While the two sports brands have been closely intertwined among enthusiasts for decades, TAG Heuer’s relationship with the legendary German car manufacturer Porsche has accelerated (no pun intended) since their official co-branded partnership was announced in early 2021. The partnership has already resulted in several thematic chronograph designs, but while both brands still focus on traditional sports models (i.e. automatic chronographs and series like the 911 and 718 Cayman), each is also looking to a high-tech, electrified future. For Porsche, this takes the form of the Taycan, a dynamic, high-performance electric sports car, while TAG Heuer has put a lot of effort into its connected E4 luxury smartwatch line. In its latest release, TAG Heuer combines these two future-oriented designs with a series of unique complications designed to fit directly into Porsche owners’ vehicles. While this isn’t the Connected line’s first uniquely themed release, the new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition offers a compelling new layer of connectivity to the smartwatch line, aiming to act as an easy, intuitive, on-demand interface between car and driver.
Like the standard Connected Calibre E4, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition case is rather large at 45mm wide. The matte-blasted grade 2 titanium case has a full black DLC treatment that gives it a sportier look in the images. However, the overall shape is a softer interpretation of the standard model’s modern Carrera silhouette, with faceted lugs and chamfered case sides that create a more flowing, curved look. What catches the eye the most about this case design, however, is the use of the pale, futuristic Frozen Blue hue that Porsche used on the Taycan. The rounded, tapered pushers and the signed rubber crown are generously accented with Frozen Blue in the images, while the polished black ceramic bezel features a Frozen Blue lacquer finish at the “100” marker at 12 o’clock and an engraved Porsche emblem at 6 o’clock. On the back, TAG Heuer has added a commemorative engraving surrounding the sensor cluster on the caseback. Like other models in the Connected Calibre E4 family, the Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition is equipped with a wide range of sensors, including a heart rate monitor, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer and microphone, as well as a built-in NFC chip for seamless use with touch-free payment systems. While 50 meters of water resistance may not be spectacular from a watch enthusiast’s perspective, it is pretty much in line with the current smartwatch market.
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition’s OLED touchscreen dial offers the same bright, high-contrast display as the mainline Calibre E4 model, but with the addition of a dramatic set of exclusive options. First up is the bespoke “Circuit” face option, which blends visual cues from both electrical circuits and the race track, celebrating TAG Heuer and the Porsche Taycan’s dual commitment to motorsport and an electrified future. With frozen blue highlights atop layers of intricate linear design, “Circuit” immediately stands out in images, though this complexity can lead to legibility issues in practice. In addition to the unique face design options, the Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition adds a suite of bespoke complications for Porsche owners who pair their watch with their car. Available on most Porsche models from 2022 onwards, these complications include the car’s total mileage, shortcuts for adjusting the car’s heating and air conditioning controls, the current car battery percentage (for the Taycan and current plug-in hybrid models), the current vehicle range before the battery runs out, and for petrol models, the current vehicle range until the fuel tank is empty. Beyond these new touches, the Connected Caliber E4 – Porsche Edition offers wearers the same wide range of functionality as the standard model, including full smartwatch functionality, TAG Heuer’s custom Sport Watch app, which offers a chronograph, countdown timer, alarm and a sports tracking suite designed for golf, running, cycling, swimming and general fitness.
TAG Heuer powers the Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ processor shared with the rest of the Calibre E4 smartwatch family. Powered by the Google Wear2 operating system running a suite of custom TAG Heuer designed apps, the Snapdragon Wear 4100+ is a solid, modern smartwatch powerplant. TAG Heuer claims a full 90-minute charge will deliver 24 hours of battery life, even with up to five hours of power-hungry golf app usage. With Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, the Snapdragon Wear 4100+ also offers competitive data transfer speeds. To complete the design, TAG Heuer pairs the Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition with a tapered black calfskin textured carbon-look strap. This rubber-lined strap keeps the futuristic sporty feel of the rest of the design alive in the image, as it features two rows of Frozen Blue accent stitching on either side of a recessed midsection in the same shade.
As the luxury smartwatch market continues to expand, the new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition offers a unique tribute to the cutting-edge Porsche Taycan, while potentially offering a glimpse into the future of the Connected series with more specialized, niche hardware and software options customized to suit different lifestyles. The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition is scheduled to be available through authorized dealers in September 2022. The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Porsche Edition has an MSRP of $2,750 USD at the time of writing. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
