The EV That Drives Like a Porsche 911? | Henry Catchpole Reviews the Porsche Taycan GTS

[@solacemusic242]

As a professional piano player, your discussion about digital pianos vs real pianos and artificial engine sound was interesting. I am old enough to have been around when digital instruments were just starting. The tech is so good nowadays, that a real piano and a digital are virtually indistinguishable. But only in recordings. In person, there is still no comparison; that is because even a high end pro digital piano needs really good speakers to hear, it can't match the real thing. However, I have a 6 foot grand that I have to tune 3 times per year and I often find myself playing the digital keyboard. For live and recording, a good quality digital synth/keyboard is a matter of convenience now (since sound is not an issue). (That said, you will NEVER see a large symphony using a digital synth in place of a 9 foot Steinway); Cars? I absolutely hate the way fake/piped in engine noise sounds. But who knows, maybe it will get better as years go on, or we will just get used to the silence. For digital instruments, we use them because it is more practical; but they MUST make good sound. In the end though, give me a Porshce NA, flat 6 revving to 9k! Now that is music!

[@joefields719]

I've wondered why they don't just make a Porsche EV motor turn an air pump, to compress and release air, to make the same flat-6 firing order, slight vibration, amd sound by moving air.

[@zhsome8039]

The problem lies in the poor analog the video is trying to give here, while a piano's note can be captured and simulated down to virtually the same as the original. It is much harder to replicate an six or eight-cylinder piston trusting from 1000rpm to 8000rpms as the data is substantially larger and astronomical to calculate and simulate; it is just so drastically different.

[@chsi5420]

The problem that I had with the Piano argument is that piano's purpose, electric or not, is to create sound. A car's primary purpose is to move, the sound is only a byproduct of the original mode of power, that being the combustion engine,. Electric motors do make a noise, a noise that can at times, be grating on the ears. The silence of EVs has more to do with the comfort of the drivers/ passengers than it has to do with any sort of regulations. I feel that potentially, EVs will have a very specifically designed series of resonance chambers near the motors in order to manipulate the sound in a way that is pleasing to those both inside and out of the vehicle.

[@cadriver2570]

@@chsi5420 This is a problem that needs addressing. A nice combustion engine sounds great, an EV motor produces a frequency range that is neither good nor silent, instead it is irritating. This is why EVs have much more dampening than gas cars. Engineers need to tune EVs to produce more harmonious sound.

[@DonLee1980]

in recordings a real piano and a midi piano are indistinguishable because the midi piano uses real piano recordings as well, if not even more precise than an average studio can record a real piano. I would imagine that electric cars making noises are more akin to artists lip syncing on stage. What the audience hears is not what's being performed, but the "artist" goes thru the motions and pretends he/she is performing. Casuals will get entertained and are happy, they couldn't care less. People who actually care would question why did they pay for tickets to watch someone pretend they are singing.

[@HenryCatchpole]

Really glad this has generated so many thoughtful comments. Thank you - I really mean it. The piano analogy was one that only occurred to me whilst I was driving the Taycan and although I know it is imperfect as a comparison, I'm pleased I included it and that it has resulted in some great insight and debate. The next film will be in a few weeks and should certainly have plenty of noise (courtesy of a naturally aspirated V12...!).

[@final_mile_music9713]

For me, the piano analogy doesn’t quite work. But it stimulates debate, so including it is valuable.

[@seanhallissey4796]

can't wait! Thank you for all you do!

[@DMSparky]

@Henry Catchpole Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. Even if I’ll never drive an RS3, Taycan GTS or any of the incredible cars you review, it’s nice to be able to escape from the chaos of the world and be transported into the driver seat through your amazing insights and narration!

[@elliottcooke6426]

Happy to see you continuing to produce quality content. I thought I’d seen the last of you.

[@WilliamRandolphthecarguy4all]

Now on my 5th month with my first electrified vehicle, and I'm with you. There's room for excitement about what comes next. Yes, it will be different, but I've stopped seeing that as bad. Thanks for the lovely review. And for the record, that 911 sound put on to the Taycan did not make my brain happy. Felt like I was being actively lied to.

[@Dan..K..wymI6]

Porsche does drive like a Porsche

[@an_archy]

But does it drive like a porshe 911

[@sportbikejesus]

The title does seem dumb if you don’t bother reading all of it.

[@goaliepro1996]

Interesting car choices

[@muktoonsepiphany9944]

@@an_archy physics denies it to

[@joe718gt4]

Strange

[@jonathandemacedo158]

As an avid piano player, I found the comparison brilliant. For most people, a Nord with all the synthetic range is actually more usable, accessible, and helpful than a grand. But then if you’ve ever played a perfectly tuned Yamaha, the travel of the keys, resonance of the physical object is pure theatre and goosebumps. Not for everyone, but for the enthusiasts, it’s an absolute delight.

[@farishanafiah8461]

It's a similar analogy to wireless earbuds and wired headphones. For all the advancement of wireless Bluetooth audio, there's no getting away from the fact that wired headphone still gives the best sound quality. That's before you even introduce to DAC audio, especially on LG flagship smartphones and ASUS gaming smartphones.

