Electric cars are usually associated with lofty goals, such as saving the world through carbon neutrality. To my shame, I must admit that while testing the Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo with its Burmester 3D high-end sound system, I was thinking less about polar bears at the North Pole or my job as a tester than about pure pleasure. The car’s performance figures, combined with the sound system, are sure to get the adrenaline pumping for both car enthusiasts and audiophiles alike.
With 775 PS, it would “only” rank fourth among the most powerful cars I’ve tested, behind the Bugatti Veyron with 1,001 PS—which is unaffordable for scribblers like me and most of us—as well as two Audis tuned by MTM in Ingolstadt, each with 800 PS. However, there’s also the Boost mode, which—when activated in conjunction with Launch Control—briefly raises the peak power to 952 PS. Combined with the maximum torque of 1,010 Nm, this promises—in the spirit of the virtues of an electric powertrain, which operates without gear shifts but with constant torque—the mother of all accelerations.
And the Burmester car audio system doesn’t skimp on impressive specs either: Just under 1,500 watts of total power, sophisticated driver technology featuring feather-light ribbon tweeters, a 400-watt subwoofer in the trunk, and an impressive diaphragm area of 2.5 square meters in a four-seat cabin.
But it’s not just those superlatives taken in isolation. In the all-electric Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo, these two extreme sources of driving fun don’t work against each other. The car and the sound system complement each other. And that synergy—to anticipate the test conclusion—truly makes it a force of nature.
Mixed Feelings
Nevertheless, the prospect of an extensive test drive in the electric sports car sparked not only excitement but also doubts in the run-up to the event. After all, it was a model from that same series that had caused a veritable trauma five years ago during a business trip as part of a test conducted for LowBeats. The “electric shock” wasn’t so much caused by the Taycan 4S with its modest range. It was primarily the charging infrastructure—still in its infancy—that caused plenty of frustration: too few chargers, most of which were far too slow, along with malfunctioning maps and charging stations.
In the end, I decided to combine my latest test drive with a business trip I had already planned to attend a presentation at the Fraunhofer Institute, and to drive the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo to Erfurt. My goal was not only to improve the efficiency of my test drive. The trip also offered an opportunity to experience the vehicle—including its high-end Burmester sound system—under real-world conditions. After all, I had already decided to arrive the day before the event and was therefore not under any acute time pressure. This allowed me to experience the “Turbo” Taycan’s driving dynamics and sound quality on the road over a total of about 800 kilometers and to spend plenty of time during charging breaks exploring the settings of the Burmester 3D high-end surround sound system.
This assessment led to the biggest positive surprise of the test. Not only were the number of charging stops manageable, but—most importantly—they were completed unexpectedly quickly thanks to the now-available charging power of up to 320 kW for the 105-kWh battery. At the first charging stop, I would have sworn it was a PR stunt if I hadn’t planned the trip myself, without any input from Porsche.
The Thing About the VIP Lounge
At first, I thought I might even reach my destination in Erfurt without a stop. Then, however, it dawned on me that I was using Apple CarPlay for navigation, and neither Apple Maps nor Google take into account that I’m driving an electric car. After this belated realization—which came just in time, given all the reports and appointments from the past week—I switched to the Porsche Taycan’s built-in navigation system during the drive. It promptly indicated a charging stop halfway there. Past Würzburg, the navigation system led me onto Porschestraße. “What a coincidence,” I thought—only to be completely blown away by the stylish Porsche Charging Lounge.
Fast charging doesn’t even let you enjoy your coffee in peace
While the Taycan was recharging its battery at full power for the rest of the trip, I grabbed a bottle of water from the vending machine in the lounge to take with me on the rest of the journey. I could have also gotten a coffee from another vending machine. Theoretically, the car would have even been ready before I was. But since I was taking it easy, I let it charge a little longer so I wouldn’t have to constantly switch to the right lane to make way for hurried white Sprinters on the second half of the trip.
Just imagine this: There you are, sitting in one of the most powerful sports sedans in the world—with a list price of 263,882.97 euros—and you’re having trouble keeping up with a rushed, stressed-out delivery driver. Let anyone try to say we don’t have social justice in this country. So, even on the very first day of the test drive, various conclusions were running through my head. Contradictory conclusions, mind you.
