Porsche Malaysia Archives

Porsche Taycan Driven by Karamjit Singh – Behind The Scenes Story

They say that many good things happen at a bar. And I would agree to that, many good things have taken place at many watering holes. And one of those good things is the topic of this article.

There were three of us at a bar in Petaling Jaya, and one was no other than Malaysian rally legend himself – Karamjit Singh.

We were discussing many things that day, from how rally life was like back then, to how a mechanic forgot to add engine oil during a race, forcing Karamjit out of the race. And to how, despite being 59 years old now, he is faster today than he has ever been, you can watch Karamjit talking about that in the video below.

And then it came in the form of an email, the invite to drive one of the fastest electric cars ever built – the Porsche Taycan. And it struck me, why not get Karamjit to drive it, he was already sitting opposite me anyway.

“Bro, how would you like to drive an electric Porsche at Sepang,” I asked Karam.

The look he gave me was one of disbelief, the type that couldn’t believe I had just asked that question.

“Of course la, I have never driven an electric car before, what more an electric Porsche at Sepang. Im in,” was his reply.

The reply from our friends at Porsche was also of disbelief.

“You sure you want to send Karamjit ah? He will still have to drive like any other member of the media you know, he has to follow a pace car. He won’t be able to drive the car to its limit.”

Yes, Yes, I know, but it will be interesting to see what a rally champion has to say about the Taycan.

A couple of days passed, and I found myself picking up Karamjit and heading to Sepang Circuit at about 8am.

“I usually do the driving,” said Karamjit to me.

“Kinda in a hurry bro, you drive on the way back?” – was my nonchalant reply to this multiple time rally champion, only to realise what I had said a few moments later.

Nevertheless, I got some good driving tips all the way to Sepang.

“It is smaller than what the photos make it look like,” was Karam’s first comment upon seeing the Taycan for the first time.

“It is actually smaller than the Panamera,” was mine.

The Taycan is indeed smaller than the Panamera, and is one of the reasons why it is outselling the Panamera in some markets like the UK. And this is giving rise to speculation that the Panamera could be discontinued if this trend continues and the shift towards electric cars gets stronger.

But that’s a different story.

After breakfast, an introduction to the overall drive program as well as the instructors, all of whom have either worked with Karamjit in a racing capacity, or at some point or another, we got on with the drive.

First up, sitting position. This is where lead Porsche instructor Admi Shahrul demonstrated the ideal sitting position when driving the Taycan or any other car.

From my vantage point (because I was not given a drive seat since I chose to give up my seat for Karam), I found Karam listening attentively. I thought that was incredibly gracious of him, considering he probably understands the importance of sitting positions better than anyone else there that day.

After that came the acceleration test, a part that had some Malaysian motoring journalists and youtubers giggling like girls (insert eye roll emoticon here) after experiencing what is said to be one of the fastest acceleration in a production car this side of a hypercar.

The two cars on hand were the standard Taycan 4S as well as the Taycan Turbo (there was no Turbo S for us to experience that day).

I didn’t expect Karamjit to be fazed by the acceleration, after all this is the man who said that the most powerful car he had ever driven was the Ford Escort Cosworth Group A rally car, which is a proper fire breathing monster that puts out over 300hp at the wheel in a lightened and strengthened body (pictured below).

“The acceleration difference between the two cars is huge,” said Karamjit. There is zero wheel spin despite the Taycan 4S putting out 650Nm of torque (with Performance Battery Plus, and 640Nm without the dearer battery) while the Turbo puts out 850Nm. Of course this is due to the Traction Control and Electronic Stability Control playing a role in keeping the wheels in check during hard acceleration.

There is no telling how the car would have felt with all the electronic safety nets turned off, and if there is anyone that could have tamed an out of control electric car, it would be Karamjit. But there were strict instructions to not turn anything off.

When asked what he thought of the acceleration, Karamjit had this to say, “The Turbo is fantastic, the G-Force is amazing, there is no drama, it accelerates very fast in a straight line and it doesn’t twitch. It is an easy car to drive fast. I love the instance response.”