[@tronderikbrekke8792]

As a current Taycan owner, I can honestly say it's a true gem of a car. And in a lot of situations it's the car you want to drive, over the 911. Not as a people carrier, but as the more fun sports car. The abundance of power readily available at all times for instance, makes it the far more enjoyable car out of the bends. Especially going uphill. If you have the car with torque vectoring, it's even better. I've chased GT3s uphill through hairpin turns, gaining on the GT3s. So it handles extremely well for such a heavy car. It's also surprisingly close to the 911 in how it feels like in your hands. If not for the engine sounds of the 911, there's not a huge difference. And with the PDCC system (dynamic chassis control), it's so flat through the bends it's mind boggling. It is safe to say that the future is totally safe. And we will get fun and engaging cars, also in the future.

[@michalandrejmolnar3715]

EVs are actually helping in democratizing horsepower and torque, as cheaper cars can have more horsepower than industry ICE staple or past muscle and have also more torque than comparable horsepower ICE cars.

[@Bmontepeque11]

I love you Henry, you're the ONLY journalist who has said "A fun EV is not about straight line performance, but about feel 🧐" YES, You're just THE BEST! ❤️🙌🏻 I feel like the transition from ICE to EVs will be like the transition from books to digital reading, sure digital is more convinient and what most of the people do, but if you want a book you can still buy it since digital reading doesn't replace everything 🧐 So hopefully you can still get an ICE car with Synthetic Fuels in the future if you really want to :)

[@sportbikejesus]

I’ve been a passenger in 3 different Teslas and the instant torque is unpleasant. And I love aggressive driving. I had a feeling that EVs made by car companies instead of tech companies would get this right.

[@Bmontepeque11]

@@sportbikejesus Oooh, I see! I haven't been a passenger in one, But I have seen a lot journalists saying either they need a break or like "Please stop accelerating, I'm about to puke 🤢" And yes! I totally believe you! We need linear power curves :),

[@tyrellcobb4665]

ICE cars are going to be around for a long time. For enthusiasts and for other people who hold onto them for other reasons

[@Bmontepeque11]

@@tyrellcobb4665 I pray for that to be the case, since nothing would make me happier 🌚❤️

[@eugenux]

sure but will be with no use if these cars with synthetic fuels would be 100k+ sports cars for the rich. Not all enthusiasts can come up with the money for a brand new 911.

[@tommytorres]

As a musician (and also a carmine red Taycan owner) I loved this video. 🙂 I agree that, for the listener, a synthetic piano doesn't make any difference anymore but for the person playing the piano, it is a totally different experience. There's the vibration of the instrument under your fingers and all the mechanical clicks and clacks that make it a very "connected" experience. It is very inconvenient to record, though. You need to tune it every few sessions, and being completely mechanical, something will eventually need to be fixed. I suppose the same things can be said from an ICE car. I must point out that when you play a piano your main object is to make music with the sounds. In a car, the sounds are a side effect of the main activity which is driving. I believe it's mostly learned association from years of worshipping race cars. After driving exclusively electric cars for the past decade (Tesla Model S 8 years, Taycan 1 year) I come out with two conclusions relevant to this conversation: (1) The sound of ICE cars pushing is not fun for me any more. The same as the smell of the gas burning, the sound only reminds me of how inefficient ICE engines are in terms of all the fuel that they burn to move the same amount or less. (2) No one has ever walked out of my Taycan or Tesla after a joy ride without a HUGE excited smile in their face. Let's do it again! Again! is all you will hear. After all, it feels like flying, effortless. Do you need sounds to make skydiving exciting?

[@HenryCatchpole]

That's really interesting. Thank you for taking the time to post that.

[@GTSCarLife]

I am an old school enthusiast, with a 1985.5 944 and a 2011 911 GTS in the garage, both of which I will never sell. My wife just took delivery of a 2023 Taycan 4S Cross Tursimo 30 days ago (and over 2,300 miles already!) and as much as it shocks me to say this, the Taycan not only drives like a 992 911, it is actually the most fun car I have ever driven. And I'm no Henry, but I have driven my fair share of exotic and supercar machinery. Porsche absolutely nailed it with this one, and the upcoming electric Cayman and Boxster should be stupendous! Great piece as always, Henry!

[@WestCoastSupercarsandClassics]

Nice to see Henry on this channel, thanks all round! I've had a Taycan for 2 years now, you really have to drive one to appreciate how good it is. I've had 2 911's, including a GT3, so I have some great comparisons!

[@ffl1409]

Finally!! An EV review that is not about 0-60. If the future of EV is all about acceleration and straight line speed, the future of driving is bleak. Thanks to Porsche for keeping hope alive even if slim.

[@facelessandnameless]

Totally agree!

