Porsche has revealed the Mission S, a new mid-engine supercar concept that the automaker says will become a permanent fixture in its lineup rather than a one-off or limited-run special. The car was shown on Thursday, and Porsche made clear that the production version will sit above the 911 in its range.
The Mission S places its engine behind the driver but ahead of the rear axle, a layout Porsche notes is far less common in its history than its rear- and front-engined models. The company described the coming model as a "permanently available super sports car offer."
Design draws on Porsche's racing heritage
Styling cues reference several of the marque's historic cars. The flattened front end is loosely drawn from the GT1 Le Mans racer, while the rear half shows hints of the 959. One of the more distinctive elements is a radiator fan mounted atop the engine, in the style of the 917.
Powertrain still undisclosed
Porsche has not disclosed the Mission S's powertrain. The car will use internal combustion, but the manufacturer deliberately avoided saying which engine sits under the hatch.
German outlet Handelsblatt reported in September that a new engine was in development at Porsche, and other parts of that report appear to align with what is known about the Mission S, including its position at the top of the lineup and a possible half-million-dollar price. That figure is unconfirmed.
Interior emphasizes driver engagement
Porsche emphasized analog engagement at the debut. A knob that resembles a manual or sequential shifter is marked with "PRND," and metal paddle shifters behind the steering wheel suggest the car will likely use a PDK automatic transmission rather than a manual.
The cabin is driver-focused. Controls are angled toward the driver's seat, and depending on drive mode, the tachometer extends closer to the driver for a clearer view. As is typical for Porsche, the dash carries five circular gauges, and the key is inserted on the left.
Notably, Porsche has chosen not to fit a permanently integrated center display or a fixed passenger display. Instead, a retractable smartphone system compatible with MagSafe is designed for use as needed, allowing a personal phone to serve as a navigation or information display. A My Porsche App provides access to functions and lets users select digitally rendered, historically inspired designs for the circular instruments.
Even the comfort and driving control knobs below the phone mount pull out and push back in.
What's next
Porsche has confirmed that some version of the car will be available to buy in the future. The manufacturer's previous concept of this kind, the Mission X, was presented in 2023 as a potential successor to the 918 Spyder.