A Quiet Thriller
Of course, high engine power doesn’t mean you have to push it to the limit all the time. My own company car—powered by an internal combustion engine—has already made that crystal clear to me: it was my first car that could go from zero to 100 in under 10 seconds. And I’m not talking about kilometers—I’m talking about miles. On YouTube, you can constantly see influencer videos featuring this model doing acceleration tests and wild drifts on closed-off airfield tracks. And what do I do? I turn off the engine sound played through the speakers—even in Sport mode—and enjoy the fact that in Eco-Pro mode, it runs as quietly as an electric car—and even more quietly when coasting without the engine.
As a result, I listen to music at a much lower volume because I don’t have to drown out a loud background noise. And this also allows me to hear complex acoustic sounds, like the piano or saxophone. That, in turn, makes my driving style much more relaxed. Instead of constantly driving at the limit, I now enjoy cruising comfortably at around 200 km/h. For my former self, that would probably already be a “retiree’s pace.”
I noticed this effect with the Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo as well. Because I kept anxiously checking the range indicator and the distance to my destination, I settled for cruising at speeds between 160 and 170 km—despite the car’s immense power—on the open stretches of the highway. So it turns out you can actually cruise in an electric rocket that, according to the spec sheet, accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and takes just over half as long as my own sports coupe to reach 100 miles per hour.
Dolby Atmos is delivered via software, not with a screwdriver
The Burmester 3D high-end surround sound system in the Porsche Taycan has been an extremely sophisticated hardware platform since its market launch in 2019: 21 speakers, true height channels for 3D sound, and 1,455 watts of total power. Added to this is a technical foundation clearly geared toward high-end standards: AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeters as a particularly fast ribbon solution, torsion-resistant die-cast baskets for mechanical stability, and a DSP controller designed from the outset for 3D playback, including Auro 3D and additional tweeters in the center of the A-pillars.
With the PCM update released last year (aswe reported), something has since happened that’s more exciting for audio fans than the usual “new features” announcements. No new hardware was released. Instead, the sound department at the Weissach Development Center—led by hi-fi enthusiast Mathias Renz—integrated Dolby Atmos as a software enhancement that could be updated for older vehicles as well as for Bose systems, which are positioned below Burmester in terms of price and performance. That’s the key point: Atmos uses the existing height channels and relies on object-based placement of sound events. And unlike the channel-based upmixing of standard two-channel recordings with the previous AuroMatic, Dolby Atmos now offers a wide selection of truly immersive music tracks via Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited, or Apple Music.
In other words, the soundstage doesn’t simply become wider or “more reverberant.” Sound can be positioned more precisely within the vehicle using the existing speaker configuration. The clearly perceptible result is a more realistic 3D soundscape without any changes to the hardware.
Atmos as a “new way of thinking” on an existing platform
The fact that no additional hardware is required is not necessarily a disadvantage. On the contrary: If a system like this already has height channels and a sophisticated DSP foundation, a new rendering logic (Atmos) can significantly enhance the setup without requiring any modifications. The added value comes from mapping the audio objects to the existing channels.
It’s also important to note that sound quality depends not only on the format but also on the hardware—and that remains the Taycan system’s strength. AMT tweeters and the mechanically stable design of the cone speakers for the midrange and bass (die-cast baskets) continue to deliver the actual resolution and impulse response. In addition, Burmester and Porsche have further refined the electronics in detail since the system’s launch. This includes, first and foremost, a new calibration of the limiters, which the system’s audio DSP uses to protect the individual speakers from distortion caused by overdrive.
Automation and a “safety net” for poor-quality sources
Two features remain key practical considerations because they address exactly what happens constantly in a car: fluctuating volume levels, varying source quality, and changing background noise.
The Sound Conditioner automatically adjusts the sound profile in real time to the driving noise using microphone measurements. Once activated on the touchscreen, this dynamic equalizer automatically boosts the frequency ranges that are masked—for example, by the low-frequency rolling of the tires while driving. The selectable Sound Enhancer improves the playback of compressed music files. This isn’t some hi-fi fantasy—it’s everyday reality: Not every stream is perfect, not every recording is clean, and you don’t want to be constantly adjusting the settings while driving.
Operating Logic: Presets Instead of User Profiles
When it comes to sound customization, Porsche (or rather, Burmester) doesn’t rely on in-depth user adjustments, but rather on simple bass and treble controls as well as preset sound profiles: “Pure,” “Smooth,” “Live,” and “Auro-3D.” This reflects a clear philosophy: less fiddling, more defined settings. After all, it’s not just audio geeks—hardened by magazines like AUDIO, stereoplay, or LowBeats—who sit behind the wheel of a Porsche, and they might easily be overwhelmed by too many adjustment options.