[@sohamjha3420]

I thought no one could top the lucid air review by Jason, and here we are , Henry just went above and beyond, loved it 🤌✨

[@okatbikes4917]

Upsides of not realising Henry has moved on from Carfection: - a lot of Henry videos to catch up on on Hagerty - not accidentally clicking on a video with the world's worst Clarkson impersonator

[@BenzinioB]

Carfection has died :(

[@gqh007]

Master Oogwey would beg to differ

[@henryduncan]

Who's the worst Clarkson impersonator

[@R8andGT3Fan]

Clarkson is a horrible and disrespectful person anyway...I agree about Henry though. 😅

[@wiryantirta]

@@R8andGT3Fan he was funny if you're like a college sophomore fratboy... or a boomer. I don't know if its about current era, but I felt like I just grew out of shallow content.

[@Atipical_]

I've been waiting months for Henry to get a crack at the Taycan GTS. A fantastic video as always, and I loved the commentary and comparison!

[@ShogunsDojo]

I really like the keyboard analogy that Henry used but I would imagine the reason why we as humans don’t mind keyboards is that the sound is the primary function of that device, much like the piano it synthesises. With the ICE car, the sound is always a by product of the functioning of it where transportation or movement is the primary function. This byproduct of sound however, as we know, can be a very pleasing addition to the driving experience which adds involvement, character and excitement. With an EV therefore, the sound is contrived for no other reason than simply to be there, it’s entirely disconnected from either the primary function of that type of car or from being present as a byproduct and so I think deep down there’s always a part of the driver that thinks what’s the point of the fakery. I’m neither here nor there on it to be honest, but the discussion about interests me to no end.

[@Krauser1226]

Came here to say this. The entire goal of the keyboard is to emulate a piano and make sound, and the piano's function is similarly purely to create that sound, not a byproduct of some other main function like you said. On that grounds, the more fitting analogy with a piano and keyboard that's closest to an ICE car and an EV one would be a keyboard manufacturer adding weight to a keyboard to more closely resemble the heft of a traditional piano. Nobody would really want that by comparison, but in a similar sense, the weight of a traditional stringed piano is simply a byproduct of it's design that allows it to perform its primary function of making sound, just like the sound of an ICE car is the byproduct of its primary function of providing propulsion. A piano exists solely to make sound, as does a keyboard, so emulating anything other than this function in a keyboard would similarly be seen as useless and gimmicky. A car does not exist solely to make sound, so pointlessly emulating sound when the primary function is otherwise entirely accomplished without it is rightfully criticized for the same reasons. It's useless and gimmicky.

[@yvongauthier4409]

I too was looking for this comment. Well said Nick Catelli. A fake engine sound to me would be like putting emblems/stickers of high end or performance cars on a GEO Metro! As a matter of fact, imagine getting into a small non performing car, you hit the accelerator and it sounds like a Porsche or even a Harley Davidson bike!!! If you listen closely though, EV motors do make a sound especially when accelerating hard... maybe making sure it "sounds" good would be the way to go?

[@williamgechtman9287]

One point of the fake engine sound it is it's another useful data point while driving. When driving, even if you don't think about it, the sound of the engine helps you quantify speed. In a silent, will insulated car, absent looking at the speedometer, it is tough to know if you're coming into that corner 20 miles an hour too hot. Knowing what gear you're in and the sound of the engine gives you an idea how fast you're going, even if not consciously. . In a silent car, that data point is lost. Artificial noise that changes pitch with speed is an auditory data point that helps you drive. If it doesn't drive you nuts.

[@dereksalley7231]

Took delivery of a 4S Cross Turismo 9 weeks ago, with all performance options including the not tested here in this video PSC brakes. Sound can be selected or deselected but comes on as default in Sport Plus, and provides help in gauging speed. Hunkered down in Sport Plus, the Taycan is composed, with little to no body roll and as you mention, Henry, arguably better suspended than the 992 over bumpy roads. WIth torque vectoring, dynamic chassis control and PASM along with the 4WS, corners are dispatched with delight and nary a hint of concern over the additional heft. While not shown in this vid, it's outrageous to launch- like an arrow from a bow, not a peep or slightest hint of wheel spin.

[@EduardoMattos]

I just bought a Taycan Turbo S Sedan. The car is amazing, super practical comparing to the 911. I miss the 911 in certain circumstances, but in general for a father of 2 young kids, the Taycan is just perfect !!

[@karlhurn]

Excellent video Henry. Brilliant idea to compare these two without preconceptions. Love the looks of the Taycan GTS, can’t wait to try it at some point. 👍 The sound of an EV is an interesting debate, and indeed it’s interesting how we accept some synthetic sounds and not others. Nobody complains about the shutter sound on a camera phone, and perhaps even some of the younger generation aren’t even aware of what it’s emulating.

[@RetardsOfPaloAlto]

I remember people hating on it back in the day, and commonly in my experience everyone has the sound off. (Unless they’re from/using a phone from Japan) I think a Samsung or one company made a really weird sounding noise that it was even mentioned in reviews. It’s also instantly turned off on every point and shoot camera I’ve had.

