A Taycan or an BMW I5 M60- what would you do?

[CarolineK]

If you think it looks anything as good as a Taycan then do it. I just don't see the comparison.

Think I already know the answer. And it is the same again.

 

[Jonathan S.]

I'm not sure if this is of any value to your decision-making, but with that caveat aside ...

I put on the first ~3,000 miles on what is now my wife's 2023 i4 M50, and I've driven it occasionally since then.
I liked this experience of a high-end German non-SUV EV so much that I bought a used 2022 4CT for myself (although I'm keeping my A6 Allroad for both EV reliability concerns and roadtripping CCS1 DCFC concerns). I have put about ~2000 miles on it since taking delivery Sep 1.

The i4 M50 is definitely faster than my 4CT, but that's only b/c I intentionally bought the least powerful of the five Taycan wagon variants.

The i4 M50 definitely handles well, but the 4CT definitely handles better -- something about it just feels so precise. (Maybe because ... it is so precise!) And the 4CT with RAS is more maneuverable at low speeds in tight quarters, despite being so big.
I'm amazed at how the 4CT is even kind of fun to drive in shopping mall parking lots and NYC congested streets!

But if the i5 were a hatch like the i4, or the i5 Touring were available now (which it probably never will be in America), then I would have bought it. Mainly for easier access to the closest BMW dealer for any warranty service.
But also for the bigger cargo capacity. Not that I'll probably ever need more cargo capacity than the 4CT (except a big cross-country trip next year, but we're talking the A6ar anyway for the ICE range, so moot point). But I just kind of like that idea of more cargo capacity for a given exterior size. And the 4CT rear seat room is spacious quantitatively and even more spacious qualitatively given the glass roof.

As for looks, although I don't usually care about a car exterior, and the i4 is totally fine (except for the silly grill), and although the i5 looks fine (if kind of boring), and ditto for the likely i5 Touring, the CT is so outrageously outrageous that I have to admit that it's kind of a plus, even though as my sister-in-law commented (with a smile), "This car is too fancy for Amherst and Northampton [Massachusetts]."

 

[Fish Fingers]

Hi Ian, Yes it has been better since the battery was replaced. Stayed of the forum as was unwell for a bit, better now. Still love my red 4S. Would it be wrong to get another almost exactly the same colour?

Good to hear Caroline. ?
Been dragged down with a health issue also - so know how it feels.

If you did get another, I think Red is great. Very rare as most people go monochrome.
Without being sexist, especially cool for a female. Whereas a bloke may get some stick for mid life crisis etc.

Mine is Ice Grey and I didn't see another for ages when I got mine.
But I saw 3 others on one day alone last week - and just one other (green).
So I love the colour, but would go none monochrome if selecting again.

 

[CarolineK]

Good to hear Caroline. ?
Been dragged down with a health issue also - so know how it feels.

If you did get another, I think Red is great. Very rare as most people go monochrome.
Without being sexist, especially cool for a female. Whereas a bloke may get some stick for mid life crisis etc.

Mine is Ice Grey and I didn't see another for ages when I got mine.
But I saw 3 others on one day alone last week - and just one other (green).
So I love the colour, but would go none monochrome if selecting again.

If I get another, it will be red, dolmite silver or white. Having a look and may be timely for one coming into a dealership in East of England soon. Have never had a day driving this one where I have wished for a colour other than red.

 

[CarolineK]

I'm not sure if this is of any value to your decision-making, but with that caveat aside ...

I put on the first ~3,000 miles on what is now my wife's 2023 i4 M50, and I've driven it occasionally since then.
I liked this experience of a high-end German non-SUV EV so much that I bought a used 2022 4CT for myself (although I'm keeping my A6 Allroad for both EV reliability concerns and roadtripping CCS1 DCFC concerns). I have put about ~2000 miles on it since taking delivery Sep 1.

The i4 M50 is definitely faster than my 4CT, but that's only b/c I intentionally bought the least powerful of the five Taycan wagon variants.