Taycan and Burmester in Full Swing
As for the car’s performance, I was able to get a good sense of its torque and slip control right away on the drive home after picking it up in Zuffenhausen. As I accelerated out of one of my favorite roundabouts, the Taycan Turbo S suddenly shifted a hand’s width outward across both axles in a smooth, even motion. The Taycan also made a strong impression at the start of my actual test drive when, after a brief stop to check the sound settings, I tried to merge from a pull-off lane into moving traffic. After that, the adrenaline rush had me wide awake. That seamless, uninterrupted acceleration from a standstill makes internal combustion engines look quickly outdated and weak—even from a petrolhead’s perspective.
After that, things got pretty quiet. Not just because electric cars have a very calming effect, regardless of their spectacular performance figures. I also didn’t want to waste too much time at charging stations. The only source of excitement during the smooth, quiet glide was the Burmester sound system—and it delivered it with gusto. Even without Dolby Atmos recordings or upmixing via AuroMatic, the surround sound had audiophile-quality sound.
To truly experience Atmos in the car, you’ll need to set things up in the integrated Porsche App Center, which relies on screens and virtual buttons. There, you’ll find not only a demo app called “Dolby Atmos Experience” featuring various Atmos tracks. You can also use the App Center to install apps like Amazon Music or Tidal, for example. After all, Dolby Atmos can’t simply be streamed to the Burmester sound system via Bluetooth, as is common with stereo. Since I wasn’t able to focus on this topic—downloads—until we stopped to charge, I had plenty of time beforehand to enjoy our STEREO GUIDE playlists from Qobuz (which doesn’t currently offer any Atmos recordings) in stereo and as an Auro-upmix.
Burmester Without Any Cable Tuning at All
Thanks to its immense power, combined with the optimal speaker mounting positions devised in collaboration with Porsche during the vehicle’s early development phase, this car audio system is a truly spectacular experience time and time again. And with an additional cost of around 4,590 euros, it’s also a comparatively affordable way to experience a high-end audio system from the prestigious Berlin brand that’s as powerful as it is high-resolution.
At trade shows, I’ve heard pure 2-channel systems from Burmester designed for the living room that cost more than the entire Taycan Turbo S. But when it comes to intensity and immediacy, the turnkey solution from Baden-Württemberg is hardly second to them. Speaking of Baden-Württemberg: While Stuttgart has been working on lowering the train station for what seems like an eternity—and has since had to push back the completion date from 2021 to 2031—lowering or raising the vehicle is accomplished at the push of a button thanks to the integrated chassis control system. The combination of adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and 4D Chassis Control bridges the gap between sportiness and comfort.
For a sports car from Zuffenhausen, Stuttgart’s streets can sometimes be a tougher test than the Nordschleife. It’s all the more impressive how smoothly the air suspension handles even the bumps on Reinsburgstraße. Anyone who can drive comfortably here should have no trouble even in the Australian outback. To paraphrase Frank Sinatra: “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”
Sound Test with Burmester on the Highway
Sinatra wasn’t on my playlist, though. I started my listening session with Depeche Mode’s album “Remixes 81 > 04” and a few other staples from my long-distance playlist to reacquaint myself with the sound of the Burmester 3D high-end sound system after the long break. Thanks to software revisions and minor hardware upgrades, the audiophile sound character has been further refined.
The Taycan continues to impress with an audio system that’s both high-resolution and true to the source. It’s as direct and honest as the steering of a Carrera GT3 fitted with Cup tires. For analytically minded listeners, this means it brings out subtle details in the recording just as a ridiculously expensive high-end system would in a listening room. And it doesn’t flatter poor-quality recordings or heavily compressed audio files.
Despite these capabilities—which are essential for more technically minded audiophiles—the sophisticated audio system delivers a real sense of drive. The “boogie factor” ensures that you can simply switch off your brain and immerse yourself in the music. Depeche Mode’s electronic beats come through in this electric sports car with bone-dry clarity and powerful punch—much like the Taycan Turbo S’s acceleration, which is as merciless as it is instantaneous. What stood out in particular was the extremely vivid, precisely positioned spatial representation of the electronic sounds. Sound effects were spread widely across the dashboard. The result was a soundstage that far surpassed what is often labeled as 3D sound. And that was just the warm-up with stereo recordings.
