Porsche Taycan Turbo or Audi e-tron GT: Who Did It Better?

In reality, saying they are "built on the same platform" would be a much more accurate statement, and you could also add the name of that platform—PPE or Premium Platform Electric—to give even more gravitas to your words. The two are the only models that use it so far (the rest of the Volkswagen Group's EVs are built on the smaller MEB platform), but given the planned expansion into the electric vehicle market, expect to see more coming in the following years.

If the two were indeed "the same car," comparing them would be pointless right from the start. It would simply be a question of which of the two brands you would prefer or, alternatively, how much money you want (or can afford) to spend. Well, in a way, that's still pretty much how things work.

The first (and arguably most important) thing that separates them is their design. Even though they share the same overall shape, the rest is dictated by each of the two brands' identities. The Porsche gets the sloped hood of the 911, whereas the e-tron inherits the hexagonal grille of current Audi models. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of personal preference, but we will say this: this particular color of the GT doesn't do it any favors.

It's pretty much the same on the inside. The Taycan has a more premium aspect but, as Mat Watson—the man making this comparative review—points out, the actual materials and finish in the e-tron are just as good as in the Porsche, if not better. The Audi also wins in the ergonomics department.

Performance-wise the Porsche should shine, and yet on this particular day, it doesn't. Officially, the Taycan Turbo is supposed to dispatch the 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.2 seconds, and yet it only managed a very poor 4.18. The result is all the more surprising since the same car did it in under 3 seconds on other occasions. The explanation comes from the fact its battery's charge was low, meaning the car decided to conserve power to the detriment of performance. The Audi, on the other hand, with over 70% of its battery full, did the run in 3.09 seconds, 0.21 seconds quicker than its official figure.

The Porsche remains true to its name when it comes to handling, managing to edge in front of the e-tron thanks to its firmer ride and overall sportier setup. The fact it doesn't even have a "comfort" setting is a clear giveaway of what the Porsche engineers were going for.

At the end of the day, though, that's exactly what swings the balance in the e-tron GT's favor, at least as far as Mat is concerned. Being the first one out, Porsche had to go for Tesla's throat and became too sporty for its own good in the process, whereas the Audi has just that little bit less of an edge, making it almost as capable, but a lot easier to live with day by day. The Porsche's appeal is hard to ignore, though, so perhaps the real winner here is the Volkswagen Group that managed to make two cars that are the same but also very different.