Mission S previews a permanent Porsche supercar

Porsche revealed the Mission S concept car Thursday, Oct. 15, saying it will shape the automaker’s ideas and design in the coming years.

Porsche Mission S front and side — *The Porsche Mission S concept car is a preview of a future halo model. – Porsche AG photo*

The hotly anticipated Porsche Mission S has been revealed.

It’s only a concept car but it previews what may be the start of a new halo model within Porsche’s lineup, one that sits above the 911.

Porsche has had several cars that outperformed the 911 – those were the 959, Carrera GT and 918 Spyder. But each of those was a limited-time offering, and once the entire run of customer cars sold out, Porsche stopped producing them, even if there were customers still clamouring for them.

But in the case of the Mission S, the concept car is a preview of what Porsche plans to be a permanent fixture in its lineup.

“The Mission S provides a glimpse of the ideas and design features that will shape Porsche in the coming years,” said Michael Leiters, chairman of the executive board of Porsche AG, in a news release.

“At the same time, the Mission S represents a mid-engined super sports car platform positioned above the 911 – not as a one-off hypercar, but as a permanent and versatile addition to our customer offering.”

Porsche Mission S with Manhattan in background — *The Mission S was revealed on a New York pier, the same place where Porsche photographed the iconic 550 Spyder in 1953. – Porsche AG photo*

About the Mission S

The Mission S was revealed on a New York pier Thursday, Oct. 15 with a view of the Manhattan skyline behind it.

Porsche said the concept car is authentic, consequent and timeless, three pillars of future Porsches.

“The Mission S is the result of a forward-looking, holistic design strategy,” said Tobias Sühlmann, head of style, in the release. “This vision model illustrates a fundamental strategic direction that we will soon be translating into our future product portfolio.”

Porsche Mission S side — *The Mission S design was inspired by iconic Porsches. – Porsche AG photo*

The automaker gave the Mission S mid-engine car a design that was inspired by iconic Porsche vehicles.

The front end, with its round headlights and dramatic fenders, bears a clear resemblance to the 911.

The flat front is inspired by the GT1 and the roofline sloping below the rear wing is reminiscent of the 959.

Porsche positioned the car’s engine centrally in the vehicle. Engine cooling is inspired by the Porsche 917’s radiator fan.

The wheels are inspired by those of the 928.

Porsche Mission S interior — *The interior deliberately omits a centre screen. – Porsche AG photo*

Interior minimizes digital interfaces

The driver-oriented cockpit mixes analogue and digital controls. Porsche went out of its way to minimize digital surfaces to create a greater focus between driver and machine.

Two defining lines run through the dashboard and doors to create an interior impression of occupants sitting deep within the car. They also direct the eye to the essential areas.

Porsche Mission S driver view — *The eye is directed to the essential elements of the interior. – Porsche AG photo*

The seats feature a seatbelt buckle in the centre panel and the electric adjustment controls are positioned for comfort, functionality and motorsports use.

There is no centre screen, a deliberate choice.