Riding the Porsche 911 Cabriolet to See the Taycan

公開日：2020.10.09
最終更新日：2021.06.01

Porsche Taycan

Taycan Roadshow

The other day, my husband and I went to an event called the Taycan Roadshow 2020 held at Grand Front Osaka. The Taycan Roadshow 2020 is a nationwide exhibition event for the Taycan that has been running since August, allowing visitors to get up close and experience the Taycan firsthand. Finally, it had come to Osaka.

Last December, I had the chance to attend a Taycan preview event where I saw the actual car and heard various explanations. It’s hard to believe almost a year has passed since then… At the time, I was wondering, “Will I be able to test drive a Taycan around this time next year…?” but it seems test drives and deliveries in Japan are still some way off.

On the day of the event, since we could have the kids looked after by my mother, we decided to take the newly delivered 911 Cabriolet for the trip.

I drove on the highway for the first time on the way there, and I truly felt that in terms of acceleration, high-speed stability, and handling, the 911 stands out even among Porsche models.

Compared to other sports cars I’ve test-driven from different manufacturers, the latest 911 seemed to be on a whole different level. After all, the 911 carries the Porsche badge for a reason—it’s truly an incredible car.

I believe every Porsche model is unmistakably Porsche, but I could understand why so many Porsche enthusiasts admire, are captivated by, and are particular about the 911.

My husband said,

If you really love driving, I think very few people wouldn’t recognize how amazing this 911’s performance is. Most will realize the moment they get in that this is nothing like an ordinary car. At first, I personally wasn’t impressed with the 992 but now it’s my absolute favorite. As expected, the base Carrera is really great. The engine response is incredibly sharp, like a naturally aspirated engine with thick torque. The suspension is sporty, firm, and planted—very much like a classic 911 sports car. For me, choosing the base Carrera was the right call. It suits my taste.

And I really agree. I can’t wait to take the 911 Cabriolet on a long drive.

Experiencing the Taycan

It had been a while since I visited the Osaka Station area, but there were far fewer people around than you’d expect on a weekend. I guess it’s due to COVID-19. Fewer people seem to be going into the city on weekends, while more are heading to the suburbs.

Inside Grand Front Osaka, it was also quiet with few customers.

The Taycan Roadshow 2020 was held right in front of Mercedes me…! We peeked inside Mercedes me where a beautiful blue G-Class was on display with a “Test Drive Available” sign. I’d love to try that one day.

As for the Taycan event itself, the atmosphere was like this:

The Taycan was displayed in the center, flanked by the Cayenne E-Hybrid and Panamera E-Hybrid. Seeing them side by side, the Taycan’s distinctiveness and futuristic vibe really stood out. It looked refined and radiated an aura that would definitely turn heads on the street.

This time, the Taycan Turbo on display didn’t have the Sports Design Package like at the previous preview, so the air curtain shape below the front lights was slimmer and cleaner.

Taycan with Sports Design Package

Also, the wheels on this display car looked really cool,

and when I looked into it thinking, “If I were to buy a Taycan, I’d want these wheels,” I found out these are the 20-inch Taycan Turbo Aero Wheels. They come standard on the Turbo, but if you choose these wheels on the 4S, they cost 359,000 yen. Wheels really are expensive…!

By the way, here’s a photo of the wheels on the Taycan at the previous preview event.

Those are cool too.

At the previous preview, I viewed the Taycan while still owning the Panamera, so I thought the rear seats were “a bit tight.” Now that we’ve parted with the Panamera and usually drive the Cayenne, the Taycan’s rear seats still feel narrow.

There’s not much headroom constraint, but the seat width is a bit narrow, so with our current family setup of “two child seats in the back and five people total,” it might be fine for short trips but difficult for long distances. (The kids would definitely get cranky.)

Staff from our nearest Porsche Center were present at the event, and my husband spoke with them a bit. When I asked him what they talked about, he said,

The staff said they actually drove the Taycan, and its driving feels closer to the 911, especially the Carrera 4S, than the Panamera models. Visually, I had imagined it was similar to the Panamera, but it’s different. Hearing that makes me really curious about how it drives!

Oh, really!

The Taycan must be more of a sports car than it looks. I definitely want to test drive one when it arrives in Japan.

On the way home, I asked my husband if he wanted a Taycan, and he said,

Of course I want one. I’ve already put in a reservation. But since I just bought the Cayenne Hybrid, it’ll probably be a later batch. What worries me a bit is that with the Taycan, the charging environment in Japan is more of a concern than performance or design. It’s fine for short trips, but for someone like me who likes spontaneous day trips over 500 km round trip, it’s a hassle. The Taycan 4S’s range is listed as 463 km, but with air conditioning and driving style, you definitely can’t reach that. So you’d have to find a hotel with fast charging, stay overnight to fully charge, and then come back. If Japan had fast chargers as easily accessible as gas stations and better charging infrastructure, I’d want one for sure…

That’s true. If the charging infrastructure improves so you can drive long distances without much worry, the Taycan could be a real option.

I also heard some of my husband’s acquaintances have already reserved and plan to buy one, so I’d love to hear their real-world experiences once they take delivery.