[@AaronPace93]

I'm on the hill of wanting a manual gearbox until I die, so I may not be the best opinion. But hats off the Porsche to making a good driving EV. And I'll admit I never have driven a Taycan or even could afford one to get that out of the way. But to me driving is not only the feel of the wheel, but also the engagement. Every time I jump in an automatic ICE car I think "wow this is boring to drive" no matter what it is. Your own video on why manuals matter goes over every reason of that. Now i'm sure for the population that drive automatic ICE cars, this probably isn't any different and a great alternative. For me giving up driving involvement is one reason I never want one, but I'm sure the day will come that it's my only option and I am afraid then I have to give up one of my hobbies.

[@joetacchino4470]

A good EV can be tremendously engaging. In a different way. I'm a die-hard car guy. I've owned and daily driven manuals, and currently own a 911. I've also owned two EV's in my life and I am contemplating a Taycan. There's no shifting, there's no sound from an EV. There's no rumble of the engine. Because of, well, life, I've gone from daily driving my EV to my 911. It's proven to be interesting. But...there are things I miss about the driving engagement of my EV. Yes, driving engagement. You know how N/A guys are always touting "throttle response" as why they prefer them to forced induction. Well, imagine throttle response 100X sharper. Imagine power being available...NOW. Imagine being to literally think about a gap in traffic and be there, instantly. That's what good EV brings to the party. And it's an amazing feeling, when you can meter out the power with millimetric precision. And with no gearshifts (or one in the case of the Taycan), you get into a different kind of flow. The flow of driving an ICE powertrain is as much about managing the powertrain's curves as it is the handling. When you're no longer managing the powertrain, but truly commanding it, the intensity that you can bring to the handling ramps up. It's really, REALLY enjoyable to get into the flow of a good set of turns when you can manage the throttle with such precision. You really can focus on the weight transfer fore and aft, and feel it affect grip. So it's not only the "feel of the wheel" Henry is likely referring to, but the whole package. I would encourage you to try a properly developed EV for a decent amount of time and see what you think.

[@paulhissink808]

I drive a Taycan 4s. The first week or two, I felt like I was missing the sound of a roaring engine. But after that periof of adjustment, I switched completely. Now, I absolutely love the experience of speed combined with relative silence. It sort of adds to the cool factor. I feel we have connected speed to sound in our minds. But we can easily undo the brainwashing. When all cars in the future would be EVs, I’m pretty sure no one will end up missing the engine roars. It will be like the sound of a steam train. Something from the past.

[@alcam100]

Superb use of the Tycan's 'engine' noise as part of the intro soundtrack. Bravo!

[@rickintexas1584]

Another huge plus for the Taycan is a usable back seat. I love that in my Panamera I can my wife and our friends out in style.

[@findtomdotcom]

Loved our Taycan CT. An incredible drivers EV. The updated Taycan is just around the corner, I for one hope to be front of the queue.

[@MrM45ter]

I wonder why no one ever does this kind of comparison between the Taycan and the Panamera. I feel like that's really what the Taycan is directly replacing, so it would be more of an apples to apples comparison.

[@tushar8405]

Probably because Panamera was not a huge success, and Porsche Marketing department wont gain anything out of that comparison. They want to sell the idea of their EVs being natural successor to their sports car pedigree! But yes, your point is bang on that would be the right comparison. This is simply NOT, and in fact is WRONG. Taycan does not, by any stretch of imagination drive even closer to a 911.

[@ricchrono5907]

Still, hands down 992 for pure pleasure. Taycan can be a very nice daily. That is, as if I can afford both lol.

[@markdance574]

Henry is a complete KZbin car reviewer legend - so on point , so accurate yet emotive ……Henry your a legend

[@BAC_Mono]

What a fantastic thoughtful piece Henry. I’ve just added a KIA EV6 GT to my my fleet as a daily driver, relegating the 997.1 (manual of course) to weekends use (joining an NSX and a BAC Mono), and you’ve encapsulated how complimentary these sorts of cars can be perfectly. And good to avoid the usual cliche of drag racing them. I kept the synthetic sound on for the first month as I found it helped me judge the speed but now I’ve turned it all off by the way.

[@abderrahmanelbakkali190]

This guy's sound is damn therapeutic!

[@Fr8dawg64]

I think we should have a little fun with EVs I would like to see a menu where you can pick the sound you want from V12 F1 to farm tractor and anything in between 😂 and yes the option for completely silent as well

[@tretchroots9803]

I like your idea 💯

[@canyonaro]

I have a Taycan Turbo & I really wish they'd gone that direction. If you're gonna give me fake noise, make it fake GT3 engine noise instead of the weird spaceship sound.

[@MrTheTrafalgar]

The cinematography! Thank you so much!

[@aizazahmed2079]

One of the genuine channels with good production which is very hard now a days to find genuine content ❤

[@stephencollins7714]

Very thought provoking review. The Taycan is the one EV that I lust after, especially in Sport Turismo guise. I have never been a fan of the front end but the rest of the car more than compensates for that. Personally I love the funky synthesised sounds too. Range and charging will only get better so I take huge comfort in what Porsche has achieved here.

