Porsche launches £2m ‘Mission X’ electric supercar

Porsche is celebrating its 75th anniversary with the launch of a spectacular new £2 million supercar capable of over 200 mph that is expected to accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in less than two seconds to become the fastest car in the world.

Codenamed ‘Mission X’ and nicknamed ‘an electric dream car’, it is expected to enter production as a limited edition for super-rich enthusiasts and collectors.

The new car marks the ambitions of the German automakers for the electric future of the 21st century and aims to show how Porsche combines enormous power with lightweight construction.

At a glitzy star-studded celebration at its headquarters in Zuffenhausen near Stuttgart in southwest Germany, Porsche bosses unveiled the new hypercar as a culmination of celebrations held at the modernist Porsche Museum, where the crown jewels of the company’s cars are displayed. are accommodated.

Porsche even subtly modified its prancing horse decal to commemorate the anniversary.

The sleek new aerodynamic two-seater ‘Mission X’ car with upward opening scissor doors will also make its first UK appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​in July, celebrating Porsche’s anniversary as title sponsor.

Measuring 4.5m in length, 2.0m in width and just 1.2m (or less than 4ft) in height, the hypercar’s powerful dual electric motor and four-wheel drive supercar will ride on 20-inch wheels in the front and Riding 21-inches in the back. legal for the road, but also for track use.

Each copy is expected to cost around £2 million. Acceleration from rest to 100 km/h is expected to take less than 2 seconds.

Engineers are working on a fast-charging regime that could charge it to 80 per cent in less than ten minutes – twice the 18 minutes of a Taycan Turbo S.

Those behind the project have talked about achieving 1 kg of weight for every horsepower of thrust, which would allow it to weigh about 1,500 kg with 1,500 horsepower.

It’s Porsche’s answer to the forthcoming £2.5 million 1,155bhp Aston Martin Valkyrie (hybrid 6.5 liter V12, 0-62 in less than three seconds and top speed of 350km/h), the £2 million 258 mph all-electric 1,914 horsepower Rimac Nevera hypercar (which can go from 0 to 60 mph in 1.97 seconds with a range of up to 340 miles), and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG 1.

Unveiled on the eve of the legendary nighttime Le Mans 24-hour marathon race in France, Porsche chiefs believe this will be a car to break the lap record for Germany’s infamous Nurburg Ring circuit and become the world’s fastest street-legal car to become .

It is seen as a spiritual successor to the 1986 Porsche 959, which itself was the world’s fastest street-legal car when it was launched in 1986, and to the Porsche 917 racing car in which British driver Richard Attwood won Le Mans in 1970.

There is also talk of the successor to the Porsche 918 Spyder.

At the time it was the most powerful Porsche road car ever built, accelerating from a standstill to 100 km/h in a scintillating 2.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in 7.2 seconds.

The two-seater supercar could even reach 153 km/h in quiet, pollution-free electric mode. And overall, it produced so little carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that it was exempt from the London Congestion Charge.

The Mission X is also mentioned in the same breath as the sleek, mid-engined Porsche Carrera GT, built from 2004 to 2006.

The festivities for the new Mission X, which will likely be renamed when it goes into production, were led by Porsche Chairman Oliver Blume, whose expanded responsibilities since September now include being CEO of the entire Volkswagen Group, of which Porsche is an important part.

According to Porsche’s electrification plans, the company aims to have 50 percent of its vehicles fully electric by 2025.

The current all-electric Taycan, for which the UK is the largest market in the world, will be joined next year by a purely electric version of the Macan.

The new Porsche hypercar celebrating 75 years of motoring will make its first appearance in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​- the world’s largest car garden party itself celebrating its 30th anniversary – taking place at the site from 13-16 July from 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 on the track – will be part of the action at Goodwood Hill.

At the heart of the Festival of Speed ​​in front of Goodwood House will be a special central Porsche 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, more than one million of which have been produced since its launch in 1963 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Porsche estimates that 70 percent of all Porsches ever built are still on the road.

The UK is Porsche’s fourth largest market, behind China, the US and Germany, and ahead of South Korea.

In 2022, Porsche UK delivered a record 18,554 cars – 32 percent more than in 2021.

Biggest seller in the UK last year was the Macan, followed by the Taycan (just behind), 911, Cayenne, 718 (Cayman and Boxster) and Panamera. The UK is the largest market for the Taycan worldwide.

Nearly 40 per cent of UK sales now have an electrified powertrain – the Cayenne E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid, and the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, 4S E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid sold there along with the Add Taycan to .

Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG said: “The Porsche Mission X is a technological beacon for the sports car of the future.

“It takes up the torch of iconic sports cars of the past decades: like the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder before it, the Mission X provides a crucial impetus for the evolutionary development of future vehicle concepts.

“Dreaming dreams and dreaming 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: “The Mission X is a clear commitment to the core of the brand.

“The continuous, improved expression of our brand and product identity is an important compass for us as we develop our series production models.

‘The concept study symbolizes a symbiosis of unmistakable motorsport DNA with a luxurious overall impression.’

Krishan Bodhani, general manager of Porsche Cars UK, said: “Some 75 years ago, Ferry Porsche dreamed of a sports car, a dream fulfilled with the 356.

Similarly, 30 years ago, The Duke of Richmond first realized his dream of a one-of-a-kind automotive event. The Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​is therefore the perfect setting for us to celebrate our anniversary.

“We are delighted that Goodwood is giving us this great 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 becomes 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 75-year milestone.”