Upmix is a thing of the past
Overall, the sound was so compelling that there was no desire to use the AuroMatic 3D upmix. It didn’t sound much more spatial than stereo or surround, but it wasn’t quite as crisp and open either. That wasn’t the case in the past, and it’s a sign that the gradual refinement of the Burmester sound system has already taken the sound quality to a new level—even without artificial effects. Depending on the recording, however, I did occasionally switch from Pureto Live or Surround (ideal for rock concert recordings), because playback in Pure mode is now not only mercilessly direct and bright in the highs, but also extremely dry in the bass—which can sometimes sound a bit thin at higher tempos, when you’d actually expect a full-bodied drum sound. In any case, with the sound presets, everyone can find the right setup for different tastes and music genres.
With Dolby Atmos, the Burmester high-end 3D surround sound system finally transcended the acoustic boundaries of the four-seat interior. Sound sources could be pinpointed outside the vehicle. And the sensation of a high soundstage above the dashboard also became apparent. With this, Porsche and Burmester have taken another significant leap toward immersive in-car music listening compared to Auro-3D, which was in a league of its own during my first Taycan test in 2020. But it’s not just the stable, vivid, and completely enveloping spatiality of Dolby Atmos that impresses. When it comes to attack and precision, Atmos also delivers spot-on performance. Porsche is thus positioning itself—by no means unexpectedly for connoisseurs—among the top tier of factory-installed car audio systems.
The Miracle of Würzburg
Since I used the charging stop at the Porsche Charging Lounge in Würzburg on my way back to Stuttgart to experiment with the sound settings and streaming apps—and, while I was at it, exchanged information about the new features with the sound engineers from Weissach— the 105-kWh battery was able to charge to the brim at the 400-kW charging station. A special treat for a speed-loving gashead venturing down the electric path.
The Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo doesn’t hit its top speed until 250 kilometers per hour; the highway is practically empty. And I still have a few songs I’d love to experience at the speed of light through the Burmester 3D high-end system—like Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” in the Atmos version. No matter what my mood or the traffic conditions might be, I wouldn’t be able to drain the battery on the nearly 150-kilometer stretch from Würzburg to the Porsche dealership in Zuffenhausen, where I’m returning the car. In other words, I was able to tap into the Porsche’s true potential one last time at the end of the tour. Finally, the Taycan got to show what it’s really made of. And that, with all due respect, is a good deal faster than the cruising speed of fully loaded package delivery trucks.
Close Encounter of the Third Kind
As a result, the electric Porsche didn’t just leave impressive marks on the asphalt during sprints. It also etched itself into my memory, slotting right in between the Bugatti 16.4 Veyron Grand Sport and various sports sedans with V8, V10, or inline-six engines. That’s exactly how the electric “Turbo” should be driven—just like that, and no other way!
And now for the prize question: How can you tell you’re getting old? When you don’t even think to try out Launch Control in a car that goes from zero to 100 in 2.5 seconds. To be honest, I’ve never done that—neither in my own, appropriately equipped “earth rockets” nor in high-performance test cars. I love it when you press the gas pedal at high highway speeds and still get pressed back into your seat. But sprints from a standstill lost their appeal a long time ago.
Almost like the old days, only fully electric
And yes, after all, I was young once too: Almost 30 years ago, I tried to beat the 5.1-second 0-to-100 time from the *Auto, Motor und Sport* test with the Z3 M Roadster. That 5.1 (manufacturer’s spec: 5.2 seconds) was truly the absolute limit, because the manual two-seater—designed with absolutely no electronic aids aside from ABS—still produced plenty of wheelspin and danced wildly with its rear end even when shifting from first to second gear on a dry road. But an electronically coordinated catapult start? Hmm, I can’t think of a suitable comparison off the top of my head…
But throughout the entire test drive, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Mathias Renz—who knows how much I love speed—had strongly recommended that I try out the Launch Control start at least once. On the last few kilometers before returning the car to the Porsche plant in Zuffenhausen, a “Town Limits” sign presented the opportunity to stop and fully experience the rocket-like launch of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S by following a specific procedure for the gas pedal and brake. To be honest, it was an interesting learning experience, but “pleasant” is not quite the right word for it.