[@WestCoastSupercarsandClassics]

Porsche did an amazingly good job for this first ever EV. I prefer the sedan layout and look, personally - it's more like a 911, in fact sometimes people ask if it's a 911! Also I like a real trunk in the back for security, so I have practical reasons for it.

[@shibilm.n4073]

Exactly,the front of taycan sucks,wish it looked like 911

[@WestCoastSupercarsandClassics]

@@shibilm.n4073 Funny thing is when I'm driving people stare at it from the front, they also take pictures... The school kids think it's a Lamborghini..LOL

[@shibilm.n4073]

@@WestCoastSupercarsandClassics I like those round headlights of 911,just a personal opinion though😄.Not a fan of Lamborghini design,except for urus

[@0o0ification]

Everything about EVs has accentuated the electronic, so the sound should too. Finding something joyful and motivating , like our well-crafted dinosaur burners can be, will be a tricky puzzle to solve, but it shouldn’t be the same.

[@1459h]

Love your review...I'm very fortunate to own a Taycan GTS, beautiful car, great performance for the whole family, but it just lacks soul...sound is so important for a performance car. I get so excited hearing my wife's Macan Turbo snack crackle and pop...even the kids love the sound.

[@Nissannx2000svg]

Watching this Video in my 4.8 Cayenne GTS. Sound of a screaming V8 just does it for me. And I don’t get range anxiety

[@Itzallgoood]

I don't any issues with EV's. As for pure fun I like my old 964. No it's not the fastest and doesn't have all the tech. As long as they manufacturer gas I'm going to keep driving it. Thanks for the content.

[@tommytorres]

I would add that all this talk about sound comes more from a spectator point of view. If you're watching a video on KZbin, of course that the sound makes it more exciting. Otherwise it would feel kinda boring. This is why they add music soundtracks to movies, to evoque emotions that would otherwise come out flat. EXCEPT to the people experiencing the actual emotions. In this case, the person driving it would feel all the effortless acceleration, G-force, etc.

[@KnifeTownRebuilds]

I have driven a lot of cars on track including the 911, boxer s, cayman s and BMW M3. I have also driven more then 30 EVs. The Taycan is by a margin the best EV I have ever driven, it is also one of the best cars I have driven. Is it as exciting as a naturally aspirated V8 with a double clutch slamming in gear after gear, or as exciting as a turbo flat 6 with a manual gearbox? No! but it's a really great car, and no other EV drives as good and gives you the enjoyment. It feels heavy when loaded up in the corners but less so than any other EV. The sound, gives you a sense of speed wich you don't get without the sound on especially for passengers the sound prevents nausea 😉

[@TheExotich1]

I didn't realize there were more than 30EVs worth driving in production?

[@KnifeTownRebuilds]

@@TheExotich1 most of them aren't 😁

[@josiahhorne]

My favorite automotive journalist right there!

[@MrTibast75]

Quite honestly I do love they way EVs drive ! Ok missing the sound but so comfy and relaxing ! And the acceleration makes it fun too !

[@DaneRThomas]

It is great that Porsche has their own superlative examples to benchmark against. I also appreciate that they have put effort into the entire driving experience rather than focusing nearly exclusively on straight-line performance, like so many others. Even so, I am still hoping that somebody (anybody really) will aim to create a replacement for the combination of handling, feel, utility, and value of my Golf Mk. 7 Sportswagen GT (R-Line). An EV that is less tall, less heavy, maybe even with less acceleration, but with handling that is reminiscent of a GTI or other hot hatch. I can learn to be happy without the human/maching interface of the manual transmission, but I would like to have the option of buying an EV that has at least taken my motoring desires into account.

[@paulmurden7621]

The sound comment bringing in the piano analogy I thought was very interesting. Great video again by the way.

[@Chrisa1112]

What an absolutely incredible review and production. I'd have the Taycan GTS hands down, looks incredible.

[@davidzhang9329]

Spread the word! Ordered a Taycan GTS and can’t wait after watching this

[@clementajaegbu6660]

I’m all for the space 99 / Star Trek spaceship launch sounds ; given time we’ll all get used 2 em 😊😊

[@lukewaring2832]

Doesn't matter what channel your on always epic content.. amazing piece to camera as also. Thanks for putting the effort in.. Epic as always thanks forn sharing.. 😎

[@benpossehl]

What a visually stunning video! I love how the cars stand out amongst the green background. Well done Hagerty Team.

[@upchuck619]

Beautifully done Catchpole, as always.

