Quick Answer: The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is the flagship of the regular Taycan range. It’s a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive electric sedan making up to around 750 hp originally and roughly 938 hp after the 2024 update. The 0-60 mph time is near 2.3 seconds. It sits above the Taycan Turbo and below the new Taycan Turbo GT.
In this article, we’ll profile the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, the flagship of the regular Taycan range. We’ll cover its performance, 2024 update, range and charging, and rivals.
Contents
- 1 Quick Summary
- 2 The Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Explained
- 3 Performance: Power, Launch Control, and 0-60
- 4 The 2024 Update and the Taycan Turbo GT
- 5 Range, Charging, and the 800-Volt System
- 6 Handling: Rear-Axle Steering and Chassis
- 7 Taycan Turbo S Interior and Technology
- 8 Body Styles and Price
- 9 Taycan Turbo S vs the Competition
- 10 Exterior Colors, Options, and Trims
- 11 Taycan Turbo S: The Verdict
- 12 Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Summary
- Power: 616 hp in normal driving, up to 938 hp on launch control after the 2024 update.
- 0-60 mph: 2.3 seconds after the 2024 update, down from 2.6 seconds on the original car.
- Range: roughly 280 to 290 miles EPA after the 2024 update, up from 200 to 220 miles originally.
- Charging: 800-volt architecture, 10 to 80 percent in about 20 minutes on a fast DC charger.
- Drivetrain: dual electric motors with permanent all-wheel drive and a two-speed rear gearbox.
- Price: starts around $210,000 before options.
- Position: sits above the Taycan Turbo and below the newer Taycan Turbo GT.
- Body styles: sedan or the wagon-bodied Cross Turismo.
2025 Taycan Turbo S Specs
If you are comparing cars, separate the original 2020 to 2024 Turbo S from the refreshed 2025 model. Porsche quotes 700 kW, or 938 hp, with Launch Control for the refreshed car. It also quotes 2.3 seconds to 60 mph and DC charging at up to 320 kW under ideal conditions. Porsche’s 2025 Taycan release is the source for those figures.
| Model | Launch Control power | 0-60 mph | DC charging |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2024 Turbo S | Up to about 750 hp | 2.6 seconds | Up to 270 kW |
| Refreshed 2025 Turbo S | 938 hp | 2.3 seconds | Up to 320 kW |
The original Turbo S is still brutally quick. The refreshed car is the better long-distance choice because it adds power and a faster charging ceiling. Check the model year before comparing a listing with a current review.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Explained
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is the high-performance flagship of the Porsche Taycan range, the brand’s first fully electric car. The “Turbo” badge is borrowed from Porsche tradition rather than describing forced induction; there is no turbo on an electric motor. Instead it signals the top of the line, the same way Turbo does across the rest of the lineup.
Above the rear-drive base car sit the Taycan 4S, Taycan Turbo, and Turbo S. The Turbo S brings the most power, strongest brakes, and most standard equipment. Since 2024 it shares the top of the range with the even more extreme Taycan Turbo GT. For most buyers, the Turbo S is the definitive performance Taycan.
The Taycan name means “lively young horse.” It nods to the leaping horse on the Porsche crest. The Turbo S showed Porsche could build an EV worthy of the badge.
Performance: Power, Launch Control, and 0-60
Straight-line speed is the Taycan Turbo S party trick. The original car made 616 hp in normal driving. It made up to around 750 hp on launch control overboost. That was enough for a 0-60 mph time near 2.6 seconds. The 2024 update went further, lifting peak power to roughly 938 hp and cutting 0-60 to about 2.3 seconds. Those are hypercar numbers from a four-door you can charge at home.
What makes the performance usable is how the Turbo S delivers it. Selectable drive modes sharpen the throttle, suspension, and steering. They move from a relaxed cruise to a hard-edged Sport Plus.
A Sport Response button gives a 20-second burst of maximum attack for overtakes. Porsche engineered the cooling and two-speed gearbox for sustained hard use. The Turbo S can repeat launches without dramatic power loss.
The result is shocking straight-line speed with easy traffic manners. That is the Porsche brief: massive capability you can use every day.
