamic environments.
FSD V14.2.1 also seems to excel in high-stress highway scenarios. Fellow FSD tester @BLKMDL3 posted a video of FSD V14.2.1 managing a multi-lane freeway closure due to a police chase-related accident. “Perfectly handles all lanes of the freeway merging into one,” the Tesla owner noted in his post on X.
FSD V14.2.1 was released on Thanksgiving, much to the pleasant surprise of Tesla owners. The update’s release notes are almost identical to the system’s previous iteration, save for one line item read, “Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
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Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
-->Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout
Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
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Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
