Porsche Borrows Hyundai's Homework: 2027 Taycan Gets Fake Gears
Porsche has revealed the 2027 Taycan with a new E-Shift simulated gearshift system, a feature its GT division openly credits to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. The updated electric sedan also becomes the first Porsche EV to get a track-focused Manthey kit, alongside a new infotainment system and optional summer tyres.
What was announced
Porsche has unveiled the 2027 Taycan with its first simulated gearshift system, dubbed E-Shift. The feature mimics the eight-speed behaviour of an ICE car, complete with shift jerks, gear-specific drag torque comparable to engine braking, a virtual rev limiter and a gearshift indicator. Drivers engage E-Shift via a dedicated button on a new GT-sports steering wheel, with column-mounted paddle shifters handling the changes.
Porsche's GT division publicly crediting Hyundai for cracking EV driver engagement is the most honest admission a luxury brand has made this decade.
Andreas Preuniger, Director of Porsche's GT division, told Autocar UK that Hyundai's implementation on the Ioniq 5 N was 'very impressive' and his 'biggest takeaway' after driving one. He added that Porsche GT engineers are 'automotive nerds' who constantly discuss ways to lift driving engagement, which is how E-Shift made it to production.
The 2027 Taycan also becomes the first electric Porsche to be offered with a Manthey performance kit, the same tuning house responsible for the hardcore 911 GT3 RS Manthey package. Other updates include a new-generation infotainment system and optional summer tyres for buyers who want sharper dry-weather grip. Pricing and India launch timing for the updated Taycan have not been confirmed by Porsche India yet; the current car is sold here from around Rs 1.89 crore ex-showroom for the base rear-wheel-drive variant, climbing well past Rs 2.5 crore for the Turbo and Turbo S derivatives. Expect the 2027 update to carry a small premium when it arrives, likely in the first half of next year.
The Car Jury verdict
This is Porsche admitting, on the record, that Hyundai cracked EV driver engagement first. Andreas Preuniger of Porsche's GT division calling the Ioniq 5 N's shifts his 'biggest takeaway' is the kind of credit luxury brands rarely give a mainstream Korean rival. The Taycan needed this. As Rachit Hirani of MotorOctane puts it, 'the extra investment Porsche has made in electric, they didn't get as many sales.' E-Shift will not fix that alone, but it makes the Taycan feel like a Porsche again instead of a fast appliance.
For Indian buyers, the Taycan remains a niche purchase against the petrol 911. Faisal Khan of FasBeam notes the Taycan is outgunned by a Carrera 4 GTS that costs Rs 1.16 crore less. E-Shift narrows the emotional gap. The Taycan stays a BUY for EV-committed enthusiasts.