[@gavinmurphy8905]

As for the electronic piano analogy: the entire purpose of a piano is that it makes noise which pianists use to create music. No noise, no music, no point; therefore electronic pianos need to have electronic notes play from speakers. The entire point of cars is to get from point A to point B. Noise isn't required for that. This is why we see more pedestrian EVs with just silence and no fake noise. Most regular people who aren't car enthusiasts would actually prefer if their car was silent. I think we all can agree on this point. The entire point of performance cars is to perform. Fake noise doesn't make a car go faster, stop faster, handle better, or perform better in any way. Another thing people like about performance cars is that they are cool (or at least they're supposed to be). Fake exhaust notes pumped out through speakers is tacky and people don't like it for the some of the same reasons people don't like muffler deletes on clapped out Civics. It doesn't make it cooler. It does the opposite. In my opinion, imitating internal combustion is insulting to the driver and it shows a lack of character coming from auto manufacturers trying to make an EV something it isn't. I think there are two main ways to deal with the problem of EVs being silent: Note: these options are not mutually exclusive by any means. Option 1: Keep the artificial noise, but instead of trying to imitate internal combustion sounds, create original sounds. These would be futuristic-sci-fi-spaceship type of noises (see the Model S Plaid or the Audi E-Tron EVs). I think these sounds give EVs more character instead of detracting from it by giving EVs a new identity that isn't trying to copy something people already love. Option 2: Find some way to engineer electric motors to make more noise than the very miniscule amount that they already do. I don't have my mech tech degree yet, so I can't opine on that much further. An analogy I like is that if electric motors are like a pistol with a silencer, we need to put on a comical looking loudencer like the head of tuba on the barrel instead. So, should manufacturers be trying harder? They should be trying differently, or not at all.

[@SirLoinOfsteak85]

I think sound is such an important part of the experience that yes, the manufacturers need to come up with something. I'll be very interested how Stellantis' attempts are received (both with the electric Abarth with a petrol engine sound and the forthcoming Challenger Banshee which makes a 120 dB noise you can...rev?).

[@andy00grant]

I love the look of a taycan especially in this spec. Maybe not in red but if someone was to give me one for free I wouldn't complain about it being red. Awesome video as always.

[@daggidding4478]

Henry Catchpole; one of the greats Always a pleasure

[@renatomedeiros1476]

I want an electric one to go to work and a V8 to enjoy life on weekends and vacations. the proposal is simple: a tie tied around the neck is elegant. but nothing beats a cold beer and a V8 under the hood.

[@AndersChanTidemann]

I am right now choosing between these 2 cars. The Taycan is so much more practical, much cheaper probably also to maintain and much more available. The 911 is the icon since I was a kid. I’m sure my wife and dog will love the Taycan a lot more.

[@thesigurdssonteam552]

I have the GTS Taycan and my last daily was a Cadillac CTSV (650hp) The Taycan is just as much fun to drive and faster.

[@ChrisStack22]

I believe a $150k Taycan is fun to drive. But what I worry about is whether there will be any $30-50k EVs that will be fun to drive?

[@chillipepper7027]

Great piece Mr C. I drive a 991 C4S (partly your fault) and I borrowed a Taycan 4S when it needed a service. I agree with the review, and was surprised how good the Taycan’s steering, brakes and handling were! However it did feel very wide inside, more GT than sports. Above everything though, when driving the 911 I feel joy, the Taycan was, well, nice, just nice. And that’s not enough. Maybe the electric Boxter will be the real deal in a few years time. PS The noise really matters!

[@DonaldHawk]

Good to hear my Taycan GTS just hit the port and should be delivered next week.

[@David.Anderson]

Nobody cares

[@philiprowe2378]

Henry, great that you focus on how it drives and the feel. As you say the straight line speed is largely irrelevant. I'm not a fan of fake engine noise, unless a new car can persuade me otherwise.

[@f1eng]

I designed and ran racing cars for almost all my career. I bought a Taycan CT4S after test drive. I appreciate the quietness and engine response and characteristic, free of the vagaries of narrow working range due to gas flow of all IC engines it needs neither gearbox nor clutch which for me is a huge plus. The lack of lag and wide power band make it even better than my old TVR Griffith for overtaking. I hated the faux noise and switched it off after seconds so didn’t spec it on my car (I still have a sports car with 3 pedals and 6-speed box if I need a noise). The width and weight I dislike but the car really feels smaller than it is - unlike the Audi E-Tron GT strangely. As a road car probably the best I’ve ever driven, too heavy for track though.

[@denislejeune9218]

My one biggest gripe with EVs is indeed their sound, as a result I have personally nothing against-and rather everything for-fake sounds. Being able to hear in the cabin (not outside, that's pointless) a credible V8 or V6 or inline 6 at the touch of a button would be a big selling point for me.

[@DavidChong]

excessive external noise is pointless but i think having some could help pedestrians/cyclists that can't see you know that you're there

[@denislejeune9218]

@@DavidChong true

[@majbthrd]

An ICE engine's sound serves a very practical purpose: it is a real-time audible indication of engine loading (e.g. the relationship between what the motor and tires can deliver relative to what the driver has requested via the accelerator pedal). It is not clear to me that the synthetic EV sounds even provide this function (even though it should be straightforward for the drive inverter to accurately measure this). I get the impression that the lion's share of manufacturer effort is put into making EVs sound like movie spaceships.

[@tonykono5225]

Henry! Beautiful production as always!

[@mattdedasc]

Well done for picking the Sport Turismo. That's the one to have.

[@bismarchiavelli]

A perfect video from Henry that talks about our future in a way that both petrolheads and EV evangelists will love. This may be the best one he’s done. P.S. “Don’t. Stop. Driving.” was pretty heavy handed.

