December 04, 2024

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From left: Alexander Fabig, vice president of individualization & classics at Porsche, Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea, and Kevin Giek, vice president of product line limousines at Porsche pose for photos with the new Korean-themed Taycan (left) and new Taycan at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Thursday. (Porsche Korea)

Porsche Korea launched the new Taycan on Thursday, the brand’s upgraded all-electric sports sedan, as the German sports car-maker aims to keep building on the success of the EV here.

“Since (the Taycan’s) launch in 2020, the demand for (our) first fully electric sports car has exceeded our expectations,” said Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea, during the launch ceremony at Grand Hyatt Seoul.

“Last year, the Taycan accounted for a 16 percent share of sales as the third-best-selling model behind the Cayenne and Panamera. Korea placed as the fifth-biggest market for the Taycan.”

Porsche sold 1,805 units of the Taycan in Korea last year, scoring the best number here for the sporty EV so far.

Noting that Porsche coined a new term -- "overfeel" -- to describe the new Taycan, Gerrmann highlighted that the upgraded EV offers even more of the pure sports car experience with its stronger acceleration, iconic design and famous handling on the road, which can “overstimulate” the driver’s senses.

Every trim of the new Taycan boasts a faster acceleration than its predecessor. In particular, the new Taycan Turbo S can get up to the speed of 100 kilometers per hour in just 2.4 seconds from zero.

The performance battery plus model of the new Taycan features a maximum driving range of 500 kilometers, up about 65 percent from the previous model. The German automaker has cut down the charging time in half, as the new model requires only 18 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent. According to Porsche Korea, the new Taycan uses battery products made by LG Energy Solution.

Celebrating the German brand’s 10-year anniversary in the country, Porsche Korea unveiled the Taycan Turbo K-Edition, a customized EV that integrates the innovation and tradition of both Porsche and Korea. The Korea-dedicated model dons notable design additions, including the Taycan stamp written in Korean on the cover of the charging port and the Korean skyline inspired by the country’s famous cities, landscapes and architectures on the tailgate rear spoiler.

Porsche Korea will roll out only 50 Korean-themed EVs for the local market. They will be available in five colors -- Ruby Red Metallic, Oak Green Metallic, Ipanema Blue Metallic, Macadamia Metallic and Alex Grey -- with 10 of each color.

By Kan Hyeong-woo (hwkan@heraldcorp.com)