Mission… accepted: discover the superb new mid-engine Porsche Mission S

Porsche is on the ropes. Its profits – once the envy of many carmakers – collapsed last year, plunging 93 percent to 90 million euros. Its bet on an EV future resulted in… two new essence crossings.

His mission now is to turn the ship around. And that is part of the solution. Welcome to the stunning new Mission S supercar.

This isn’t a limited-edition hypertoy designed for a select few (although it would undoubtedly sell out in seconds), but a full production car that will sit at the top of the Porsche tree. Which means he will despise the Porsche halo car.

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

It was designed to be “recognizable at first glance as a Porsche”, and we would say… mission accomplished. It looks a lot like the 911 up front with that familiar headlight layout, a slatted hood, a sleek front bumper and what Porsche considers “torpedo” wings.

Then comes that sloping roofline, huge barge planks on the flanks and a sloping roofline that flows into that well-integrated rear wing that carries more than a whisper of the marvelous Carrera GT and classic 959.

Indeed, Porsche points out a number of its old cars lurking in the Mission S silhouette: the 911 as we mentioned, the “G” car model in the closed lines, the delightful GT1 in the supercar flat front, and even the 928 in the wheels.

One of the coolest elements of the car (aside from the roof opening) emphasizes its mid-engine layout: See that radiator fan in the middle of the car? It’s a nod to Porsche’s all-conquering 917 endurance car.

So it’s familiarly Porsche, but just… cooler. Angrier somehow, and yet very clean. “The Mission S is the result of a holistic and future-oriented design strategy,” said Porsche Design Director Tobias Sühlmann.

Ah yes, the engine. Porsche has not yet disclosed what will power the production version of this Mission S supercar: if the 911 has a monopoly on flat-sixes, what chance do flat-eights have? Rewind to July 2026, when Porsche’s long-time friend RUF revealed a monster 4.8-liter eight-cylinder boxer engine prototype.

This thing made about 1,000 hp and was bolted into the middle of something not far from this new Mission S. We think RUF would be willing to throw a few at Porsche…

Either way, whatever engines the Mission S production car has, they’ll be controlled from inside a cabin haunted by two other Porsche icons, the 550 Spyder and 356: spartan, analog, driver-oriented, and filled with physical dials and rotary controls, plus lovely sports seats to create – according to Porsche – “a feeling of sitting deep in the car.”

Conspicuous by its absence is the presence of a large touchscreen – this is a driver’s Porsche, so instead there’s a simple stand on which your own smartphone can perch and use, preferably with the My Porsche app.

Speaking of that 550, the launch of this model mirrors the old model: in 1953, this Spyder was unveiled on a pier in Queens, New York. Have you guessed where Porsche decided to unveil this new Mission S?

“As the brand’s first super sports car, the 550 Spyder is still considered today to have defined the company’s identity,” Porsche said. “At the same time, it laid the foundation for Porsche’s popularity and success in the United States.

“By choosing this location, Porsche underlines the importance of its history for the future of design and the brand – a claim that is also reflected in the Mission S.”