Porsche has unveiled its spectacular new hypercar called the Mission X, which is essentially a spiritual successor to greats like the 959, Carrera GT V10 and the more recent 918 Spyder V8 hybrid.
Firstly, yes. This is a concept car only, for now. And yes it does feature a fully electric powertrain. Unfortunately Porsche hasn’t elaborated on the specifications but it does say that if a production version ended up being made it would offer a power-to-weight ratio of 1PS:1kg.
It also sets out a very bold and serious claim, saying a production version would set the Nurburgring lap record for a road-legal vehicle. That’s thanks to intense aerodynamic attention to detail that results in more downforce than the GT3 RS.
Power comes from a 900-volt electrical system which promises to recharge in half the time it takes to recharge a Taycan Turbo S. The Taycan Turbo S takes around 12 hours to charge from empty to full using a 7kW AC wall charger.
Moving on to the design, and yep, it is full-on hypercar from all angles. The low and pointed nose, very low-slung cabin glasshouse, and huge rear haunches that stick right out, make this an awe-inspiring package. Interestingly, it does showcase some new design themes from Porsche, such as the vertical-oriented headlights.
There are some traditional elements as well, including very cool butterfly doors which are inspired by Porsche’s legendary 917 Le Mans racing cars. Porsche says it has been designed to look muscular rather than outright aggressive, with sculpted sections giving it a clean but fast look.
The concept measures in at 4.5 metres long and two metres wide, making it about the same length as a 911 Turbo and about 100mm wider. In other words, it’s not a massive hypercar like some rivals, but rather a tidy and perhaps more controllable driver’s machine.
Most of the body is made from carbon fibre for lightness and strength, with a strict two-seater cabin featuring a racing yoke-style steering wheel, seats that are integrated into the chassis tub, with an elegant blend of dark tan, grey and carbon fibre, and white with titanium trimmings, providing a very classy decor.
When is it hitting showrooms? We don’t know for sure but Porsche seems to hint that a production version is on the way. It says concept cars it creates always lay the “groundwork for the future” – as we saw with the Mission E concept which spawned the Taycan. Porsche chairman Oliver Blume said:
“The Porsche Mission X is a technology beacon for the sports car of the future. It picks up the torch of iconic sports cars of decades past: like the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder before it, the Mission X provides critical impetus for the evolutionary development of future vehicle concepts.”
The Mission X concept makes its debut as Porsche kicks off its ‘75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars’ exhibition at the Porsche Museum in Germany, with the initial unveiling taking place on June 8, exactly 75 years after the 356 ‘No. 1’ Roadster became the first vehicle to officially wear the Porsche name.
