KUALA LUMPUR: Today is Sime Darby Auto Performance's (SDAP) 10th anniversary as Porsche's official distributor in Malaysia. It has chosen this day to add a new model to its lineup - the 2020 Taycan. The arrival of the luxury performance car was announced by SDAP way back in January 2019, even before the car's global debut later in September.

In Malaysia, the all-new Taycan sports car is offered in three variants -

• Taycan 4S
• Taycan Turbo
• Taycan Turbo S

The entry-level 4S model costs RM 725,000, while the mid-spec and range-topping variants are available for RM 99,000 and RM 1,195,000, respectively. A Porsche Taycan 4S with Performance Battery Plus is also on the cards; its specifications are out, the price will be disclosed later.

Note, the price includes a four-year vehicle warranty (extendable to 15-year), an 8-year battery warranty, and a maintenance programme.

2020 Porsche Taycan key highlights

• The all-new Taycan is underpinned by the J1 architecture that accommodates an 88V electric battery system
• The Taycan design language remains true to its concept form, the Mission E that was introduced in 2015
• On the outside, the car features lateral air intakes called air curtains that is said to improve aerodynamics. Also, part of the deal is a four-point LED headlights, automatically extending door handles, panoramic fixed glass roof, three-stage rear spoiler, and back glass light strip with 'PORSCHE' logo
• The driver benefits from deep, sporty position seat with 14-way adjustments (18-way in Turbo S), 16.8-inch curved digital instrument cluster, and multi-functional sports steering wheel
• Also part of the Taycan package is a 10.9-inch infotainment display, an 8.4-inch screen for handwriting inputs and climate control, and an analogue clock on the dashboard
• 2020 Taycan offer 81-litre front and 366-litre rear storage space

2020 Porsche Taycan engine & performance

Specifications	Taycan 4S	Taycan Turbo	Taycan Turbo S
Power	435 PS (overboost: 530 PS)	625 PS (overboost: 680 PS)	625 PS (overboost: 761 PS)
Torque	640 Nm	850 Nm	1,050 Nm
Lithium-ion battery	79.2-kWh	93.4-Kwh
Charger	11-kW AC charger; support 225-kW DC	11-kW AC charger; support for 270-kW DC
Drivetrain	All-wheel drive setup with an electric motor for each axle
0-100 kmph	4 sec	3.2 sec	2.8 sec
Top speed	250kmph	260 kmph	260 kmph
Maximum range (WLTP-rated)	408 km	452 km	416 km

As mentioned earlier, the Taycan 4S variant will also be offered with a Performance Battery Plus option that will enhance the output to 490 PS and 650 Nm. However, the 100 kmph touch downtime and top speed remain the same at 4 seconds and 250 kmph.

2020 Porsche Taycan suspension & braking

The all-new 2020 Taycan variants benefit from Porsche Traction Management (PTM), adaptive air suspension with three-chamber air springs, and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).

On the braking front, the 4S trim gets 360mm disc and six-piston callipers at the front and four-piston callipers at the back. On the other hand, the Turbo model benefits from Porsche Surface Coated Brake (PSCB) system, wherein the tungsten carbide-coated discs are clamped on by ten and four-piston callipers. The range-rotting Turbo S has the further upgraded Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system, with 420 mm front and 410 rear ceramic brakes and ten- and four- callipers.

2020 Porsche Taycan charging

There are two ways to charge Porsche's latest sports car - AC charging via Type 2 connection and onboard 11-kW charger. The vehicle has two charging ports - one Type 2 present on the driver's side and the CCS on the opposite side.

With AC charging, 0 to 100% state of charge takes eight and nine hours for 79.2 kWh and 94.4 kWh battery packs, respectively. If you are in a hurry, the DC fast charging option is at the rescue - 5 to 80% state of charge takes 93 mins, or 100 km of driving range can be obtained in 28-31 minutes when plugged into a 50 kW charger. The charging time reduces significantly when using a more powerful 270 kW charger, i.e., 5-80% charge in 22.5 minutes or 100km range in 5-5.5 minutes.

Note, SDAP for a limited time is providing a Porsche Mobile Charger Plus and supporting Porsche Home Energy Manager, covering owners Taycan's at home AC charging needs. Alternatively, one can also use public AC and DC charging stations scattered around the country.

Also, ensuring fast charging access to all Taycan owners, SDAP is deploying fast-charging 175-kW DC charger at all Porsche Centers in the country. It will deliver a 0-100 state of charging in just 36 minutes.

The deliveries of the all-new 2021 Porsche Taycan are scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2021.

Also Read: 2021 Porsche Panamera unveiled, Turbo S variant added