Porsche showed us a preview of a new model this afternoon as it unveiled the Mission S concept in New York. It’s a mid-engined sports car that will slot into the Porsche range above the 911. But this won’t be a limited-run car like the Carrera GT or 918 Spyder—instead it will be a regular production model, part of Porsche’s plan to dig itself out of a financial hole by 2035.
Things have been tough for the German automaker of late. Just three years ago its profit margin was the envy of the industry at 18 percent; last year it collapsed to just 1 percent. It has recovered a little since then, and Porsche’s board has a plan to get back to double-digit margins by 2035, called “Sportwagenschmiede ’35,” which involves prioritizing “value over volume,” with greater individualization for customers—and the associated higher selling prices that come with it.
“We are pursuing a clear plan with our strategy Sportwagenschmiede ’35. The ultimate goal is to further strengthen our unique sports car brand–across all model lines and with new, highly desirable models in particularly high-margin segments,” said Porsche Chairman Michael Leiters.
Some of that restructuring will involve laying off 9,000 people, part of a larger effort by Volkswagen Group (which owns Porsche) to reduce headcount over the next decade. But new models are planned, too: the electric 718 Boxster/Cayman, a smaller SUV below the Macan due in 2028 with both gasoline and plug-in powertrains, as well as new models in larger, more expensive segments alongside the Cayenne and Panamera.
And, as we learned today, a mid-engined supercar. “The Mission S provides a glimpse of the ideas and design features that will shape Porsche in the coming years,” said Leiters. “At the same time, the Mission S represents a mid-engined supersports car platform positioned above the 911—not as a one-off hypercar, but as a permanent and versatile addition to our customer offering.”
The Mission S previews the look and feel of future Porsches both inside and out. There are nods to previous Porsches like the 917, 928, 959, and GT1 in the exterior styling, although from some angles I’m also getting Aston Martin One-77 and BMW i8. The interior, meanwhile, takes inspiration from Porsche’s early history with the 356 and 550 Spyder. In particular, Porsche says the Mission S has a focus on the driver experience with a mix of haptic and digital feedback. Screen haters take note—there is no passenger display (hurrah!) or even a central infotainment screen. Instead, your smartphone docks onto a MagSafe connector.
We don’t have any information on the Mission S’s powertrain. Given the exhaust pipes at the rear, it’s safe to assume it will be an internal combustion engine. There are good chances it will feature a flat-eight cylinder engine behind the cockpit, similar to the 908 race car (or the engine recently shown off by Ruf)—rumors have been swirling for a week now that Porsche would build a flat-eight. Whether or not it will feature forced induction or hybridization is unclear, but given Porsche recently developed its electric T-Hybrid system, it’s reasonable to expect both.
