Porsche has announced development of a mid-engine sports car platform that will underpin a new model line positioned above the 911, as the German marque expands into more exclusive, higher-margin segments.
The announcement came at its Capital Markets Day in Weissach as part of a new strategy called Sportwagenschmiede '35, which roughly translates to a forge for sports cars. However, Porsche has not disclosed a name, powertrain, production timeline, or other technical details for this upcoming flagship, but it has offered a first glimpse of what comes next.
Porsche has teased the Mission S, which will provide a preview of its potential mid-engine super sports car platform when it is revealed on October 15. For now, the teaser offers little beyond a first look at the car, and Porsche has not confirmed whether the Mission S name will carry over to a production model. The Mission S name itself is notable because Porsche has a history of using "Mission" names for concepts, rather than necessarily carrying those names into production. The Mission E became the Taycan, while the Mission X was Porsche's 2023 electric hypercar concept.
This announcement comes nine months after Michael Leiters took over as Porsche CEO. He previously led McLaren Automotive and served as Ferrari's chief technology officer, bringing extensive experience with mid-engine supercars.
The Mission S also raises an intriguing prospect. More than a decade after the 918 Spyder joined the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari in the original hybrid "Holy Trinity," McLaren and Ferrari now have the W1 and F80. Could this finally preview the missing link for a "Holy Trinity 2.0" and the long-awaited successor to the 918, Porsche's next halo exotic?
While Porsche hasn’t revealed a powertrain or production timeline for the new supercar, we covered Porsche's W18 engine patent in October last year, and that filing is worth revisiting now, though Porsche has never connected the engine to this project, or indeed to any production model.
The company is continuing to invest in combustion, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric technology, meaning the powertrain behind its new flagship remains an open question. Whatever eventually emerges will also be developed during a new era for Porsche design, with Tobias Suhlmann taking over from longtime design chief Michael Mauer.
"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" - Dr. Michael Leiters, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.
Porsche's wider product plan includes the all-electric 718 Boxster and Cayman, which are expected to support sales through their first full year of production in 2028. A new B-Segment SUV with combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains is also planned and will be revealed in 2028, while Porsche is studying another SUV positioned above the Cayenne for the D-Segment. The company plans at least one brand-defining product launch annually through 2030.
Porsche is also bringing its Performance, Exclusiveness and Heritage activities under a "Home of Sports Cars" umbrella. It will increase its stake in Manthey Racing to 67 percent, with plans to expand their joint offering from performance kits to few-off vehicle concepts. Porsche also aims to grow its Sonderwunsch business sixfold.
Overall, this strategy is accompanied by a broader restructuring effort aimed at streamlining Porsche's operations and lowering its break-even point to fewer than 200,000 vehicles. Porsche has also sold its stakes in Rimac and Bugatti Rimac as it focuses resources on its core business.
Images: Porsche
