A final shakedown for Porsche’s eagerly anticipated all-electric cross utility vehicle with Taycan chief Stefan Weckbach.
On a chilly winter’s day on the empty rural roads east of Weissach, the head of the Taycan model line, Stefan Weckbach, is putting a very special new car through its paces. A lightly camouflaged Taycan Cross Turismo cuts an unfamiliar figure against the frozen farmland and snow-covered forests that fringe this popular test route, its long roofline and increased ride height last seen on the Mission E Cross Turismo Concept back in 2018.
Weckbach, dressed warmly against the freezing February temperatures, climbs aboard the all-black development car and heads out onto empty asphalt. Immediately there’s a familiarity to the way he talks and drives that suggests many hundreds of kilometres have already been shared between man and machine on these well-trodden local roads.
“With the Taycan Cross Turismo, we wanted to offer a little bit more space, a little more flexibility and versatility,” he says from behind the wheel. “We developed a completely new roofline, fitted with roof rails, a more generous second row and bigger trunk, all to make a car that is perfect for an active lifestyle. A car that is perfect for both an urban environment and the countryside.”
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The Cross Turismo glides around sweeping bends as its commander in chief talks freely about what has, up until now, been a closely guarded secret beyond the walls of Weissach and the Taycan production line in Zuffenhausen. “In order to enable it to handle light off-roading and gravel roads,” Weckbach continues, “we increased the ground clearance. And we optimised our suspension system so the Cross Turismo comes with a CUV (cross utility vehicle) specific driving mode. This makes sure it does well on gravel roads in terms of stability, performance, and dynamics.”
The Taycan has already enjoyed a remarkable beginning, with more than 20,000 units delivered worldwide in its first full year of production. Now, the appeal of Porsche’s first all-electric sports saloon is set to grow still further, reaching a new set of customers who want to take their low-impact lifestyle off the beaten track.