The next program was a classroom session that explained the intricacy of the Taycan, but after that there was the track drive and that is where Karamjit got to drive both the Taycan 4S and the Turbo around the north track of the circuit.

“You do feel some body roll in the Taycan in normal mode, but in Sport mode the handling is very impressive for such a heavy car. The brakes are not so bad either, this is a car that weighs over two tons so you have to brake much earlier.”

“I also took some corners at over 160km/h and it does feel like you’re driving a race car around some parts of the circuit, this is still a proper Porsche.”

When asked about whether there is anything he didn’t quite like about the Taycan, Karamjit simply pointed out that excessive body roll in normal mode (but perfectly fine in Sport and Sport Plus), and his concerns about charging the car.

“I like this car, there is no doubt that this is a sports car you can drive everyday, but the disadvantage it has is charging it.”

“You have to plan your route very carefully to ensure there are charging points. You then have to spend 20-30 minutes while the car charges up and then point the car towards the next charging station.”

“But in terms of driving, the Taycan is a fantastic experience. I really like the fact that it has four-wheel steering. This minimises the turning circle and makes such a heavy car feel quite agile in corners. I just don’t understand why people need four-wheel-steering to help them park the car.”

But ultimately, what does a rally legend who has spent a huge part of his life with internal combustion engines think of the paradigm shift towards electric cars?

“Electric cars are the future we have to accept that, I used to worry but this is a great example of how awesome an electric car can be. It drives well, it accelerates well, it stops well, and it is still very much a Porsche, and a great Porsche at that.”

2020 Porsche 911 Carrera with manual transmission? Yes, please!

The awesome folks from Porsche have announced that their 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 4S Coupe will come with a seven-speed manual transmission at no additional charge for those who love living on the wilder side of life. Starting next year, customers can opt-out the very capable standard eight-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission. (more…)

Five things we like about the 2019 Porsche Macan

The latest 2019 Porsche Macan was just launched a few months back, followed by the more powerful Porsche Macan S variant during the first-ever Porsche Sportscar Together Day held at the Sepang International Circuit just last month.

For months, we’ve been following the progress of Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) and their ever-growing range of delicious Porsche vehicles here in Malaysia. Noticing our interest, SDAP decided to let us have a go at the Porsche Macan. We took that opportunity straight away and had it to ourselves for the whole day.

With that being said, here are the five things we absolutely adore about the 2019 Porsche Macan. (more…)

SDAP Sportscar Day sets new Malaysian record

The recent Sportscar Together Day held last Saturday by Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) at the Sepang International Circuit concluded with multiple highlights in its first ever event here in Malaysia. The biggest achievement has to be the number of Porsches that made their way to the track and they now have a record to prove it. (more…)

354hp Porsche Macan S officially available now – RM625,000

Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), the official custodian of the Porsche brand here in Malaysia, has officially announced that their latest Porsche Macan S version is now available for purchase. The unveiling was held in conjunction with their first ever Porsche Sportscar Together Day held at the Sepang International Circuit. (more…)

Porsche 911 Carrera S & Carrera 4S introduced – From RM1.15 million

The latest generation Porsche 911 Carrera S and Carrera 4S have been officially unveiled by Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP). The unveiling which was held at the Sepang International Circuit was in conjunction with the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) that is taking place this weekend where the race version (911 GT3 Cup) will also be participating. (more…)

2019 Porsche Macan launched in Malaysia – From RM455,000

Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) has officially brought in the latest 2019 Porsche Macan onto Malaysian shores. Designed to redefine its place in a true sports vehicle in its segment, the Macan comes in two variants; the standard 2.0-litre Macan and the fire-breathing 3.0-litre Macan S (only being previewed for the time being).

Spearheading the true essence of Porsche Design DNA, the new Macan now comes with updated distinctive exterior features a new wider front end and revised side air intakes for better all-round performance. (more…)

Putting the Sport in Touring: Porsche Panamera 4 Sport Turismo Driven!

“What does Sport Turismo mean,” asked my father when I told him I was going to be driving the new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo during the Porsche Drive of The Year.