Two Electric Motors and All-Wheel Drive
The Turbo S uses two electric motors, one on each axle, giving it permanent all-wheel drive. The rear motor does most of the work in normal driving, while the front motor adds traction and extra power when you ask for it. That layout is why the Taycan Turbo S launches so hard: all four wheels put the power down at once, with no wheelspin drama.
Launch Control and the Two-Speed Gearbox
Launch control unlocks the headline figures. It briefly overboosts to peak power for a hard standing start.
The Taycan Turbo S also has a two-speed gearbox on the rear axle. First gear favors acceleration. Second gear supports efficiency and high-speed cruising. Most EVs use one fixed gear, so this setup helps the car deliver repeatable performance.
The 2024 Update and the Taycan Turbo GT
The 2024 model-year refresh was a major step. Porsche reworked the motors, battery, and software, lifting power, range, and charging speed across the lineup. The Taycan Turbo S gained a big jump in launch-control power to around 938 hp and shaved meaningful time off its 0-60.
The same update introduced the Taycan Turbo GT. It sits above the Turbo S with roughly 1,000-plus horsepower and a track-focused setup. It has set production EV lap records.
Range, Charging, and the 800-Volt System
Range was the original car’s weak spot, with EPA figures around 200 to 220 miles, partly because performance and big wheels cost efficiency. The 2024 update improved this significantly, with real-world range moving closer to 280 to 290 miles depending on wheels and spec. It still trails some rivals on paper, but the way it charges and drives is the point.
800-Volt Fast Charging
The Taycan was the first production car built on an 800-volt electrical architecture. That is double the 400 volts most EVs use. It is its long-trip superpower. On a powerful DC charger it pulls very high charging speeds. It takes the battery from roughly 10 to 80 percent in around twenty minutes. Conditions need to be right. That turns a range deficit on paper into a non-issue on a real road trip, because the stops are short.
Home Charging and Real Range
For daily use, most owners simply charge at home overnight and start every morning full. Real-world range sits lower than the EPA figure if you use the performance. This is especially true on big wheels in cold weather. Treat the rating as a ceiling. The 2024 update’s efficiency gains made this far less of a worry than on the original car.
Handling: Rear-Axle Steering and Chassis
The Taycan Turbo S is not just a drag racer. Its battery sits low in the floor. That gives it a lower center of gravity than a 911 and helps it feel planted despite its weight.
Standard adaptive air suspension and torque vectoring keep it composed. Rear-axle steering sharpens it further. The rear wheels turn slightly opposite the fronts at low speed for agility. They turn with the fronts at speed for stability.
The result is a big electric sedan that changes direction like something far smaller. Combined with strong, consistent brakes, the rear-axle steering and chassis tuning help the Taycan stand out. For the gas-and-hybrid take on a Porsche four-door, our Panamera guide covers the alternative.
What surprises most first-time drivers is how the Taycan Turbo S delivers power. There is no drama and little noise beyond a synthetic hum. Press the pedal and it moves with instant, repeatable shove.
A gas car at this pace would be shouting. The Turbo S is quiet. You still feel its weight under hard braking. Big wheels and winter conditions also reduce range, so smooth inputs pay off.
Taycan Turbo S Interior and Technology
Inside, the Turbo S gets Porsche’s clean, screen-led cabin: a curved digital driver’s display, a central touchscreen, and an optional passenger screen. Standard adaptive sport seats hold you in place. 18-way buckets are available for the keenest drivers. The materials and build feel every bit a flagship Porsche.
Practicality is better than the low roofline suggests. There is a usable rear seat for two adults, a front trunk for cables, and a rear hatch area. That makes the Taycan Turbo S a genuine daily car. Big standard wheels fill the arches and underline the performance intent without spoiling the ride on the air suspension.
Day to day, the technology is the quiet selling point. You wake up to a full battery if you charge at home overnight. The cabin pre-conditions on a timer. The 800-volt system keeps rare public stops short.
Body Styles and Price
The Taycan Turbo S comes as the low-slung sedan. It also comes as the Cross Turismo, a raised, wagon-bodied version. It has more rear headroom and a rugged look. Both share the same drivetrain, so the choice is about practicality and style rather than speed.
