We Drive Porsche's Fake-Shifting 2027 TaycanPorscheBy far the most surprising change to the 2027 Taycan lineup is the addition of a fake-shifting system Porsche calls E-Shift. It's a $1030 option across all 2027 Taycan models, except for the Turbo GT, where it's standard. E-Shift mimics the company's familiar PDK, bringing a virtual eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, a 7400-rpm digital tachometer, and a steering wheel with paddles and a new E-Shift mode switch to the party.In addition to the shifty shifting, Porsche is dropping the wagon variants (Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo) from the U.S. market—boo!—and making the large, 97-kWh battery standard. That means more range at the low end of the lineup, but also a higher starting price: $114,250. Model-year-'27 Taycans also benefit from a new Android-based infotainment system that boasts five times the computing power of its predecessor. As a result, the pinch-and-zoom functions for the navigation work much more snappily, AI is incorporated into the digital assistant, and the infotainment layout is redesigned with additional shortcut keys. This so-called MIB4 system will be spreading to Porsche's gas-powered lineup in the near future.There's also a new 20-inch Continental SportContact 7 summer tire with slightly improved rolling resistance that tacks on about 15 more miles of range. And the car adds a DC-only NACS charge port on the passenger-side fender, while retaining a J1772 AC port on the driver's side. At the extreme end of the lineup, there's a wicked, $125,510 Manthey kit that turns the $246,050 Turbo GT Weissach into a Nürburgring record-setter, with a massive rear wing and three times more downforce, lots more tire and brakes, and a little extra power.PorscheBack to E-Shift: We flew to Germany to try it out for the first time, and in some ways, it's what we expected from Porsche, including the execution being extremely comprehensive. For example, the "idle" speed changes depending on mode, and you can watch the tach needle flutter slightly like a real idle. In Sport Plus, idle speed rises to 1000 rpm, where you don't just hear, but actually feel, some of the boominess in subtle vibrations on your feet. That's the front external speaker vibrating the front structure. But we thought the sound—which employs both front and rear external speakers, as well as all of the stereo speakers inside the cabin—might be something classically Porsche, such as a wailing flat-six or maybe a bellowing V-8. This was Hyundai's approach with the Ioniq 5 N, where it apes the Elantra N's 2.0-liter four-cylinder. But the Taycan's sound retains an electric warble to it and isn't just a copy of an internal-combustion engine. Why choose a 7400-rpm redline for this electronica engine? No one from Porsche offered a clear answer.PorscheYou may be thinking that the Taycan already is the rare EV with real shifting, since all models have a two-speed gearbox at the rear axle. How does that work with the virtual shifting? The real shift lines up with the top of second gear at about 55 mph, so both shifts happen simultaneously. To turn on the system, click the button of the new E-Shift knob on the steering wheel; then you can switch between automatic and manual shifting. Manual means manual, with no automatic upshifts and a pseudo rev limiter to bounce off of. It's not as rowdy as the Ioniq 5 N, which can peacock while parked, revving and blasting noise out of its external speakers. The Taycan's system only uses the external speakers in Drive. When not using E-Shift, the Taycan's previous electric sound, which is based on noises the motors really make, is still available to switch on and off.PorscheAdvertisementAdvertisementPulling both paddles activates the temporary, 10-second overboost function, in addition to pushing the mode switch button like before. Using them individually selects among two regen modes (one more than before) and coasting. Stand on both pedals to initiate launch control, and the revs rise to 4000 rpm, just like in a gas-powered Porsche. Interestingly, the company claims that using E-Shift doesn't hinder acceleration, unlike in the Ioniq 5 N, where shifting slows its quarter-mile time by a half second. We look forward to evaluating that claim with our test gear.The new feature works well and is thoughtfully executed, but we're not sure this is what the Taycan needed. After the initial novelty wears off, we can't imagine using it much, and, at the risk of stating the obvious, real shifting in something like, oh, a 911 GT3, which we did the following day, is infinitely more engaging. Will buyers want it? Porsche agrees it's not for everyone, with early projections of less than 50 percent take rate as 2027 models arrive this fall.You Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
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