Plaid Back: Taking To Cornwall In The Porsche Taycan Turbo

What does an electrifying Porsche have in common with a quintessentially British seaside hotel? Motoring editor Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby visit The Nare in a Porsche Taycan Turbo.

Test Drive: Porsche Taycan Turbo

J-TP – The Cornish coast, where I grew up, is a riot of wind-blasted trees that lean gently to the east.

JT – Yes, but instead of a gale and mizzle, our trip to the Roseland Peninsula last weekend was more memorable for a slightly singed forehead.

First one of the year! Even wearing factor 50, it was hot for March. So, explain the connection between Porsche and The Nare, a hotel straight from the pages of an Agatha Christie novel.

The Nare Hotel

The Nare is a member of PoB Hotels. Porsche has teamed up with the brand to offer owners luxury packages at PoB properties across the country. It probably helps that The Nare has a bank of eight EV chargers, too!

Yes, anyone planning a 287-mile drive from London in a Taycan can relax in the knowledge that they won’t have to search for a charger on arrival – which are still few and far between is that neck of the woods.

But they still have to stop for a quick top-up somewhere on the way, because our Taycan Turbo’s maximum real-world range is around 272 miles. Not quite enough juice in the 105 kWh battery to make it to Cornwall in one hit.

The Taycan does feature a ‘Range’ mode to help maximise miles, but this being a Porsche, the temptation is to exploit all 707 hp on offer. 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds is pretty punchy!

And especially useful when stuck behind a slow-moving caravan. The Taycan Turbo offers a neat ‘boost’ button on the steering wheel for rapid overtaking, momentarily increasing power to a staggering 884 hp.

The Porsche Taycan Turbo outside The Nare

Of course, there’s a more potent Turbo S version, too, but I’d say the £134,000 Turbo will be more than enough grunt for most folk. You might want to opt for the £2,732 Oak Green paint on our test car though – it was magnificent.

And rather fitting for the beachfront Nare. Think old school British Racing Green, with a slightly deeper hue. A real talking point, especially if you can navigate the narrow lanes on the final few miles to the hotel on Roseland Peninsula without brushing the paintwork.

Yes, the Taycan sits low and wide. We did have a ‘moment’ with an oncoming tractor but let’s not go there! It’s a properly pretty car from any angle, especially when fitted with a Truffle Brown leather interior. The Taycan is probably the best electric grand tourer on the market, alongside its Audi e-tron GT sibling. Fantastically smooth and quiet on the M5, room for a family and whisper quiet. Well, apart from the road noise from those 20-inch tyres.

And on the rare occasions we could exploit the powerful battery, adaptive damping and razor-sharp steering made the Taycan Turbo behave more like an iconic 911 coupe than a four-door super-saloon.

You can add a sporty ‘noise’ to the driving experience, but the Porsche is so involving, so thrilling to drive at speed, there’s very little point. So, what is the Porsche connection to The Nare?

Good question. Well, it’s not just that this upmarket hotel like the car is super comfortable, refined and highly regarded by a loyal following of guests who return year after year. 

It’s the plaid carpet in the foyer isn’t it?

Yes! Fifty years ago, three plaid (or tartan) seat fabrics could be found on the Porsche 911 Turbo options list for the very first time. The story goes that Porsche’s chief designer, Anatole Lapine, went into work one day wearing tartan trousers and, well, the rest is history.

I think I prefer our Truffle Brown leather, but a nice link anyway.

DISCOVER

Find out more about the Porsche Taycan Turbo at porsche.com

Discover more about The Nare at pobhotels.com

Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.