FEBRUARY 14, 2024
Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 08:22AM 
The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo.
The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG
(Porsche images)
Porsche has given its all-electric Taycan an extensive update for 2025, with more power, more range, quicker acceleration, faster charging and "greater stability," according to Porsche PR minions. All three body variants will feature the numerous modifications from the date of launch – the Taycan sports sedan, the Taycan Cross Turismo – which is available with an "off-road package" – and the Taycan Sport Turismo. We don't feel like regurgitating all of the details, but if you're interested, in each case four powertrain options are available, with rear- and all-wheel drive variants. The revised versions of the 2025 Taycan and Cross Turismo models are available to order now and expected to reach U.S. Porsche Centers over the summer in 2024. MSRP is as follows and does not include the $1,995 delivery, processing and handling fee:
2025 Taycan: $99,400
2025 Taycan 4S: $118,500
2025 Taycan Turbo: $173,600
2025 Taycan Turbo S: $209,000
2025 Taycan 4 Cross Turismo: $111,100
2025 Taycan 4S Cross Turismo: $125,200
2025 Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo: $176,300
2025 Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo: $211,700
Editor-in-Chief's Note: We can't and won't get excited about these soulless appliances, no matter how hard Porsche tries. And the fact that Porsche uses the "Turbo" moniker for these BEVs is just flat-out insulting and stupid. As for the pricing? The Greed Merchants at Porsche have outdone themselves with the Taycan. But there's no doubt people will lay down giant wads of ca$h-ola for these things. It costs a lot of money to be the Biggest Tool in the Shed these days. -PMD
The AE Song of the Week
And I knew all of my life, that someday it would end
Get up and go outside, don't let the old man in
Many moons I have lived
My body's weathered and worn
Ask yourself how old you'd be
If you didn't know the day you were born
Try to love on your wife
And stay close to your friends
Toast each sundown with wine
Don't let the old man in
Many moons I have lived
My body's weathered and worn
Ask yourself how old you'd be
If you didn't know the day you were born
When he rides up on his horse
And you feel that cold bitter wind
Look out your window and smile
Don't let the old man in
Look out your window and smile
Don't let the old man in
"Don't Let The Old Man In" by Toby Keith, from the album Toby Keith Greatest Hits: The Show Dog Years" (2019).* Written by Toby Keith. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch Toby Keith perform "Don't Let The Old Man In" at the 2023 People's Choice Awards on NBC.
*"Don't Let the Old Man In" is a song written and performed by Toby Keith. The lyrics speak of the importance of living life to the fullest and not letting age get the best of you. The ballad was released as a single in 2019, peaking at #45 on the Country chart. It was included on his album Greatest Hits: The Show Dog Years. Keith wrote "Don't Let the Old Man In" for Clint Eastwood's 2018 film The Mule and it featured in its trailer. Keith told Billboard he was inspired to write the song after a conversation he had with the 88-year-old Eastwood while the two played golf. When Eastwood told him he was about to start working on a new movie called The Mule, Keith asked him, "How do you do it, man?" Eastwood responded, "I just get up every morning and go out. And I don't let the old man in." Keith immediately started writing around Eastwood's "don't let the old man in" line and what he knew about his character in the movie. The day he recorded the demo for Eastwood, he was sick with a bad cold. "I gave it the best vocal I could that day, and I sent it off," he recalled. "It's a real raspy, sleepy, tired, sick vocal. I said, 'Well now you've got a reference, and I'll go back and put a vocal on it for you.'" Eastwood liked the recording because Keith's raspy delivery fit the movie. "He wanted it sick and tired and dark like that," said Keith. Eastwood didn't want Keith to change his vocal and used that version for the movie. The chorus was inspired by a story about the grandmother of Keith's 65-year-old friend. The grandmother never had a birth certificate and didn't know her age, but she was always full of life and energy. The Mule tells the true story of a World War II veteran in his 80s becoming a drug courier. "I didn't try to take what he told me about the movie," Keith said. "I tried to take the character he told me about and look through his eyes and think that maybe if you were 40 and found out the cartel is putting drugs in your pecans you might say, 'Whoa, I don't want to do this because I don't want to spend 40 years in prison.'" "But if you're 85? What's a life sentence at 85? I got the chance to make tens of thousands of dollars." he added. "I might try it at 85." Keith sang "Don't Let the Old Man In" at the 2023 People's Choice Country Awards after being awarded the Country Icon award (you can see his wife wiping away tears). The performance on September 28, 2023, was his first time back on red carpets and television after his diagnosis of stomach cancer the previous year. Keith said he chose the ballad because it inspires those who've been touched by his cancer journey. Following his moving delivery, "Don't Let the Old Man In" rose to #1 on the iTunes Country chart. Toby Keith succumbed to stomach cancer last week at the age of 62. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com.)
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG