Porsche is celebrating its 75th anniversary by launching a spectacular new £2million 200mph-plus two-seater supercar expected to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in under two seconds to become the world’s fastest car.
Codenamed ‘Mission X’ and dubbed ‘an electric dream car’ it is expected to go into production as a limited edition run for super-rich enthusiasts and collectors. The new car marks the German performance car-makers ambitions for its 21st century electric future and aims to showcase how Porsche will combine vast power with lightweight construction.
Video: Porsche unveils its slick new Mission X car for its 75th birthday
At a glitzy star-studded party at its headquarters in Zuffenhausen near Stuttgart in South West Germany, Porsche bosses unveiled the new hypercar as a highlight of the celebrations held at the modernist Porsche Museum which houses the companies automotive crown jewels. Porsche has even subtly tweaked its prancing horse badge to commemorate the anniversary.
The sleek new aerodynamic two-seater ‘Mission X’ vehicle with upwardly opening scissor-doors is also set to make its first UK appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, where Porsche’s anniversary is being celebrated as the headline sponsor. Measuring 4.5 metres long, 2.0 meters wide and just 1.2 meters tall (or under 4ft) the powerful hypercar’s all-wheel drive twin electric motor supercar will run on 20-inch wheels at the front and 21 inch at the rear and is expected to be road legal, though also for use on the track.
Each one is expected to cost around £2million. Acceleration from rest to 62mph is expected to be under 2 seconds. Engineers are working on a rapid charging regime that will see it charged to 80 per cent in under ten minutes – or twice as fast as the 18 minutes taken by a Taycan Turbo S.
Those behind the project have spoken of achieving 1kg of weight for every horse-power of thrust, which could see it weighing around 1,500kg with 1,500 horse-power.
It is Porsche’s answer to the forthcoming £2.5million 1,155bhp Aston Martin Valkyrie (hybrid 6.5litre V12, 0-62 in under three seconds, and a top speed of 217mph), the £2million 258mph all-electric 1,914hp Rimac Nevera hypercar (that can hit 0 to 62mph in 1.97 seconds with a range of up to 340 miles), and the Mercedes-Benz’s AMG 1.
Unveiled on the eve of the legendary through the night Le Mans 24 Hour marathon race in France, Porsche chiefs believe this will be a car to break the lap record for the infamous Nurburg Ring circuit in Germany, and become the world’s fastest street-legal car. It is being seen as a spiritual successor to the Porsche 959 of 1986 which was itself the world’s fastest street legal car when launched in 1986, and to the Porsche 917 racing car in which British driver Richard Attwood won Le Mans in 1970.
It is also being talked of as a successor to the Porsche 918 Spyder. At the time is was the most powerful Porsche road-car ever built, accelerating from rest to 60 mph in a scintillating 2.5 seconds – and up to 124mph in 7.2 seconds.
The two-seater supercar could even do 93mph in silent pollution-free electric-only power mode. And overall it produced so little carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions that was exempt from the London Congestion Charge. The Mission X is also being spoken of in the same breath as the sleek mid-engined Porsche Carrera GT built from 2004 to 2006.
Celebrations for the new Mission X, which is likely to be given a different name when it goes into production, were overseen by Porsche chairman Oliver Blume, whose expanded responsibilities since September now include being chief executive of the entire Volkswagen Group, of which Porsche is a key part. Under Porsche’s electrification plans, the company aims to have 50 per cent of its vehicles pure electric by 2025.
The current all-electric Taycan, for which the UK is the biggest market globally, is set to be joined by a pure electric version of the Macan next year. The new Porsche hypercar celebrating 75 years of the car firm will make its first UK appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – dubbed world’s largest automotive garden party and itself celebrating its 30th anniversary – which runs from July 13 to 16 in the grounds of the Duke of Richmond’s stately home near Chichester in West Sussex.
A parade of historic and current Porsche cars that have helped define and guide the company’s vision over the decades – both on the road and track – will feature in the action on the Goodwood Hill. At the heart of the Festival of Speed in front of Goodwood House will be a special Porsche central feature sculpture designed by artist Gerry Judah, who has been responsible for many of the dramatic physics-defying works of automotive art created especially for the event.
As well as celebrating 75 years of Porsche, this year also marks the 60th anniversary of the legendary Porsche 911, of which more than a million have been produced since launch in 1963 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Porsche reckons that 70 per cent of all Porsches ever built are still on the road today.
The UK is Porsche’s fourth biggest market after China, the US, and Germany, and ahead of South Korea. In 2022 Porsche UK delivered a record 18,554 cars – up 32 per cent on 2021.
Biggest seller in the UK last year was the Macan, followed by the Taycan (only just behind), 911, Cayenne, 718 (Cayman and Boxster) and Panamera. The UK is the largest market globally for the Taycan. Almost 40 per cent of UK sales now feature an electrified drivetrain – the Cayenne E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid, and the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, 4S E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid adding to this along with the Taycan.
Oliver Blume, chairman of the executive board of Porsche AG 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. Daring to dream and dream cars are two sides of the same coin for us: Porsche has only remained Porsche by constantly changing.’
Michael Mauer, head of style at Porsche, said: ‘The Mission X is a clear commitment to the core of the brand. The continuing, enhanced expression of our brand and product identity is an important compass for us to navigate the development of our series-production models. The concept study symbolises a symbiosis of unmistakable motorsport DNA with a luxurious overall impression.’
Porsche Cars Great Britain chief executive Krishan Bodhani said: ‘Some 75 years ago, Ferry Porsche dreamed of a sports car, a dream realised in the 356. In the same way, 30 years ago The Duke of Richmond first realised his dream of a unique motoring event. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is therefore the perfect setting for us to celebrate our anniversary. We’re delighted that Goodwood is giving us this brilliant opportunity to share our passion with enthusiasts, Porsche fans and owners here in the UK.’
The Duke of Richmond and Gordon said: ‘Porsche has been one of our most loyal and enthusiastic partners, supporting the Festival of Speed since 1995, and the Revival since 2010. This year Porsche will become the first manufacturer to create the Central Feature at the Festival of Speed for the fourth time, underlining the huge success of this iconic manufacturer as we both celebrate a milestone of 75 years.’
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