This may come as a bit of a surprise, but the Taycan’s design dates back to 2015 when Porsche previewed what would be its first electric car with the Mission E. Four years later, the next production version debuted at the same Frankfurt Motor Show with the concept inheriting mostly sleek styling. Fast forward to February 2023, a cleverly camouflaged facelift version prototype has been spotted in cold weather testing.
With good reason, you might be tempted to say nothing has changed. However, a closer look at the front bumper reveals a body-colored camouflage to hide the air intakes positioned below the headlights on the current Taycan. The black band hides potential changes to the bumper which could extend towards the center. While the headlights look nearly identical, that could change for the production-ready model as Porsche may be testing an early version.
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Moving around in the rear, the prominent “Porsche” and “Taycan” badges appear to be missing. It’s hard to say if the taillights have been updated but a typical mid-cycle update brings changes in that area. The rear bumper looks unchanged, at least for now as future prototypes could get a different look.
The peeps from Zuffenhausen didn’t bother hiding the dashboard. Given the open cabin and slight exterior changes, we’re tempted to believe the prototype was used to test changes to the powertrain. By the way, the facelifted Taycan could usher in a high-performance version, believed to reach the 1,000 horsepower mark from three electric motors. However, nothing is official at this time. The aggressive-looking prototype spotted last month is rocking the TDI badge. Obviously, it was put there just for kicks.
Porsche has built over 100,000 Taycans if we consider the Cross and Sport Turismo wagons. With 34,801 cars delivered in 2022, it managed to outsell the Panamera, although only 659 units. The German luxury brand said at the start of the year that deliveries were hampered by supply chain bottlenecks, leading to a 16% drop in sales compared to 2021.
Look out for the facelifted Taycan that will launch in the coming months and go on sale in the United States for the 2024 model year.
