Porsche Goes Full-Electric on Road, on Track… and on Track with a Road Car

Your weekly dosage of electricity-infused car news is up… That’s how we will probably start our automotive-related articles in a decade from now! For guys of passion like us, here at MONOCHROME, the topic of electric cars is still quite far from our usual standards of petrol-loaded dreams. Passion is what makes us love cars and watches. Passion is our own fuel, and fuel is what powers our passion. But enough digressions, today’s topic is about Porsche and how the Stuttgart-based brand is trying (hard) to keep up with the reality of emissions and eco-friendly behaviour and to integrate what Porsche has been for now over 60 years: a thing of passion. And you’ll see, they are not only trying but making it real.

On the Road – Porsche Taycan

Heretic, scandalous, irrelevant… We’ve heard those words from hardcore Porsche fans more than once. They did it in 1996 when the brand introduced its entry-level Boxster. They did it in 1997 when Porsche stopped the production of air-cooled engines. Thye did it 2002 when the Stuttgart-based manufacturer launched an SUV. And those fans moved on. So, yes, it is real; Porsche has now a full-electric car in its catalogue. The brand has to keep up with the times, now and for the future.

But let’s be honest. The Taycan might be electric and might not sound as good as a 1972 911 2.7 RS, but Porsche has done an incredible job in creating an emotional, desirable car here. Just look at the profile and those wheel arches. I know this car goes for well over a hundred grand, I know it is meant to be exclusive, but one has to set the tone. So if other, more regular brands can be inspired by the Taycan, I’d say that the future could be brighter than I thought – and yes, I’m a guy who drives a 1960s oily and smelly British coupe on weekends.

You can read the full report about the 2019 Porsche Taycan, here at www.carmagazine.co.uk.

On the Track – Porsche 99X Electric Formula E x TAG Heuer

The legendary 917, the engines provided to TAG F1, the 911 GT1 or the recent 919 at Le Mans. Porsche and motorsport is an endless, but evolving story. Out of Le Mans, no longer involved in F1 for decades, Porsche is back in open-wheelers this year and for the first since its (disastrous) IndyCar effort in the 1980s. And as you can imagine, the brand goes green, by joining the growing Formula E championship. Gone is the WEC program, here’s the new Porsche Motorsport 99X Electric.

I can remember attending a Formula E race a few years ago when the championship was still in the early stages. I came back mildly suspicious about this racing formula’s future, due to a lack of passion, noise, smells and emotions. It was too technical, cold and clinical. Yet, seeing the images of the 2019/2020 Porsche 99X Electric x TAG Heuer, I see the effort of the FIA to create what could well be the most sharp-looking open-wheeler, all categories included. Futuristic, bold, aggressive, the new Formula E cars are impressive (just look at the back of this car…!) And looking at the growing audience, I’m probably not the only who changed his mind about these electric one-seaters.

Read all about Porsche’s first-ever Racing EV, here at www.roadandtrack.com.

A Road Car on The Track – Porsche Taycan set a Nürburgring record

I know… Porsche-wise, there’s nothing better than the sound of an air-cooled Flat-6 engine close to the red zone. No debate, you can’t beat that. So, let’s be realistic about the Taycan, it doesn’t sound as good – it naturally doesn’t sound at all, even though Porsche is cheating with an artificially created sound mixing electric noises with engine-like sound, which is far from unpleasant indeed.

However, for those who are still doubtful about electric cars, the following video is telling you something important: the Taycan is a Porsche first and foremost and, yes, it does perform. And not quite, as the German brand has set a new record of 7min 42sec on the Green Hell – which is exactly the same time a 997 GT3 MkII performed, back in the late 2000s. That is quite impressive, knowing that the Taycan is a four-seater weighing over 5,000 lbs and powered by a force measured in amperes.

You can read the full story here, on topgear.com.