Our spy photographers have been busy, snapping four Porsche Taycan prototypes in testing.

    One appears to be a new high-performance variant, while the other three appear to be facelifted sedan and wagon models.

    The former, spied by the Nurburgring, features an outsized rear wing, as well as a more aggressive front bumper that’s flared at the sides.

    The vehicle otherwise appears to be unchanged cosmetically. There’s a roll cage and racing seat fitted, but these are often used for testing purposes.

    It’s unclear whether Porsche is working on a more extreme version of the Taycan than the current Turbo S flagship, potentially wearing the GT badge.

    The Turbo S features a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with 560kW of power and 1050Nm of torque, good for a claimed range of 405km and a 0-100km/h time of just 2.8 seconds.

    In addition to this mysterious prototype, Taycan sedan and Taycan Sport Turismo wagon prototypes were spotted wearing camouflage on their front and rear bumpers.

    These would appear to be prototypes of a mid-life update for Porsche’s EV, which could be revealed next year as a 2024 model.

    Porsche isn’t just waiting for a traditional mid-life update to roll out tweaks to its first EV.

    Earlier this year it announced a software update that improves thermal management and therefore allows the Taycan to be rapidly charged more frequently.

    The update brings all Taycan models up to model year 2023 specification.

    There’s also a range of powertrain updates that affect 2021 Taycan models, bringing to them improvements that were introduced for model year 2022.

    In Normal and Range drive modes, the front motor of all-wheel drive Taycan models is almost completely disconnected.

    Both axles are free of drive torque when coasting or at a standstill, and a new energy flow indicator is viewable on the centre touchscreen.

    The automatic energy recuperation setting is also retained even when the drive mode is adjusted.

    Wireless Android Auto and integrated Spotify, introduced earlier this year, will be available for older models as part of the update, while there’s an updated look for the touchscreen’s start screen, greater support for voice controls, and an ‘optimised’ map view for the head-up display.

    The parking sensors have improved range, and the semi-automatic parking assist system can now detect smaller spaces.

    The current Taycan range in Australia comprises rear-wheel drive base and all-wheel drive 4S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S sedans, plus the high-riding Cross Turismo wagon in 4, 4S and Turbo variants.

    The lower-slung Sport Turismo wagon isn’t offered here.

    MORE: Everything Porsche Taycan

    William Stopford

    William Stopford is an automotive journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. William is a Business/Journalism graduate from the Queensland University of Technology who loves to travel, briefly lived in the US, and has a particular interest in the American car industry.

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