Porsche has unveiled Mission X, a spectacular reinterpretation of a hypercar, with Le Mans-style doors that open upwards to the front and a high-performance, efficient electric powertrain.
Auto giants are always innovating, if for nothing else than being left behind in the hyper-competitive automotive industry. And never has this been so true as now, with companies clambering to innovate and introduce electric engines that produce more power for longer.
The creation of its innovative mindset, Mission X is a dramatic-looking two-seater that has been launched to coincide with the 75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars exhibition opening at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Designed as a technology beacon for the sports car of the future, Mission X takes its cues from some of the marque’s most iconic models, including the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder while providing critical impetus for the evolutionary development of future vehicle concepts.
Measuring approximately 4.5 metres long and two metres wide, the Mission X concept study is relatively compact, for a hypercar. With a wheelbase of 2.73 metres, it has the dimensions of the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder and for aerodynamic purposes, the concept car has mixed-size tyres, with 20-inch wheels at the front and 21-inch wheels at the rear.
While Mission X represents the pinnacle of performance and modern luxury, its sculpted form and muscular lines also demonstrate that hypercars don’t have to look aggressive. The low-slung bodywork, which is less than 1.2 metres tall, is finished in Rocket Metallic – an elegant paint colour specially designed for the concept study. Carbon-weave elements, varnished in a satin finish, are found below the beltline while the wheels feature elaborate details, with the rear axle fitted with almost transparent aeroblades, which are designed like turbines for better cooling of the brakes.
A lightweight glass dome with an exoskeleton made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic extends over both occupants. The Le Mans-style doors are attached to the A-pillar and the roof; they open forwards and upwards, as was previously used on the legendary Porsche 917 racing car. In addition, the vertical base form of the headlights, inspired by historic racing cars such as the Porsche 906 and 908 and drawn well down towards the road, and frames narrow elements of daytime running lights and indicators. When activated, the light opens up like an eye blinking open – and who doesn’t love pop-up lights?
The driver focus can be seen in the asymmetry of the interior, where the two seats are coloured differently: leather pads in Andalusia Brown for the passenger, and Kalahari Grey for the driver. Beyond the CFRP seat shells, and their six-point seatbelts integrated into the monocoque, further motorsport parallels include the open-top steering wheel, which has mode switches and shift paddles, and multiple onboard cameras, the activation of which starts as soon as the driver presses the Record button (REC) on the multi-purpose controller.
More than just good looks, the concept car promises a power-to-weight ratio of roughly one PS per kilogram; downforce values in excess of those delivered by the current 911 GT3 RS; and significantly improved charging performance with its 900-volt system that charges roughly twice as quickly as Porsche’s current frontrunner, the Taycan Turbo S.
That battery is installed centrally behind the vehicle’s seats. This ‘e-core layout’ centres the mass in the car. As with a conventionally powered mid-engined car, this provides the basis for excellent agility.
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