I thought about it for a few seconds, and being unable to find a better way of explaining it, I just said:

“It is another fancy word for hatch back or estate, Dad, but it pretty much means the same thing – a car with a sweeping roof line”.

Or is it?

After driving it for an entire week around Peninsular Malaysia, I realized that the Panamera Sport Turismo is anything but, despite the sweeping roof line.

Before the days of SUVs, hatch backs and estates were the go to vehicles for convenience this side of a van, to store whatever it is you couldn’t store in a regular booth.

And many Sport Turismo articles have been written with references to the “shooting-brake” body style.

But how you could you explain the Sport Turismo concept without mentioning the shooting-brake, just look at the Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona Shooting Brake. This is about where it all started for the Shooting Brake themed sports cars.

But quick search on wikipedia will tell you that the shooting-brake was originally “horse-drawn wagons used to transport shooting parties with their equipment and game”.

Today though, the basic idea remains the same – to carry a lot of stuff – except the game now is replaced with the space necessary for family.

However, that still does not explain why Porsche prefers to call it Sport Turismo rather than the Panamera Shooting-Brake.

Lets first go back to the Grand Turismo, a type of car, initially a coupe, that was the perfect mix of luxury, a massive powerful engine, and the ability to traverse continents without the passenger knowing it.

The term then got twisted to prefer marketing departments of different manufacturers and that is how we arrived at the Sport Turismo, cousin of the Grand Turismo, cousin of the Grand Tourer, sometimes simply known as the GT.

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is the cooler, sleeker, roomier and supposedly more convenient cousin to the Panamera sedan.

But to be totally, completely, to the point. It is not thaaaat much roomier than the sedan, in fact, from some points, the sedan is a better car. The Sport Turismo is actually 65kg heavier because of the additional body work around the c-pillar.

But what it is however is a cooler car, it has a lot more road presence simply because of its peculiar looks.

And the fact that it is a massive car, almost ten feet long and six and a half feet wide.

It may be a bulbous car though, but it has some very clever electronics that make its hefty size feel like a hot hatch.

At the heart of the car is a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder twin-turbocharg engine with 330hp and 450Nm of torque.

Arguably that is not a lot of power for a car that costs close to RM1 million, considering that a Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG makes 380hp, but I know that’s like comparing a “spruce goose” to an F-15. Just saying that it doesn’t make that much power.

But it still entertained everyone who drove it.

Driving the Sport Turismo is an experience by itself, one that is not much different from the sedan or the Cayenne.

The dashboard is as wide as the car and the centre console is takes up most of the space with the gear knob and touch-screen switches in the form of a black touch pad.

Confession – I still prefer the buttoned switches of the previous-generation Panamera.

But what I really appreciate about the interior of the car though is it’s:

A) Superb build quality.
B) A beautiful high resolution 12-inch touchscreen display.
C) Rear passenger leg room and amenities.

The Sport Turismo, like its cousin, sits four, but Porsche realized that sometimes family folks, instead of business moguls, buy the ST, so now offer a conventional 4+1 seating concept as standard.

If you’re a business mogul who prefers the four-seater, you just have to tock the box on the options list where it says “individual rear power seats”.

Anyway, back to what makes the ST feel like a hot-hatch. Technology and smart electronic systems.

The size of the car is managed by Porsche’s rear-axle steering system that moves the rear wheels in opposite direction to the front wheels at low speeds – giving the car surprisingly manageable in tight parking lots – and then moves the front and rear wheels in the same direction during high-speed maneuvering, aiding agility and “flickability”. About a year and a half ago, we were given the opportunity to take a ride in the ST around Sepang with Le Mans Earl Bamber behind the wheel, you can imagine what ensued, and that’s where the photo above is from.

But there are other Porsche systems that bring the car to life on tight trunk roads, like the Porsche Active Suspension Management, Dynamic Chassis Control Sport, and a unique air suspension with three-chamber technology.

Managing everything in an onboard computer that calculates the car’s pitch, roll and yaw, calculates the data quicker than u can think and immediately preps the car, giving the driver maximum control at all times.

