Delayed estate version of Porsche’s electric car loses final pieces of camo ahead of launch next year
The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is entering its final stages of development, having been delayed until 2021 because of robust demand for the regular EV during the coronavirus pandemic.
New images show a prototype stripped of all camouflage, confirming that styling changes over the existing saloon model will be limited primarily to the extended roofline and reshaped rear end. Added ground clearance like the 2018 Mission E Cross Turismo concept on which it is based promises greater performance off-road.
The estate variant of the Taycan was originally due to open for orders in late 2020 but was pushed back, according to Porsche’s boss Oliver Blume.
Confirming the decision to reporters in an August conference call, Blume said: “The change is no disadvantage for us; we just optimized the cycle plan,” adding that “the company has changed a lot during the coronavirus. It was important to focus on the essentials”.
Many brands have pushed back model launches due to Covid-19. Ferrari announced that it has delayed the launch of its SF90 Stradale by several months, due to production delays caused by the pandemic. In July, Land Rover pushed back the launch of its Defender 90 for the same reason.
However, Porsche has been more profitable than those companies. Bloomberg reported that Porsche was one of only three car companies that remained profitable during the first half of 2020, including Tesla and Toyota.
Porsche is unlikely to change much when it comes to powertrains, with the estate almost certain to retain the same three choices as the saloon.
The Cross Tursimo will be powered by the standard Taycan’s two electric motors across both axles for four-wheel drive. These will generate 523bhp in entry-level 4S guise, with 671bhp Turbo and 751bhp Turbo S variants to follow.
Prices will be announced in due course, but expect to pay a low four-figure premium on top of the £83,367 starting price for the saloon version.
READ MORE
New entry-level RWD Porsche Taycan launches in China
Source: Autocar
