Porsche Taycan overhauled: Trailblazing EV has now added a driving feature Porsche previously rejected
Despite initially being sceptical about them, Porsche has upgraded the Taycan with Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-style virtual gearshifts and a special body kit from German race team Manthey.
Other changes introduced as part of the light refresh include a mildly updated infotainment system, an AI-powered onboard assistant and the addition of low rolling-resistance tyres that increase driving range by up to 20km.
Choose the rear-wheel-drive version with the largest battery and the fast Porsche four-door is capable of covering up to 700km on a charge.
READ MORE: Porsche Taycan GT Brief Drive: Corby samples an insanely fast EV and then draws a memorable link with a watermelon. Huh?
READ MORE: 2027 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric Review: Our first drive of an astonishing 2.7 tonne electric SUV that will crush Ferraris
READ MORE: 2026 Porsche Macan Review: Entry-level rear-drive EV is superb, so why aren’t they selling?
Beginning with the new E-Shift technology, the German sports car maker was originally quick to ridicule simulated gear shifting but has now introduced it across the range.
Owners select gears using paddle-mounted shifters, with Porsche offering up to eight gears. The virtual transmission even introduces a fake rev limiter and a tweaked soundtrack that replicates the sound of gear changes.
Porsche claims the new E-Shift technology adds a more “emotive driving experience” to the Taycan.
The only snag with the new E-Shift is that it is likely to be an option in Australia, with the virtual gearshifts standard only on the flagship Turbo GT.
As well as the virtual gearshifts, the Taycan gains the firm’s revised Porsche Digital Interaction system, already available in the all-electric Macan and Cayenne. It features a faster processor, fresh menu graphics and a simplified, more intuitive layout that allows greater personalisation.
The new touchscreen can be upgraded via over-the-air updates and is said to provide better integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
An option that won’t make it Down Under, at least officially, is the new Manthey Kit, which helped Porsche development driver Lars Kern recently set a record lap time of 6min 55.533sec at the Nürburgring.
Consisting of what Porsche describes as “extensive” chassis and powertrain optimisation, the new performance pack adds more than three times as much downforce as the regular car, raising total downforce from 95kg to 310kg at 200km/h.
At its 310km/h top speed, the Taycan Turbo GT with the Manthey Kit produces a maximum of 740kg of downforce, enabling higher cornering speeds and increased vehicle stability.
The package includes an ultra-lightweight set of 21-inch wheels, stickier Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tyres, a new rear wing with large endplates, a new front splitter, a larger diffuser, carbon aero-disc rear wheels and larger underfloor deflectors.
Further changes include front and rear carbon-fibre wheel-arch extensions, plus upper and lower wheel-arch vents combined with widened side skirts.
Beneath the skin, the Manthey Kit increases discharge current from 1100 to 1300 amps, boosting total output by 20kW to 600kW while increasing Launch Control torque to 1270Nm (+30Nm).
For 10 seconds in Attack Mode, drivers can boost output by a further 130kW to 730kW (+30kW).
Helping to raise cornering speeds on track, Manthey engineers have also retuned Porsche Active Ride and the front- and rear-wheel steering systems, while adding larger 440mm front brake discs (+30mm) that work with performance brake pads.
Sadly for those wanting to upgrade their Taycan Turbo GT, the Manthey Kit can only be fitted to left-hand-drive models, making it off-limits for Australians.
Porsche Australia has confirmed customers can order the 2027 model-year Taycan from local dealers now, with first deliveries expected from December 2026.
