Tested: 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo Is Supercar Quick

If the Frozen Berry Metallic paint of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo reminds you of a glittery pink salmon, you're in good company. The comparison is more than scales-deep, too, as both Porsche and poisson are majorly muscular and highly adaptable to different ecosystems.

The Turbo S is the big fish of the Taycan Cross Turismo lineup, capable of streaking to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds. Acceleration is so forceful that this shiny specimen feels capable of vaulting over Hoover Dam and skipping across Lake Mead in search of a mate. Unrelenting thrust means the quarter-mile flits by in just 10.4 seconds at a speed of 131 mph. Launch control enables this rapid ascent, unlocking the full 750 horsepower from the dual electric motors. Dial back the urgency, and there's still 616 horsepower and 774 pound-feet on tap. Having that much instantaneous power available recalibrates the concept of what's possible. That poorly timed light you can never quite make before it changes? No longer a problem. Passing a caravan of left-lane dawdlers on the interstate? Accomplished before you finish reading this sentence. We may continue to take issue with Porsche's use of the word Turbo on an EV, but there's no denying the result.

We found most of the other performance figures to be equally as Turbo-like. Gigantic Pirelli P Zero Elect 265/35ZR-21 front and 305/30ZR-21 rear tires are as tenacious as they are meaty, serving up 0.98 g worth of grip on the skidpad. And when it comes time to drop anchor, the g-forces push you hard against the seatbelt. With Turbo-sized carbon-ceramic brake rotors (16.5 inches in front, 16.1 inches in the rear) squeezed by 10-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, velocity disappears faster than a fish slipping through your fingers. Stopping from 70 mph requires only 152 feet—an impressive number, even if it's not quite as good as the 2020 Taycan 4S we tested. With the same tire and brake setup, that version stopped in 147 feet and also pulled 1.03 g on the skidpad.

We're inclined to chalk up the difference to weight. With an 83.7-kWh battery pack nestled beneath its floor, the Turbo S strains the line at a whale-like 5294 pounds compared to the 5128 pounds of the 4S. Despite the big battery, the EPA estimates the Turbo S Cross Turismo's range at just 202 miles, and overall efficiency is similarly disappointing at 74/73 MPGe city/highway. On the street, we were able to do slightly better, averaging an indicated 83 MPGe on a charge. Give it several hard pulls, however, and the Cross Turismo will quickly drain its electrons.