The Taycan Cross Turismo is all-round awesome

As an all-rounder it promises to be hard to beat. Here is a Porsche five-door estate with some off-road ability to go with its racetrack manners, more room for passengers, an ability to carry bikes on a new Porsche-designed bike carrier and a big hatchback that opens on to 1,200 litres of load space with the rears seats folded down. And if you need more luggage space you can pop a custom roof box on top.

All that and a best of a mighty 761PS (560kW), 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and zero tailpipe emissions. All boxes ticked then – alas including the one for a likely six-figure price tag. Turismo is Porsche speak for estate, as is familiar now from the Panamera range, but here it is prefixed with Cross rather than Sport. It’s likely a Taycan Sport Turismo is coming – surely it would be churlish not to – but for now the new body is launching in crossover form only.

What makes it a crossover? Nothing more than a few design and electronic tweaks are all that’s deemed necessary for a car already highly sophisticated in its engineering and electronic wizardry. The Taycan is all-wheel-drive already, apart from the latest rear-drive variant, and the Cross Turismo gets a big motor on each axle to turn its 21-inch wheels.

Extra ability comes courtesy of the adaptive air suspension which can be raised to offer 30mm more ground clearance when venturing off the Tarmac. There’s also an additional Gravel mode to optimise the various suspension and power control systems for maximum traction on dirt roads.  

Crossover style follows a familiar “soft-roader” recipe of wheel arch trims and more robust looking front and rear lower aprons and side sills. An optional off-road design package adds flaps at the corners of the bumpers and at the ends of the sills – not just for looks but to offer added protection from stone impacts. With this package you also get a compass on the dash – in case you venture too far off the beaten track…

It’s not a mountain goat, then, but no one would have been expecting that, although it is interesting to hear Porsche talking about how their engineers tested the car around the “Safara Track” off-road course at Weissach. A Porsche able to tackle unmade tracks without damage and be more dynamic on loose surfaces is alright in our book.

And what makes it an estate? The design, closely based on that of the Mission E Cross Turismo concept from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, loses the 911-esque prettiness of the four-door for a much bulkier rear end and the Turismo’s USP: a big lift-up tailgate and far larger boot than the saloon (whose maximum is 366 litres). There’s also a 47mm boost to rear seat headroom.

True to estate form you can also get lifestyle extras: a “roof transport system” top box tested up to 125mph, and a rear bike carrier for up to three bikes. All bikes will fit, not just the carbon-fibre framed electric eBike that Porsche has designed and is launching alongside the car.

The Cross Turismo range mirrors that of the saloon, but with no rear-drive variant. So there are four to choose from, all with 93.4 kWh battery as standard and an overboost function that momentarily ups power during launch mode.

The Taycan 4 Cross Turismo is the entry car and gets a fulltime 380PS (280kW) for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and a range of 241-283 miles. Prices in Germany start at 93,635 euros. The S version gets 490PS (360kW), does 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and offers virtually the same range.

Then there are two Turbo variants: both with a fulltime 625PS (460kW) but with different levels of overboost. The Turbo can call on a temporary 680PS (500kW) for 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds, while the Turbo S hits the heights with its twin electric motors able to churn out up to 761PS (560kW). The Turbo S has the poorest range but it is still 240 miles.

With 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds there’s not much that’s quicker than the Turbo S Cross Turismo – and nothing we can think of that can also accommodate four adults, a dog, three bikes and a roof box! It arrives in the summer with the UK expected to be one of the markets where it will do best.