The i4 M50 definitely handles well, but the 4CT definitely handles better -- something about it just feels so precise. (Maybe because ... it is so precise!) And the 4CT with RAS is more maneuverable at low speeds in tight quarters, despite being so big.
I'm amazed at how the 4CT is even kind of fun to drive in shopping mall parking lots and NYC congested streets!

But if the i5 were a hatch like the i4, or the i5 Touring were available now (which it probably never will be in America), then I would have bought it. Mainly for easier access to the closest BMW dealer for any warranty service.
But also for the bigger cargo capacity. Not that I'll probably ever need more cargo capacity than the 4CT (except a big cross-country trip next year, but we're talking the A6ar anyway for the ICE range, so moot point). But I just kind of like that idea of more cargo capacity for a given exterior size. And the 4CT rear seat room is spacious quantitatively and even more spacious qualitatively given the glass roof.

As for looks, although I don't usually care about a car exterior, and the i4 is totally fine (except for the silly grill), and although the i5 looks fine (if kind of boring), and ditto for the likely i5 Touring, the CT is so outrageously outrageous that I have to admit that it's kind of a plus, even though as my sister-in-law commented (with a smile), "This car is too fancy for Amherst and Northampton [Massachusetts]."

The look of the car is important to me, the lines of the Taycan are beautiful. Aesthetically it appeals more than any other car I’ve owned. I enjoy the drive, the instant power, and the quiet. All of it. I have enjoyed driving it immensely.

 

[Jonathan S.]

In that case, definitely the Taycan!

 

[summerlion]

Had the battery replaced in Oct 21...Other than that I have had almost no bother with it.

This is hilarious. "Other than that Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?" The amount of defects EV owners accept as normal would never fly elsewhere. Yes yes, "new technology" and all that, but still.

To your actual situation, to me there's no comparison in the appearance department. BMWs are hideous these days. The "angry beaver" look almost works on the 7 series, but everywhere else it's somewhere between "unattractive" and "what where they thinking?"

Any EV will accelerate fast enough to make you motion sick, so tiny differences in 0-60 times don't move the needle for me. YMMV. I suspect the Porsche drives better than the BMW, but either brand will be outstanding for any situation a non-track driver would find themselves in.

Unless money is really no object, the fact that the 4S Taycan sedan is about 60% more expensive than the i4 M and 40% more than an I5 M (before you start ticking boxes on the configuration!) has to be a consideration.

I'm pretty down on Porsche after my ongoing terrible experiences, and I could buy the I5M60 for considerably less than the Taycan I'm waiting for even after considering the forfeited deposit. But here I am still waiting. There's something about the Taycan that for all its and Porsche's faults makes it seem like the right choice.

 

[Fish Fingers]

Hi Ian, Yes it has been better since the battery was replaced. Stayed of the forum as was unwell for a bit, better now. Still love my red 4S. Would it be wrong to get another almost exactly the same colour?

The reason I remember you was that 'stupid, stupid, stupid battery' thread. I really felt your pain at the time.

And I thought about it only last week when the bank messed up our business online banking and I couldn't pay the staff.
My email to them was entitled 'stupid, stupid, stupid HSBC' in honour of your thread on here ?

 

[CarolineK]

In that case, definitely the Taycan!

I know. I am trying to be openminded (I am not really open minded about this).

The reason I remember you was that 'stupid, stupid, stupid battery' thread. I really felt your pain at the time.

And I thought about it only last week when the bank messed up our business online banking and I couldn't pay the staff.
My email to them was entitled 'stupid, stupid, stupid HSBC' in honour of your thread on here ?

Thanks for sending me this, it has made me laugh.
The battery episode was a disgrace and Porsche really let themselves down imho telling me there was nothing wrong, just turn it off, let it sit for a while and then turn it on again. Like I was a stupid woman. I did remind them of my job and the need for a reliable car if called in to an emergency.
It was a painful memory and this is the only good in it- this message. ?

