The Porsche brand is underpinned by engineering and performance proven over decades, but the cars are the stars. Cayman. 911. Carrera. 918. Spyder. So, how does one icon create another? What’s the secret sauce that keeps Porsche ahead of the pack? Maybe it’s the X Factor…

Creating a standout car when the world demands homogeny isn’t easy. Neither is embracing the challenge of sustainability when your reputation has been built on MPH and redlining the revs. But as the Taycan proves, it’s possible to be simultaneously electric and electrifying.

As Supercars.net noted, the Porsche Taycan recently accounted for 13.2% of the carmaker’s total volume and 2022 saw a massive year-on-year increase of more than 160%. Better yet, the Taycan outsold the 911 for the first time over the same period.

Credit – Porsche

Electricity: the direction of travel

There’s always been a spark at Porsche. Example? In 1889, four years before he became Head of Testing at an electrical engineering firm in Austria, Ferdinand Porsche installed an electric system at his parent’s house.

The world’s first hybrid car, the Semper Vivus (‘Always Alive’) was born in 1900, under the Porsche flag. But that won’t cut the mustard today. Or keep Porsche ahead of the competition, specifically the Mercedes AMG One. Or indeed, claim the Nürburgring lap record. Check out the competition here.

So, Porsche has created a concept car to tick every box. 

The Porsche Mission X is here to break records and turn heads on the way to motoring history.

Created as a concept car for now, with potential production pencilled in for 2027, the Mission X marks the natural evolution of Frederick Porsche’s vision for electric motoring, and his company’s Le Mans race legacy as the spiritual successor to the powerful Porsche 918 Spyder.

Credit – Porsche

Mission E-possible 

It’s not Porsche’s first venture into electric racing at the concept level. The Mission E debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show with a spec that would be eye-opening nearly 10 years later: a 600 hp (440 kW) system power offered a driving range of more than 500 km. With all-wheel drive and steering, the E reached an 80% charge within 15 minutes and to 100 km/h from a standing start in less than 3.5 seconds. How do you follow that?

Credit – Porsche

Let’s talk about X.

This is a futuristic and future-focused all-electric hypercar built to take the current Nürburgring lap record for road-legal cars, currently held by the Mercedes. While not too many tech specs are in the public domain, the drive system will likely, like MissionE, be proven in motor racing. 

With the E, two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) produced more than 600 hp, to propel the Mission E to a speed of 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in under 12.

We do know the carbon fibre body will weigh about the same as the 911 at 15,000kg, the X will have a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, so should reach around 1,500hp while more downforce than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS will keep the car grounded while the big wheels – 20 inches at the front and 21 at the rear – suck in air to cool the brakes.

Talking of cool…

Porsche loves racing cars, and this is as close to Le Mans as many of us will get. As this Porsche promo explains in a photo-led, drive-through video, drivers opening the gull-wing doors can expect a curved, digital display, and a pod in front of the passenger has an analogue stopwatch so they can track your lap times.

Credit – Porsche

Lapping it up.

Mission X is no idle plaything, created for the single purpose of reeling in the presumptuous AMC. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team are heading to Rome as the leaders in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Want to know more?

Check out the Mission X taster promo. There’s also a teaser for the all-electric Porsche Macan, which may (or may not) appear in the next two years, while the Porsche 718 switches to the same power source in 2025.

Get more from yours.

The X isn’t going to be available for a while and your chances of getting one aren’t great. However. Your wheels could also have the X Factor and we can help uncover it for you. Whether it’s something cosmetic like the spoilers, or as fundamental as the chassis, we can help you create the car of your dreams from the reality parked on your drive.