[@geoffwatches]

Petrolhead here... Great review. Nice work.

[@usualsuspectsgarage]

i believe it’s all about sensation. when you play music the sensation is in the music for the most part. when it’s a car, the engine noises add to the sensation of driving. it’s almost as if something is missing in the absence of sound

[@yq6001]

😂the dig at Porsche for putting the "Turbo" name in their EV's during the pedals section

[@iannjoroge445]

Exceptional journalism 👏🏾 👌🏾

[@cliffbarr1993]

It is a good day when we get a Henry video!

[@8enable]

Thanks Henry. Excellent review & glad that the Taycan makes you happy 😝

[@bavskijt]

Awesome review. I do believe you can love both though, and I know a lot of people that agree. I have a Tesla M3P and an R35 GT-R and connect with different facets of both cars. The M3P is untouchable for daily driving, yet for pure theatre it can't touch the electric cars. But I truly love both!

[@anuraagt]

Nice video, very well conceptualised and executed, and some excellent points. It will be fascinating to see what happens once battery density improves, and EVs get to comparable weight (say in about 10 years). But the same instant torque, low centre of gravity.

[@PedroThomaz]

I'm lucky enough to have driven a Taycan on launch day. And then spent a few days with a Taycan Turbo a bit after that. And funny enough I also had a 911 carrera 4S (992) at the time with me. So I got to compare the both of them side by side. Taycan Turbo and 911 Carrera 4S (ok not the best comparison, but it's what I could manage). I made a video for youtube (for another channel which I wont bother sharing... its in Portuguese) where I actually said the exact same thing. The Taycan is the best EV (for me) and it really feels like a 911 in some aspects, which is amazing considering its a 4door EV vs a 2door sports car. It's a great example what can be done if a EV is done right and with the right mindset. I'm a car photographer, so I am lucky enough to have driven most EV's from big brands since I work with Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, etc and although a lot of people seem against EVs (in Portugal they say "carro a pilhas" [battery powered car - like a blender] in a depreciative way), I do find some EV's to be amazing cars when done right. And I own 2 myself. Great video guys! Love it.

[@bukwok]

taycan like acoustic guitar , 911 like les paul guitar +marshall amp, gain up to eleven ,with big pedal board , absolutely rock machine, but still can handle all different type of music .

[@TankRust]

I’ve been enjoying my 2022 Taycan for over 16,000 miles now. I’d have to agree with the sentiments here. Lots of fun to drive and lots of questions and positive comments from strangers. I opted for the PDSS sound augmentation, and use it 95% of the time. It adds a bit more emotion to the power train and as mentioned provides some interesting sounds on the downshift. It’s akin to the automated throttle blip heard from a PDK. I have no complaints whatsoever. It is my first EV and now that I am used to the quiet drive and instantaneous power delivery, I don’t see myself going back to an ICE vehicle for a daily driver.

[@PaddyMcQueen]

Imagine all the fun you ve lost without the right soundtrack... no one can give you back that.

[@TankRust]

@@PaddyMcQueen My days will be forever filled with regret.

[@PaddyMcQueen]

@@TankRust thx for confirming my point. Have a nice ride.

[@hbullock]

I have a 718 spyder, and I’d LOVE a taycan, too, if my garage were big enough. Absolutely agree EV makers are missing a huge chance to give people near infinite choice what their cars should sound like. Especially younger people who grew up with Tron and Star Wars would get a smile from their car sounding like a Tron light- bike or heck, a tie fighter? I can’t believe companies aren’t already all over this. The possibilities are limitless. And thanks for a review that doesn’t wring it’s hands over economic / scientific issues assessed using all the subject matter expertise of your average KZbin personality who knows pandering to the petrol heads will win views.

[@kimmorgan379]

I very VERY much admire the engineering in that Taycan. Amazing achievement.

[@ArryBradbury]

Perfect 2-car garage right there!

[@kareemgahed7421]

So well done. Love everything about the Taycan amd the comparison is brilliantly done.

[@markergt01]

Can we talk about how out of alignment the rear spoiler was on the 911? Look at 2:07. I’m a Porsche guy for life, but come on, quality control should’ve caught that.

[@pedrowhite911]

Excellent video! Three stipulations aside, I really wanted to like the Taycan. However, after driving the Taycan Turbo S vs 992 Turbo S (w/ light weight pkg) back to back, I am looking forward to celebrating more ICE Porsches while I still can. An interesting problem while driving the Taycan Turbo S on track is the temporary loss of AC due to preferential cooling being sent to the battery pack. Also, the environmental controls are a bit fussy and difficult to operate in the Taycan. After the experience, I realized that I am a hardcore NA, manual transmission Porschephile to the core.

[@canyonaro]

Owning a Taycan Turbo has made me desire a manual Cayman or 911 10x more than before. I need the back seats & the Taycan is brilliant at what it does but it's just less fun without the engine noise and shifting.