In the mountains around the Belum Rainforest Reserve in Pahang, the tight winding roads put the ST’s computers to the test.

The rear-axle steering hid the bulk while the electronic suspension kept the car’s body roll in check.

The car didn’t exactly handle as if it were on rails, but considering its size and weight, it handled beautifully.

Better than the Cayenne too, but the ST is low and wide, better handling than the Cayenne is to be expected.

But underneath it all, it was the electronic gremlins doing their thing. The Porsche Active Suspension Management working overtime to reduce body movement and interior comfort.

There is no way a car like the ST is able to accelerate and brake, turn on a dime and catapult out of a corner if it were not for advanced technologies underneath that metal work.

But inside it remains serene, even the sport exhausts have an elegant bellow, high-pitched at the fun end of the rpm meter, and low rumbles at the not so fun side.

You can customise the car according to how you want it, everything from the colour of the stitching to the colour of the rims.

The car we drove during DOTY costs a cool RM1.2 million. It of course came with all the feel-good, look-good, go-fast options.

Our favorite part about the car we spend a week with? The sport chrono package, sport exhaust, 21 inch wheels, and eight-way power rear seats.

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is not here to make up for the standard Panamera lacks, it is here to make an already capable car all the better and is for those who want the space but not an SUV.

SDAP Porsche Adds New 718 Cayman SportDesign Series To Its Range! [+Video]

More than two years after making its debut in Malaysia, the 718 Cayman has now been treated to a sporty new option package with the introduction of the new 718 Cayman SportDesign Series by Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP).

The series is available exclusively to 15 limited units, with 5 available in each of the following attractive exterior colours: Racing Yellow, Guards Red, and Carrara White Metallic. Furthermore, the extensive list of options provided as standard includes a number of features designed to immerse the driver and passenger in the full Porsche experience and offers a competitive price advantage for interested buyers. The highly exclusive car will be available for viewing across all Porsche Centres simultaneously.

“The 718 Cayman SportDesign Series is aimed particularly at drivers who appreciate a vehicle that is suitable for everyday use but do not want to sacrifice sportiness,” said Christopher Hunter, (above) Chief Executive Officer of Sime Darby Auto Performance.

Design
The 718 Cayman SportDesign Series stands out from the 718 model line not only in terms of performance, but also in its visual design. The result is a subtle carbon fibre design for an extra element of individualisation. The new SportDesign Series also enhances the overall appearance, complemented by the SportDesign Package which has a unique front end with a newly designed front spoiler and rear apron. The contrasting black accents on the door handles and the centrally positioned black tailpipes from the standard sports exhaust system gives the SportDesign Series its contrasting sporty appearance.

LED main headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS+) helps to ensure optimum visibility without hindering other road users. At the rear, the three-dimensional design of the taillights incorporating four-spot brake lights leaves a lasting impression. The vehicle rolls on the 20-inch wheels are available in either the Carrera S or Carrera Sport Wheel design. A forged one-piece alloy wheel in high gloss black completes the side view.

Interior
The accented colour of the exterior colour scheme, combined with the carbon decorative and black leather interior package makes the 718 Cayman SportDesign Series even more visually succinct. For an even greater driving experience, the car is equipped with 14-way power seats that include comfort memory foam for the driver and front passenger. To further complement the luxurious interior, a Bose Surround Sound System comes standard with 10 loudspeakers, offers a total output of 505 watts, and provides a sophisticated audio experience of the highest calibre.

Performance
For the ambitious drivers, the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is fitted as standard. This lowers the body of the 718 Cayman SportDesign by 10mm and offers for a sportier chassis tuning for greater agility. To further enhance vehicle performance, the Sport Chrono Package and PDK, the 718 Cayman SportDesign Series is able to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in just under four seconds.

The 718 Cayman SportDesign Series is priced at RM625,000 and exclusively limited to only 15 units. As with all vehicles sold by Sime Darby Auto Performance, it comes with a four-year warranty and free maintenance package for peace-of-mind ownership. The stated price includes all applicable duties, except registration fee, road tax and insurance. Specifications and prices are subject to change without prior notice.