Instead of the extra-wide grin that usually accompanies wild bursts of acceleration, a rather unpleasant feeling set in. The sensation that your brain—and everything else in your head—is being pinned to the back of your skull. The all-electric Porsche’s sudden, uninterrupted surge—unhindered by gear shifts—had the secondary impact of a punch between the eyes. Compounding this was the thrill that the 2.4-metric-ton projectile wasn’t just dancing with its rear end, but—thanks to all-wheel drive—was making serpentine movements on both axles. Despite the electronically controlled spectacle, the entertaining sliding added a dash of drama and ensured that, after just a few seconds, I found myself somewhere between mild unease and euphoria. Let anyone say that electric driving is boring and sterile. So, now that we’ve covered that, let’s move on to the conclusion.
Conclusion: Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo with Burmester 3D high-end sound system
The only thing I can easily conclude is about the system, especially since—to be honest—the outcome was already largely clear beforehand. After all, I still had the sound of the Burmester 3D high-end sound system fresh in my mind from my review for LowBeats, and I was confident from the start that the brand from my adopted home of Stuttgart would make a big splash in the Car Hi-Firankings , sandwiched between three Volvos and a similar Polestar. A little local pride is a must—and, above all, a bit of variety in our test overview.
The Burmester 3D high-end sound system, along with its conceptually similar counterpart in the Porsche Panamera, ranks among the best factory-installed car audio solutions available. With Dolby Atmos, it takes another major leap forward in spatial sound reproduction, which now extends far beyond the confines of the vehicle’s cabin.
When it comes to the car itself, things get more complicated. While the trauma of my 2020 Taycan test—which was significantly influenced by the underdeveloped infrastructure—has been overcome, at least since the Audi Alpine Tour in the A6 e-tron, but as an everyday car, I wouldn’t necessarily want the electric Porsche—despite its many positive aspects. And I’m afraid I’m likely to be pretty much alone in my personal conclusion: Aside from my ’80s classic car and the modern combustion-engine coupe, I could imagine a Taycan as a pure fun car (“Warp one, engage!”)—if it weren’t for the price. And that’s without childish extras like the recently available “Retro Pack,” which is supposed to simulate an eight-speed manual transmission.
One more thing: Author Stefan Schickedanz shares FAQs about the Porsche Taycan Turbo S
What I noticed years ago when testing the Taycan 4S holds even more true for the Turbo S. You get the feeling that you’re stepping into a whole new dimension of driving. It feels more like being in a science fiction movie or a spaceship than in a sports car. There’s something special about that, and it goes perfectly with the Burmester high-end sound system, which isn’t compromised by the noise of a combustion engine.
It’s mainly the things the Taycan doesn’t have. Namely: an illuminated grille; headlights and taillights shaped like the brand’s logo; PlayStation-style on-screen menus; and ambient lighting with the charm of a Las Vegas casino. And let’s not forget that, despite the virtual buttons on the center console, it has a wonderfully classically designed cockpit.
A press release just came out regarding an “innovation” for the model series: “With the new E-Shift option, Porsche is enhancing the emotional driving experience of all Taycan models. Virtual gear shifts with noticeable shift shocks, a reimagined Porsche Electric Sport Sound, and a virtual tachometer guarantee a multisensory driving experience. Paddles on the GT sports steering wheel allow the driver to shift between eight virtual gears.” Seriously? Did the first cars over 100 years ago use oval wheels, so that driving felt like bouncing along on a trotting horse? So let’s just say that in Zuffenhausen—just like in Maranello—they’re obviously working on a kind of e-cigarette as a substitute drug for octane junkies. It’s a shame—when I drive an electric car like the Taycan, I find the very absence of those characteristics associated with internal combustion engines to be fantastic, yet now they’re being simulated again for no good reason.
STEREO GUIDE test verdict
The Burmester 3D high-end sound system is one of the best factory-installed car audio systems available. With Dolby Atmos, the spatial sound reaches a new level and extends far beyond the confines of the vehicle's cabin.
Pros
- In terms of performance, the car and the system are among the best on the market
- With Dolby Atmos, the sense of spatial depth in the audio reproduction is significantly enhanced
- Compared to a Burmester stereo system, this is an affordable and convenient high-end audio solution
- AMT tweeters deliver a level of high-frequency resolution that many people aren't used to hearing in their living rooms
Cons
- It's hard to decide whether to spend the charging break listening to music in the car or at the Charging Lounge
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Sound quality9.5
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Price/Performance Sound System9.8