[@joetacchino4470]

To be fair, my 997 Turbo S cuts out the A/C compressor when at WOT. Every time I do a launch control, I get warmer, and not from the acceleration. :)

[@pedrowhite911]

@@joetacchino4470 Indeed, but the current 992 Turbo S does not.

[@mickwrinkles2318]

I don't want a car which disguises it's weight. I want this chassis in a car with 500kg less, imagine how good that would drive.

[@Sizeofanocean007]

I work in a piano store and believe me, there's a big portion of pianists that have a problem with digital piano's! As far as EV's go, I'm never going to be moved by a synthesised sound as much as I am by a pure mechanical one, so best to keep those sounds to a minumum for me

[@DarthJabba504]

The new paradigm for sound in cars should be to provide information to both drivers and people outside. It's an important clue for both driving and safety. Not to mention enjoyment.

[@oldred9122]

If I were to build my own EV, it would have a modestly powerful motor mated to a manual gearbox with straight cut gears, then solid mount that assembly to the chassis so all that noise goes to the cabin. I know EVs can be fun, we just need to shift how we think about them.

[@KevinFlory993]

I think you capture it pretty well in this video. I have a Taycan Turbo S would agree with all of your points. I also have a 993 Turbo which is much smaller than either the Taycan or the 992 Turbo S so a much bigger jump in size and weight, but it is amazing how well the car disguises it.

[@tyler9703]

Wouldn't a better comparison have been the Panamera GTS against the Taycan? These two cars serve such drastically different purposes that this is less of ICE vs EV as it is Sports Car vs Daily Driver.

[@evflyguy]

The Taycan GTS Sport Turismo was already my dream EV before watching this video. Drop dead gorgeous (though I'm not feeling these wheels) and fun to drive while also being practical. What's not to love?

[@janojanuary]

Finally the Taycan video we been waiting for.

[@antoniolleradam9354]

Before any consideration, I must say I'm a petrolhead. Said so, of course, the video is very interesting for many reasons and I've given the thumb up, as always with Catchpole (I must always remember that Carfection is now called Hagerty) ... but, obviously, if Porsche engineering didn't manage to make a 800 Kg too heavy EV handle well (obsessively well tuned electronic suspension and 4 wheel steering, highly state-of-the-art electronics to make brake, accelerator and steering feel OK, etc.), who could do it? Furthermore, the test has been done in some magnificient but not enough twisty roads (Scotland?) ... what if it had been made in the twisty and "mickey Mouse" roads of center Corsica (and I don't want to give ideas). On beside of this, there are lots of people who can't afford a Porsche, but many other also enjoyable cars less than half the price, and for them, if politics take the strong hand, every driving pleasure will be over. I really don't think that lithium batteries are going to replace the whole current range of ICE's, there are lots of difficulties: availability of rare earth elements, polution of their production process, public disagreement based on the time for recharge and the life of the batteries themselves, etc... BUT ... what if, in 50 years time (I won't be no longer there), the hydrogen cell cars were the most? For this foreseeable future, the know-how today consolidated by Porsche may have been worth.

[@texasfan8892]

I actually love the sound of the taycan. Sounds so futuristic

[@20gibbon]

They should maybe have a library of sounds you can download to the car, like the sound of the 911 GTS for example, with the gear changes at appropriate speeds . it's just nice to be able to customize at this level, there's so many options.

[@joaoluistavares6046]

Thank you for making this video. No one was really mentioning this comparison. What you said about the electrical sound could make some difference...or not. Toyota just came out with this EV prototype, even with a manual gearbox. It has a sound close to the ICE and we can even hear it from the outside. But I don't know if it was real or just a simulation sound. So, if they come out with some electric sound that really makes sense (not USS Enterprise sound), will see.

[@BeauKnowsMultifamily]

we're going Taycan GTS on the next one fo sho. great value

[@matthewrobertson9986]

Great video! And yeah ... a carmine red sport turismo is a wonderful spec!

[@robinpratt1541]

Excellent as always Henry! You seem less visible with Hagerty, not good.

[@Wubyuwongthyme]

Would be great nterested in knowing how many miles were covered in the Taycan on a single charge vs mpg on the 911. This is quite a pertinent point when it comes to living with an EV. Temperature also drastically affects battery range.. Personally, I think there is further advancement needed in battery tech before I could realistically consider buying an EV of any sort.

[@facelessandnameless]

Same here 👌

[@nwev1820]

This issue is mostly a non-issue unless you live in the middle of nowhere. Longer road trips do involve some planning, that said it's never hindered me in 21K miles of GTS ownership 🏁

[@EinKerl3554]

A nicely done piece, the one thing I found myself stuck on was the Taycan's headlight apparently being full of water.

[@nwev1820]

Your headlights retain water?

[@stanmarks3950]

Big congrats to Henry for making a true enthusiast video about an EV. I feel like I have finally lost my "car nut EV virginity". I LIKE IT. Hagerty has some some of the best people in this world of car fandom infotainment, people like these are their pinnacle. Thanks to all for making my day.

[@yungdadi]

The Panamera is the appropriate comparison to the Taycan in my opinion