Porsche unveils its new flagship supercar concept the Mission S and it's a major evolution of the brand's design

Porsche has unveiled the Mission S, its new flagship supercar concept, and this is a major evolution for the brand.

While the design features subtle nods to previous models, the Mission S isn’t all about paying tribute to the brand’s past – it’s about moving it forward in a big way.

The future of sports cars has arrived, and we couldn’t be happier about it.

Porsche has been on top of its game for a while now

In recent years, the Porsche brand has been going from strength to strength.

It helps that their cars are setting records all over the place, as well accomplishing impressive feats.

There was the Cayenne Turbo Electric  which set a Guinness World Record driving underneath a plane as it took off and landed.

And there was the 911 which climbed the world’s highest volcano.

There’s no resting on their laurels around here.

With the news that the Boxster and Cayman would be going electric, it’s clear that changes are afoot at the German company.

And perhaps nothing exemplifies that better than the Mission S.

Taking a closer look at the Mission S

To give you a sense of the significance of the Mission S, here’s what Dr Michael Leiters, the Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, had to say about it.

“A Porsche must be recognizable as a Porsche at first glance,” he said.

“The Mission S provides a glimpse of the ideas and design features that will shape Porsche in the coming years.

“The Mission S represents a mid-engined super sports car platform positioned above the 911 – not as a one-off hypercar, but as a permanent and versatile addition to our customer offering.”

At a pier in Queens, New York, the Mission S gets its grand debut.

It was on this very pier that the 550 Spyder was photographed in 1953, in photos that made their way around the world.

While this car’s launch is paying tribute to its legacy, there’s very little about this car that’s a throwback.

This is all about moving the brand forward.

“The Mission S is the result of a forward-looking, holistic design strategy,” Tobias Sühlmann, the Head of Design, said.

“This vision model illustrates a fundamental strategic direction that we will soon be translating into our future product portfolio.”

How has that come through on this car’s design?

In a lot of ways, there are the typical Porsche design features – torpedo fenders, the round headlights, and the iconic roofline.

The design is a blend of harmony and strength, with a wraparound line separating the two segments masterfully.

While the top half of the embodies strength, the lower half give attention to what the company has called a ‘lightweight construction philosophy’.

Little tributes to other cars are dotted throughout the vehicle, whether that’s the cooling solution similar to the 917’s radiator fan, or the 928’s ‘dial design’ on the wheels.

The flat front is strikingly similar to the GT1, while the roofline beneath the rear wing takes its cue from the 959.

How do things look on the inside of the Mission S?

Inside, digital and analogue features sit side-by-side in perfect harmony, joining together the old and the new.

White, grey, and red tones feature throughout in classic Porsche style.

The driver’s axis forms the heart of the interior, with systematic alignment of the controls towards the driver.

In fact, the rev counter even moves closer to the driver for enhanced focus in certain driving modes.

There’s no integrated center display or passenger display in the dashboard.

Instead a retractable smartphone system is on hand to be used when necessary.

This is a car that puts the driving experience first and it shows through every part of the design.