Porsche Destination Charging: Elliot Grafton journeys to Hentley Farm in South Australia's Barossa Valley

Towards the end of spring, I had the opportunity to experience the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo. It was a chance to feel the power of an electric sports car. And the chance to experience the future.

After a simple demonstration at Porsche Centre Adelaide, I headed north, bound for one of the world’s most famous wine regions – the Barossa, known for its legendary full-bodied shiraz, its iconic Seppelstfield Road, and its world-class wineries steeped in generational traditions.

Against this stunning backdrop, the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo proved to be a bold but beautiful contrast, with its futuristic technology and performance.

This sportscar, Porsche’s first Cross Utility Vehicle, delivers its athletic prowess with electricity. The sounds of a purring engine are blissfully non-existent, but its sheer grunt is more than present when put to the test – especially in Sport mode.

Inside the cabin, I was constantly delighted by its reimagined cockpit. There is a festival of screens and displays, including touchscreens for infotainment, climate control and battery charge. They’re a novel but easy way to adjust your interior comfort.

Engaging with the digital menu was a new way to access controls like the seat cooler and warmer, air vent direction and driving modes. The interior aesthetics of the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo’s clean and modern cockpit is a contemporary marvel, all nested and mirrored under the stunningly large, stargazing-worthy glass roof.

The sounds of a purring engine are blissfully non-existent, but its sheer grunt is more than present when put to the test – especially in Sport mode.

On my way to lunch, I climbed European-style hairpin bends and traversed dirt roads usually frequented by trucks carting tonnes of grapes during vintage. The Taycan thrusted me forwards effortlessly, its low profile but high-grip tyres easily grabbing the earth beneath.

From darting to cruising, to me, the car felt like it was designed to do both, with its quiet dual electric motors humming peacefully. In fact, it has been designed that way; the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo’s air suspension raises the car into off-road mode in just 30 seconds, providing extra clearance for some adrenaline filled excursions.

I drove the car along an unmarked track through a paddock that cradled the crest of two adjoining peaks in order to capture some incredible footage. To my surprise, its balance and clearance of such uneven terrain was a breeze.

I wanted to find locations in the Barossa that were unmistakably Australian to illuminate the car’s sophisticated European lines. I found some striking grain silos on a dirt road with a cluster of gums – you can’t get more Australian than that!

I sent the FPV drone (first person view drone) hurling up and over the silos and curved back down again, rushing through the gum trees to reveal the Porsche dashing down the road with a cloud of dust in its wake.

Capturing scenes like this, intertwined with Lauren and Hentley Farm, helped tell a story about the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo; it’s more than just a Sunday-drive car. Yes, you get all the glamour you’d expect from a Porsche, but it’s an off-road explorer fit for Australian landscapes.

It was time to re-charge the battery, so I headed to Hentley Farm, which is one of the region’s newest Porsche Destination Charging locations. We both re-charged – one electrically, and the other over an indulgent discovery lunch menu in the restaurant.

Yes, you get all the glamour you’d expect from a Porsche, but it’s an off-road explorer fit for Australian landscapes.

The charging station at Hentley Farm is just as slick as you’d expect from Porsche – a mirrored, curved piece of architecture with a cable that connects to either side of the car’s recharging ports.

Over the few days I spent driving and filming the Porsche around the Barossa, I was so impressed and excited to see through a portal into the future of electric cars. Porsche’s first Cross Utility Vehicle is stunning. Porsche has clearly taken it as an opportunity to bring adventure driving up to a whole new level.

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Author and Images: @elliotgrafton