On price, the Taycan Turbo S starts around $210,000 in the US before options. It sits above the Taycan Turbo and below the Turbo GT flagship. Options add up fast at a Porsche dealer, and the Cross Turismo carries a small premium. For where it lands among the brand’s priciest cars, see our most expensive Porsche guide. Or compare the gas flagship in our 911 Turbo S guide.
Taycan Turbo S vs the Competition
The Taycan Turbo S plays in a small, fierce field of high-performance electric sedans. Here is how it stacks up against the two cars buyers cross-shop most, and against its own gas-powered sibling.
vs Tesla Model S Plaid
The Tesla Model S Plaid is quicker in a straight line. It goes further on a charge and costs less. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S answers with better interior materials, seat support, and a more involving chassis.
On a back road or a track, the Porsche is the driver’s car. The Tesla is the drag racer. If the spec sheet is all that counts, the Plaid wins. If driving feel counts, the Turbo S does.
vs Lucid Air Sapphire
The Lucid Air Sapphire outguns the Taycan on both power and range, with a huge, airy cabin. The Turbo S counters with Porsche’s badge and a real dealer network. Decades of sports-car handling knowledge are baked into the rear-axle steering and chassis.
vs the Gas 911 Turbo S
Some buyers cross-shop the electric flagship against the gas 911 Turbo S. They cost similar money and trade blows on pace, but they are different tools. The 911 is a focused two-plus-two sports car with sound and drama. The Taycan Turbo S is a silent four-door that out-accelerates it off the line and seats a family in comfort.
Exterior Colors, Options, and Trims
The Turbo S comes loaded, but the Porsche options list still tempts. Popular adds include carbon-ceramic brakes, rear-axle steering (standard on Turbo S), the 18-way adaptive sport seats, Paint to Sample colors, and bigger wheels. Each pushes the price up, and the most aggressive wheels trade a little range for looks, so spec with how you actually drive in mind.
Taycan Turbo S: The Verdict
If you want the quickest Taycan for daily use, the Turbo S is the sweet spot. Choose the Turbo GT only if you need its track focus.
It is not the cheapest fast EV. Rivals beat it on raw range and value. No other four-door blends this acceleration, handling, and build quality as well. For the right buyer, that is what the price buys.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is the Porsche Taycan Turbo S?
The original Taycan Turbo S hit 60 mph in about 2.6 seconds using launch control. The 2024 update pushed power to around 938 hp. It dropped the 0-60 time to roughly 2.3 seconds.
What is the difference between the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S?
The Taycan Turbo S has more launch-control power, stronger brakes, and more standard equipment than the Taycan Turbo. The Turbo is slightly slower and a bit cheaper. The Turbo S is the harder-hitting flagship of the regular range.
Is there anything above the Taycan Turbo S?
Yes, the Taycan Turbo GT sits above the Taycan Turbo S. Since 2024 it is the top model, with around 1,000-plus horsepower and a track focus. The Turbo S remains the flagship of the everyday Taycan range below it.
Does the Taycan Turbo S have all-wheel drive?
Yes, the Taycan Turbo S has all-wheel drive. It uses two electric motors, one on each axle. A two-speed gearbox on the rear axle helps both standing-start acceleration and high-speed efficiency.
What is the range of the Taycan Turbo S?
EPA range on the original car was roughly 200 to 220 miles. The 2024 update improved efficiency and range notably, with figures closer to 280 to 290 miles depending on wheels and spec. Its 800-volt system allows very fast DC charging.
How much does a Porsche Taycan Turbo S cost?
The Taycan Turbo S starts around $210,000 in the US before options, sitting above the Turbo and below the Turbo GT. Options and the Cross Turismo body style push the price higher.
Images: Taycan Turbo S (Chalk) by Damian B Oh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Taycan Turbo S (White) by Damian B Oh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Taycan Turbo S show car by Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0; Taycan Turbo S Safety Car by MarcelX42, CC BY-SA 4.0; Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0; 2020 Taycan Turbo S by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0; Taycan interior by Aos.1905, CC BY 4.0; Taycan GTS, Taycan 4S, and Taycan Turbo by Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
