Elite Traveler Summer 2020

Range Rover prizes thoughtful evolution over dramatic debuts. To celebrate its 50th birthday, the British brand fashioned a limited-edition vehicle based on its most sumptuously appointed SUV, the Autobiography. A fun twist, rather than a choose-your-own-adventure of customization, this specific model pays homage to past vehicles, from its grand black interior veneer to a trio of bespoke paint options that honor the original colors available at launch in 1970. Bahama gold, Davos white and Tuscan blue freeze a moment in time when the capability of a Range Rover was conveyed through bolder colors. Picture the snapshot: The Range Rover 2021 Autobiography Fifty

mica-filled Mediterranean blue SUV throwing sand as it conquers a desert, or the Bahama gold mingling with old growth trees as it approaches a beautifully appointed log cabin. Sitting on 22-inch bespoke gloss black, diamond-turned wheels, the Autobiography Fifty is available in both standard and long wheel base versions. With 518 hp courtesy of a 5.0-liter V8, a familiar setup, this vehicle is less about inaugurating the new than acknowledging the brand’s rich heritage and

creating an instant collector’s item. From $147,000, rangerover.com

Only 1,970 units of the Autobiography Fifty will be produced worldwide, with roughly 500 allotted for the US

Porsche 2020 Taycan Turbo S It rhymes with icon. Taycan Turbo S, Porsche’s first all-electric vehicle, finds its power in a pair of permanent magnet synchronous motors, one for the front axle and another for the rear. Derived from a Turkish expression that represents a young stallion, Taycan vaunts 750 hp, redefining electric vehicle possibilities. Performance remains paramount. Taycan Turbo S’s response time is two milliseconds, a strong argument for retaining the ‘Turbo’ moniker. (Despite the flagrant lack of forced induction, the Germans kept the naming convention intact.) Ditching the grille in favor of a double-black-diamond slope of a hood that frames the road between its globular fenders, the four- door, all-wheel-drive sports sedan sits on 21-inch wheels. While other EVs rely almost exclusively on single-pedal driving via regenerative braking — when the driver lifts off the throttle, rather than coasting, the car quickly slows, utilizing that kinetic energy to recharge the battery — Taycan Turbo S requires the driver to apply the brakes. And they’re large, 16.5-in carbon ceramic ones in the front and 16.1-in in the rear — perhaps a reflection of track days? The EPA-estimated range is an abysmal 192 miles. To compensate, Taycan Turbo S uses 800-volt charging, an architecture that’s twice as powerful as other EV system voltages. Akin to a circular cinema, the interior eliminates physical buttons. Everything, from the door locks to the windows, operates via one of five touchscreens, LCD displays (steering wheel controls notwithstanding) or voice commands starting with “Hey Porsche.” From $187,600, porsche.com

By 2022, Porsche plans to invest more than $6.6 billion in electric mobility: The Taycan Turbo S is first out of the gate

Photos Trigger Shoots, Dean Smith