It might be a little shocking, but the design of the Taycan dates back to 2015 when Porsche previewed what would become its first electric car with the Mission E. Four years later, the next production version debuted at the same Frankfurt Motor Show as the concept from which it largely inherited the sleek style. Fast forward to February 2023, a cleverly disguised prototype of the facelifted version was spotted during cold weather testing.
With good reason, you might be tempted to say that nothing has changed. However, a closer look at the front bumper shows a body-color disguise to conceal the air intakes positioned below the headlights on the current Taycan. This black stripe hides potential modifications to the bumper that could extend all the way to the center. Although the headlights look virtually identical, that could change for the production-ready model as Porsche may currently be testing an early version.
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Moving to the rear, the prominent “Porsche” and “Taycan” badges seem to be missing. It’s hard to tell if the taillights have been updated, but a typical mid-cycle update brings changes in this area. The rear bumper looks unchanged, at least for now, as future prototypes might have a different look.
Zuffenhausen’s mates didn’t bother to hide the dashboard. Given the exposed cabin and minor exterior changes, we’re tempted to believe the prototype was used to test the powertrain changes. Speaking of which, the facelifted Taycan could usher in a high-performance version, said to hit the 1,000 horsepower mark from three electric motors. However, nothing is official at this point. An aggressive-looking prototype was spotted last month with a TDI badge. Obviously, it was put there just for fun.
Porsche has already built more than 100,000 Taycans if you take the Cross and Sport Turismo station wagons into consideration. With 34,801 cars delivered in 2022, it managed to overtake the Panamera, but only by 659 units. The German luxury brand said earlier this year that deliveries were hampered by bottlenecks in the supply chain, leading to a 16% drop in sales compared to 2021.
Look for the facelifted Taycan that will be unveiled in the coming months and go on sale in the United States for the 2024 model year.