 

[MHC]

I have owned a 2019 panamera 4s , 2017 911 4s , 2022 lucid Air grand touring, 2020 Taycan turbo- and now own a 2022 BMW IX 50 and a 2013 Taycan Sport turismo GTS. I traded The 911 for the panamera because the 911 was a pure sports car with limited utility. I traded the panamera for The Taycan turbo because the Taycan turbo drove much more like a 911 than the panamera 4s but has great Utility - especially in the turismo version. The Taycan is the best combination of driving -utility and good looks that’s out there. So far I have had no issues with both Taycans. The lucid air is a great car with tremendous space and features for its size but I got tired of being the beta tester and missed the 2020 Taycan turbo I had sold when I bought the lucid so I got the sport turismo GTS and don’t regret it. As far as BMW - the IX 50 which is an SUV is awesome and my highest recommendation for an SUV. I traded a 2022 Land Rover for the IX because it has the quiet and comfortable ride of a land rover but with far better handling and tech. I also had a 2022 Tesla model x which rode and drove like my 2017 model x and had pretty much the same quality build . Tesla has some great features - streaming video etc and the best charging network by a mile but the model x cars are built like a much cheaper car. Also my wife couldn’t deal with the yoke steering on the model X . Ps sounds like a lot of cars but during Covid - I made a profit on the Tesla, broke even on the Taycan turbo and the rover only cost me about 1500 a month for the 3 months I owned it . Unfortunately this all came to an end when I took a 50k hit to sell the lucid after 14 months and 5000 miles. Getting back to the BMW - it has been bulletproof - no issues - everything works great - easiest to use tech. Yes the IX looks crappy - I almost didn’t buy it because of the looks , but I liked the drive so much I took the plunge. If choosing between the Taycan or the BMW - I would choose the Taycan if price were no object and rear seat leg room was not a priority. Otherwise I suspect the i5 will be a great option.

 

[CarolineK]

I have owned a 2019 panamera 4s , 2017 911 4s , 2022 lucid Air grand touring, 2020 Taycan turbo- and now own a 2022 BMW IX 50 and a 2013 Taycan Sport turismo GTS. I traded The 911 for the panamera because the 911 was a pure sports car with limited utility. I traded the panamera for The Taycan turbo because the Taycan turbo drove much more like a 911 than the panamera 4s but has great Utility - especially in the turismo version. The Taycan is the best combination of driving -utility and good looks that’s out there. So far I have had no issues with both Taycans. The lucid air is a great car with tremendous space and features for its size but I got tired of being the beta tester and missed the 2020 Taycan turbo I had sold when I bought the lucid so I got the sport turismo GTS and don’t regret it. As far as BMW - the IX 50 which is an SUV is awesome and my highest recommendation for an SUV. I traded a 2022 Land Rover for the IX because it has the quiet and comfortable ride of a land rover but with far better handling and tech. I also had a 2022 Tesla model x which rode and drove like my 2017 model x and had pretty much the same quality build . Tesla has some great features - streaming video etc and the best charging network by a mile but the model x cars are built like a much cheaper car. Also my wife couldn’t deal with the yoke steering on the model X . Ps sounds like a lot of cars but during Covid - I made a profit on the Tesla, broke even on the Taycan turbo and the rover only cost me about 1500 a month for the 3 months I owned it . Unfortunately this all came to an end when I took a 50k hit to sell the lucid after 14 months and 5000 miles. Getting back to the BMW - it has been bulletproof - no issues - everything works great - easiest to use tech. Yes the IX looks crappy - I almost didn’t buy it because of the looks , but I liked the drive so much I took the plunge. If choosing between the Taycan or the BMW - I would choose the Taycan if price were no object and rear seat leg room was not a priority. Otherwise I suspect the i5 will be a great option.

Thanks for this Mitchell, very helpful.

