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Trending this week are images taken in Düsseldorf, Germany, over a Porsche Taycan Turismo with missing eyes. The sinister procedure was a terrible act of vandalism wherein metal shears were used to cut open the Taycan’s fenders. The fender flaps were then peeled up to fully expose the headlight assemblies, which were yanked out by the thief.

A green Porsche Taycan Turismo driving on a paved road right-hand steering wheel
Porsche Taycan Turismo | Sue Thatcher via iStock

The photos, viewable on X and Reddit, show a complete lack of regard for the car.

An X commenter shared that these are not the only instances of the mauling procedure. They posted images of two other Porsches with botched faces. Neither are Taycans.

Similar to catalytic converter thefts, there’s a market for used sports car parts.

Headlight replacement on a Porsche isn’t cheap

A single replacement headlight assembly for a 2023 Porsche Taycan Turismo, OEM part number 9J1-044-900-16, has an MSRP of $4,390.16. But today, you can buy them online from a third party for a slight discount at $3,580.

Regarding the fender repair now on order, unpainted panels run $500-$775 apiece. In the Midwestern U.S., not many sports car dealerships have collision repair departments, so they sublet the work to local shops. Internal or not, the labor for Porsche painting surely isn’t the same as, say, a Ford Focus. These days, single fender panel painting runs anywhere from $500-$1200, depending on billed labor hours plus materials and supplies. All told, this might be upwards of $11k in damages.

Used Porsche Taycans (2020-2023) are going for an average of $122,000. With the 2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo S starting at $196,000, seeing sports cars disfigured for headlights is certainly tear-inducing.

Aside from shock and alarm, the internet jokes are going strong. Everything from the Winnie the Pooh “They took my ****ing eyes!” Piglet parody to Alien references (maybe they hatched?) is in the X thread. A good pun takes the prize: “Their headlights were…Taycan?”

Sources: Classic.com, Porsche Parts Depot

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Sarah Kennedy

Sarah Kennedy joined the MotorBiscuit team as managing editor in 2021 and brings with her a bevy of automotive expertise. She’s an ASE-Certified Automotive Service Consultant and licensed car salesperson and has attended the Automotive Management Institute. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from The Ohio State University. To Sarah, cars are complicated, but not nearly as wonderfully complex as the people who design, drive, and wrench on them.

Sarah was the creator of “Shop Smarts” for MOTOR Magazine and was the publication’s only female contributor from 2013 to 2020. Her work earned her a Gold Medalist award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors in 2014 and Bronze Medalist awards from the International Automotive Media Competition in 2014 and 2015.