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Choices, choices...

DL_AU

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Firstly, thank you to the many people who have shared their experiences and opinions on this forum. I have learned!

I'm going to share my own choices and rationale - not because I think they are 'right', but in the hope that others may find my rationale helpful. Two important points of context: 1. I'm in Australia, where the standard inclusions are generous, but every option is expensive thanks to the 'luxury car tax'; ticking extra boxes is therefore an angst-inducing exercise! 2. I'm currently driving a 2018 911 Carrera T; I don't expect a Taycan to be as nimble or engaging as the T, but close to it would be nice. Here's what I ended up selecting:

Taycan (or Taycan RWD to be clear): Fast enough, the lightest model, dynamics closer to the 911, and of course fewer $. Decided against the battery upgrade - this thing is heavy enough, and the range is fine for my purposes. As my wife put it: "Not sure we need to spend an extra $12k when we will rarely, if ever, need to make an extra stop because of the smaller capacity."

Rear axle steering: Based on with/without tests, the additional steering precision was very apparent. It made me less aware of the Taycan's bulk. Moreover, increased low-speed manoeuvrability is handy on such a large car.

Adaptive Air Suspension and PASM: Seems like a good idea for a 2-ton car... and the idea of pressing a button to avoid destroying the splitter over bumps seems attractive coming from a Carrera T.

Sports Chrono: "Can I have the knob on the steering wheel without the oddly out-of-place clock thingy please? Unfortunately not... but I want to be able to play with mode selections quickly so it got the tick. (The chronograph looks great on the 911, but not quite right on the Taycan.)

22kW onboard charging capability: With a smaller battery, being able to charge it ~twice as fast seems like a good idea. Most of the charge points around Australia are 22kW.

Pano roof: I've noticed that a glass roof lifts my mood in any car... and I want to be able to carry my bicycle on top. (By the way, a road bike doesn't fit in the Taycan even with the front wheel off and the seats down.)

Thermal and noise reducing glass: Might as well play to the Taycan's strength and make it even quieter. Moreover, without the engine noise I suspect that other noises will be more obvious and bothersome. The car will be outside most of the time so the thermal and UV properties will come in handy.

Heat front seats: Err - yes please!

Storage pack: Quite handy - especially the hook in the boot to stop groceries rolling around.

20-inch Taycan Turbo Aero wheels: I REALLY wanted to like the 19-inch wheels... but their oddly asymmetric design put me off.

I'm not going to comment on colour or trim levels - that's all personal preference.

Hope that helps someone! Can't believe how many hours on the configurator this process involved. My code is PNJ4QTY0 if you want to take a look. Now holding my breath until March or April to see how it turns out...
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XLR82XS

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Ventilated seats are a great feature. Great choice on air suspension - a must have. The larger battery is also a must IMO. Having the extra range is key especially in cold weather with rain/snow, heat, lights, passengers, extra cargo, etc...
 
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MrBeanPT

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I believe the 22kW upgrade is only for you to use at home. With public chargers, you can go all the way up to 270kW without any upgrade. That's what the dealer here told me, at least.
 
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DL_AU

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David
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I believe the 22kW upgrade is only for you to use at home. With public chargers, you can go all the way up to 270kW without any upgrade. That's what the dealer here told me, at least.
Here’s my understanding of the charging options:

Type 1: Single phase AC charging at home will be max 11kw

Type 2: These are everywhere in Australia, and can be installed at home with a three-phase supply. They are AC so rely on the onboard charger. If you have the 22kw option then the charge rate will be up to 22kw, or 11kw without the option

Type 3: DC chargers will, as you note, go up to 270kw regardless of whether you have the 22kw onboard charger.

Ventilated seats are a great feature. Great choice on air suspension - a must have. The larger battery is also a must IMO. Having the extra range is key especially in cold weather with rain/snow, heat, lights, passengers, extra cargo, etc...
Hard to argue against the benefits of extra range. Time will tell if it turns out to be a problem. We tried the ventilated front seats in a 4S; I liked them, but to my surprise my wife didn’t so we left them out. Hopefully there will be an offsetting comfort benefit from the thermal glass.
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