 

[BJCanadaMax]

I have owned a 2019 panamera 4s , 2017 911 4s , 2022 lucid Air grand touring, 2020 Taycan turbo- and now own a 2022 BMW IX 50 and a 2013 Taycan Sport turismo GTS. I traded The 911 for the panamera because the 911 was a pure sports car with limited utility. I traded the panamera for The Taycan turbo because the Taycan turbo drove much more like a 911 than the panamera 4s but has great Utility - especially in the turismo version. The Taycan is the best combination of driving -utility and good looks that’s out there. So far I have had no issues with both Taycans. The lucid air is a great car with tremendous space and features for its size but I got tired of being the beta tester and missed the 2020 Taycan turbo I had sold when I bought the lucid so I got the sport turismo GTS and don’t regret it. As far as BMW - the IX 50 which is an SUV is awesome and my highest recommendation for an SUV. I traded a 2022 Land Rover for the IX because it has the quiet and comfortable ride of a land rover but with far better handling and tech. I also had a 2022 Tesla model x which rode and drove like my 2017 model x and had pretty much the same quality build . Tesla has some great features - streaming video etc and the best charging network by a mile but the model x cars are built like a much cheaper car. Also my wife couldn’t deal with the yoke steering on the model X . Ps sounds like a lot of cars but during Covid - I made a profit on the Tesla, broke even on the Taycan turbo and the rover only cost me about 1500 a month for the 3 months I owned it . Unfortunately this all came to an end when I took a 50k hit to sell the lucid after 14 months and 5000 miles. Getting back to the BMW - it has been bulletproof - no issues - everything works great - easiest to use tech. Yes the IX looks crappy - I almost didn’t buy it because of the looks , but I liked the drive so much I took the plunge. If choosing between the Taycan or the BMW - I would choose the Taycan if price were no object and rear seat leg room was not a priority. Otherwise I suspect the i5 will be a great option.

Love your punch line. "50k hit to sell the lucid". I am very interested to see what Aston Martin will bring to the table with Lucid. I doubt that they will bring something like the Valhalla though, which is a shame. I would love to see a Junior Valhalla. Would you go back to a 911? I don't think that i should try to aim for anything more than a 911, like the MC20 or equivalent.

 

[andix]

I have a brand new BMW X5 50e (for the wife), which is a very good car.
Plus I have a Taycan Turbo.

The Taycan is far better – for what it is: usability, charging, App, ride, speed is all brillant.
After trying several EVs and hybrids, I am still super happy with the Taycan.
I even don't want the facelift, I'll wait for the next Taycan.

 

[Tayconek]

My Carmine Red 4S lease ends in December. I got her in Dec 2020, and she has 33k miles on the clock. Had the battery replaced in Oct 21, having had repeated episodes if battery failure that was not accepted as true by the local dealership until it died a death amd needed towed. Other than that I have had almost no bother with it. Have taken it on 3k journeys in the summer and been fine as have always found chargers.
I now need a new lease deal and still love my Taycan dearly. I went to look at the BMW range today. The iX is great to sit in but too big and not pretty on the outside. The tyres look like teactor wheels.
The i4 feels too cramped inside, but is fast. The i5M60 inside is somewhere in between the i4 and iX and looks more agressive externally. The range is better (300+miles) than my 220m 4S.
Has anyone tried an i5 M60?
Should I get another Taycan?

IMHO there is no other EV that can match the Taycan for looks. I got mine for that fact and of course for the way it drives. I waited two years for my Taycan RWD, received it in August 2023. I’m blown away with the drive and handling so in short, when the time comes to get another car, it will be another Taycan. No question! Until all the rest can match the Taycan design, there’s simply nothing else that can beat it!

 

[summerlion]

IMHO there is no other EV that can match the Taycan for looks.

Reasonable minds can differ of course, but the Lotus Emeya is a great looking car in my opinion. On the other hand, one suspects that Lotus EV reliability will be a special kind of hell.