Porsche Mission S: a supercar that looks back to go forward
On 15 October Porsche unveiled the Mission S in New York, on the pier in Queens where the 550 Spyder was shown in 1953. It's a concept, not a production car, but it previews a mid-engine supercar that will sit above the 911 and stay in the range for good.
What caught our eye
- A flat nose and light lines that point straight back to the G-model 911 and the 911 GT1.
- A low roof and side-haunch rear wing borrowed from the 959.
- An engine-vent fan that echoes the 917, and wheels cut like the 928's.
- Inside: analogue and digital mixed, a five-tube instrument cluster, and a phone mount instead of a giant screen.
Not electric
Porsche's CEO Michael Leiters says there will be no electric version on this platform, because there's no demand for one in this class. The concept showed a six-cylinder boxer; the production car is expected to get eight cylinders, possibly with a hybrid option.
When
No date or price yet. It follows the new Macan and the electric 718 under Porsche's "Sportwagenschmiede '35" plan, so think the end of the decade.
For those of us keeping an older 911 on the road, it's good to see Porsche design its future by looking hard at its past.